Grocer in London

[Beans]

Hi All, I have my 4th great grandfather - Thomas Boot - popping up as a grocer in the Windsor Court/Strand/Wynch Street/Little Drury Lane area in London in 1780. He lived at 27 Strand in 1779 He was 25 at the time. He was christened at St. Margarets, Westminster in 1754, his father was a soldier in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards. His mother died in 1764, his father in 1774.
I would be interested to know how/why he became a grocer from such a background, especially as he very quickly rose in his profession having shops in Leicester Square and Piccadilly and married Sarah Elizabeth Fisher, a Goldsmith and Cutler Masters daughter in 1782.

I would assume, but don't know, that he would have belonged to the Company of Grocers (who I contacted but their records don't go back this far) and that he would have served an apprenticeship and maybe even be a master at the time.
Does anyone know if my assumptions are correct?
I have trailed through all the online sites I can think of looking for any proof or indication, even in wills, but have found none .
The only Thing remotely connected what I can find is a marriage record for a Mychaell Boote (ancestry spelling and Michael Bote in Find-my-Past) from 1588. He was a grocer in the City but trying to  join up a grocer from 1588 to one in 1780 is one big task.

I know that this is about the period where records are stariting to thin out but does anyone have any suggestions where I might still look to find an apprenticeship, Freedom record, Will, etc etc which might help me?

Any help appreciated

[theirchild]

Hi Beans,

I just searched the catalogues of the National Archives, London Metropolitan Archives and Westminster Archives: I found nothing in the first two but Westminster has this (although it doesn’t seem to answer your specific query):

0102/005
Crown Alley, St Giles-in-the-Fields
1. Joseph Fisher of Leicester Square, St Anne, Soho, goldsmith, and Thomas Boot of the Strand, St Mary-le-Strand, grocer, and Sarah Elizabeth, his wife 2. Thomas Squire of Cheapside, London, cutler Indenture being the grant upon trusts of a messuage on the east of Crown Alley, a messuage on the west of Crown Alley, a messuage in Shorts Gardens, and a building over part of a yard in Shorts Gardens, St Giles-in-the-Fields.
9 Aug 1782

I see you’re not in the UK so if you think this document might be useful, perhaps you could post a lookup request.

I intended to search the catalogue of Camden Council Archives as well because the Strand/Drury Lane (Covent Garden) area is, I think, within Camden. However, their website’s carrying a message saying the catalogue’s temporarily unavailable due to technical issues. So this is something you might wish to do later:
www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/leisure/libraries-and-online-learning-centres/local-history/

I did a quick google as well: www.georgianindex.net/London/piccadilly_st.html has him as a grocer and tea dealer at 212 Piccadilly. (But no other information.)

Good luck,

theirchild

[Beans]

Thanks for looking thierchild but as of 1779 I have his life fully documented so I already have the document you are refering to. I also have Joseph Fisher's will. What I am missing is how/ why did Thomas become a grocer. He must have got his start-up from some body and he must gave been an apprentice somewhere but no luck so far.

What I did not know was that Covent Garden area was part of the Camden Council Arcive so I will certainly look at that when it is up and running again. Thanks for that!

Cheers and thanks again
Beans