RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Topic started by: wren on Tuesday 23 July 13 11:36 BST (UK)
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Hi All
I have asked about the details of this Harwar family before, they were law writers/ stationers and resided in the Chancery Lane, Lincoln's Inn Serle's place area of London. However, this is a more general question about the nature of their work. I have been reading articles and advertisements for this family in the newspaper archives and they appear to have been brokering for employment and for property. Am I right in concluding that law stationers didn't just sell stationary to lawyers but that they also acted as employment and property brokers and therefore had some training in the processes of the law?
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In the National Archives Podcast 'Behind the scenes: Two centuries of census-taking" Audrey Collins mentions that Law Stationers provided temporary Clerks for the early censuses.
Chris
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Hi Chris
Its looking to me like they weren't just paper merchants but were multi skilled professionals almost.
I'm just drawing assumptions really from the advertisements that I have read.
Thanks
Wren
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Just came across your post - don't know a great deal about their work, but I believe they used to copy legal documents, therefore employed a team of skilled writer/copiers. No photocopiers in those days therefore the need to produce hard copies of legal documents that were identical. Do you know anything about the Harwar family origins before Henry Harwar (born 1798)?
Richard
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Hi Richard
No, I know very little before 1798 only that Henry Harwar was born c 1798 to Henry Harwar and Anne Braddock who had been married at Southwark in 1797. Henry junior had three siblings. I need to do further research in this area. I have lots of unanswered questions regarding this intriguing family.
Wren
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Thanks Wren,
I've just been doing work for a friend who is descended from Joseph Richard, a son of Henry junior. Could be a long standing London family, the surname itself is very unusual and as yet I don't know its root. I'll let you know if I find out anything more.
Best wishes
Richard
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I have an ancestor, Thomas Harwar born 1716 in Cheshire who was a lawyer. His Son, Richard was also an Attorney At Law. Richard's son, John was born in Congleton, Cheshire and was a clark to a law stationer in the 1851 Census living in 11 Hemlock Court, St Clement Danes, Westminster. Could be a connection as it is an unusual name and not a common occupation.
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Almost certainly there is a connection, with this (as you said) unusual name. When I posted my original contribution to the discussion. I was doing it as a favour for someone else who sadly is now unable to continue with their research.
I wish you every success in your journey through the generations. I will try and pick up the threads again just in case I can see an immediate link, but I can't promise anything.
Best wishes.
Lincsamaster
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Have just noticed on the 1841 census entry in London for my Henry Harwar, Susannah his wife, and children; below them in the same household are John Harwar, 30 years of age, and (new wife?) Eliza, 20 years of age. Born outside London. Although the spelling of John is suspect, the ages fit and I think they are yours. Presence in Henry's household suggests kinship. Newly-weds yet to move into a place of their own? What do you think?
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This sounds right, thank you. John's wife was Eliza Prince and she was 10 years younger than John. Eliza was born in Westminster. I have yet to find a connection to Henry but it seems highly likely they were related.
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Not sure now that I was right. it may be a Joseph rather than a John on thee 1841 census, and I think John and Eliza's marriage after 1841. This Joseph may be a brother of your John though. Leave it with me and I 'll try and make some sense of it all!!!
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I have a John Harwar law writer in the 1841 census residing with my Thomas and his three children Amelia 15, Jeffery 15, and Thomas 6. At that stage his first wife Sarah Arundell has died and he hasn't yet remarried. John is a law writer and 30.
The Congleton Harwars and the London Harwars are related. The trick is getting the right connections.
I haven't done any Harwar research for a while, but you've inspired me to start work from the Congelton end to try to make the correct connections.
Wren
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Hello Wren and Sharonie2,
I may be covering old ground for you, but just in case it helps, I think I know the connection between the Harwar families of London. As you know the story starts in Cheshire - Thomas Harwar and his wife Katherine had a large family (nearly) all of them baptised at St Peters, Congleton. Thomas dies (unexpectedly?) on the 4th July 1795 without leaving a Will, and letters of Administration are granted (see original documents on Find My Past, quite a complex procedure by the look of it). Most if not all of the children are listed including Richard and Henry!!. Now Henry's baptism is not listed in Family Search, but we know that he was born in 1764 thanks to Boyd's Index of the Inhabitants of London. There is a two year gap in the recorded Baptisms of the Harwar family either side of 1764 so perhaps it is there in the original register or BTs. Henry appears to have married Anne Braddock sister of Thomas Braddock who married Henry's sister Ellen. Richard married Ruth Alsope? and Sarah Prophet?. Two of Richard's children were Joseph Henry who married Eliza Bull, and John who married Eliza Prince. Henry had four children, two of whom Thomas and Henry married two sisters Sarah and Susannah Arundell, the other two were Joseph and Katherine. As we have seen John b1811 was staying with his cousin Thomas in 1841 before he married Eliza Prince. Please correct me if I am wrong but hopefully that connects things so that all the Law Stationers descend from one Congleton family.
Best wishes
Lincsmaster
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Hi Lincsmaster and Sharonie2
Thank you for that. What a great explanation. I hadn't completely joined all of the dots. Mainly because I just hadn't had time. I'm descended from Henry and Ann Braddock and then from his son Thomas and Sarah through their daughter Amelia. Amelia went on to marry Joseph Williams also a law -writer. In 1848 they attempted to migrate to America with their three children Mary, Amelia and Joseph Henry junior on board the Juanita. I have been unable to find any record of Joseph's death but it seems that he died on the journey. Amelia's 2nd marriage cert states Widow July 31 1848 at sea Juanita voyage to America. Also from this date there is no sign of Joseph Henry junior. On his mother's 2nd marriage cert it says that there is one child deceased. Nor have I been able to find any record of Amelia senior and/or the girls travelling back to England. However, I know they did at some stage. Amelia senior then arrives in Melbourne from England on board the Hope in 1853 without the girls. The two girls then turn up in Melbourne in 1857 with a Scottish family on board the Herald of the Morning. How this happened is also a mystery.
Amelia senior remarries to James Ellard. She has three more children to James and dies at the age of 35 from TB in 1862. On Amelia Ellard's death cert the husband James Ellard only lists his children and ignores Amelia and Mary. My Amelia married George Rowley Walton has eight children and died in 1884 at the of 39 from heart failure. These circumstances leave lots of mystery and a myriad of questions. I have death and marriage certificates. Records of births. I have also searched British newspapers to no avail. Maybe my next step is to look at the American newspapers. Its a long way from Congleton but the links are really intriguing.
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A most unusual story covering three continents!