RootsChat.Com
Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: BobWatsit on Thursday 29 July 21 18:35 BST (UK)
-
Hello
Hopefully someone can point me in the correct direction for identifying someone.
I am currently tracing the Pitches family for a line of the family who lived in Hawstead. As I have done so I have found a link to a person I cannot at the moment correctly identify.
I only have limited information and an not sure where to start to identify him correctly.
To explain
In my tree is Henrietta Maria Pitches who was christened in 1715 in Bildsdon. Her parents being
Re. Richard Pytches and
Henrietta Maria Capel
When I have looked at Henrietta Maria she would appear to have married a male called Robert Nelson in 1738 in London.
To support this in the UK/US directory it has this.
Wife of: Nelson, Robert; Occupation: an eminent jeweller; Married: 8Th. August, 1738; Dowry: 3,000 pounds; Other Relation: Bishop of Ely; Relationship: Niece to
Henrietta is the niece of Rev Robert Butts who was the bishop of Ely at the same time. So the marriage is correct.
The trouble is I cannot work out the other details about Robert Nelson. I may have missed something obvious. However it is perplexing at the moment.
Can anyone help??
-
Hi BobWatsit,
This may not help to locate where Robert Nelson went, but there is a notice in the London Gazette https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/8726/page/4 dated 8th March 1747 that offers a reward for any information regarding Robert Nelson who was declared bankrupt and then "fled beyond sea". The notice confirms that Robert Nelson was a jeweller in London.
-
An earlier bankruptcy notice for Robert Nelson (9th Jan 1738) https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/7770/page/2 gives his address as Winchester Street, London.
-
On 10th December 1735, Robert Nelson was a witness in a case heard at the Old Bailey. He gives his address as Bow Lane.
Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 29 July 2021), December 1735, trial of Elizabeth Barker (t17351210-55).
-
At marriage at St Benet, Paul’s wharf, Robert is of All Hallows on ye Wall
-
Robert Nelson appears as a Master for an apprentice. On the paperwork for the apprenticeship, he gives his profession as Goldsmith which I think is one of the trades that still has a guild attached. Perhaps the Guild of Goldsmiths will have some info in any archives that they may hold? https://www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/craft/library-research/
-
The Gentleman’s magazine entry is here
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hw293u&view=1up&seq=439&skin=2021
But gives no more information.
-
Henrietta Maria Capel - parents and grandparents - her Grandad Gamaliel Capel was one of 20 children
https://gw.geneanet.org/rwmoore?lang=en&pz=reagan+wentworth&nz=moore&p=henrietta+maria&n=capel
-
I'm not surprised he decamped - the debtors prison wasn't a pleasant place as described in the London Gazette, which lists debtors.
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/all-notices/content/100938
-
Everyone who has posted, thank you very much for the information. It is interesting that he did a runner. I cannot find it what happened to his wife Henrietta so I have to wonder if she went with him.
I am not surprised he ran either. You have to wonder what he spent the £3000 dowry on though.
I suppose the best chance of getting his birth details is the Goldsmiths good so I will try there next. You never know.
Cheers
Bob
-
Everyone who has posted, thank you very much for the information. It is interesting that he did a runner. I cannot find it what happened to his wife Henrietta so I have to wonder if she went with him.
I am not surprised he ran either. You have to wonder what he spent the £3000 dowry on though.
I suppose the best chance of getting his birth details is the Goldsmiths good so I will try there next. You never know.
Cheers
Bob
I wouldn't be too harsh on any of our ancestors who came upon hard times.
It was an eye opener when I saw my Scottish ancestor's bankruptcies record. People didn't expect to pay for anything. I suspect your ancestor's rich customers would instruct him to "Put it on my account" and then not bother to pay their account. Then if time's were hard for everyone in the country, he could have had clients who were themselves made bankrupt and couldn't pay their debts.