A drastic reduction in circumstances!

[annettej]

I too have 2 ancestors who were Stock-brokers who were in London and seemed to fall on hard times.  Recently I visited the LMA to look at brokers records.

My one ancestor suddenly went from living in Camden, Kings Cross, area to Hoxton in Shoreditch in the 1830's.  So it was quite good to hear your story.   My gt. grandmother was left a widow and became depressed and it all ended up with her in the Regents Canal.   A newspaper article that was kindly copied to me through the rootschat paints a sad picture.   Will supply you with a transcript if you wish. But the long and short of it is she was found drowned with a farthing clutched in one hand and a letter from a loan company threatening action in her pocket.

[kaaren]

Thanks for your reply.  What a sad tale!  I will have to see if anyone is listed at the LMA.
I have found out a little more since I posted my message on the forum.  Apparently, one of my ancestors ended up in the bankruptcy courts because of debts that were owed to him by creditors who could not pay.  I have details a couple of appeals made by him and his son with regard to being sent to debtors prison!  I don't know if he ever did end up in prison for his debts, but I understand it was a fairly common event. 
Other people have suggested that the fall could have been caused by bank crashes etc. either directly or indirectly.  I suspect I will never know the full story.

[annettej]

The records at the LMA are quite useful, but it is worth reading up their notes before you go and the documents you order take 30 minutes to order.  I took a camera with me and for £2.50 for the day I could photograph anything I wished as long as the flash was not used.  It saved some time as some of the info is quite lengthy.  Not all Stock-brokers registered in the records, but if you find a record very often it will also give you parents or apprenticeship details.

If your ancestor is recorded at the LMA he will most probably be a Freeman of the City of London, details of this can be found at the Guildhall.

Sometimes the London Gazette can be useful for details as well.

But from what I have read in different articles around the 1830's were a difficult time.


Hope you manage to get to the LMA quite a trek for us from Shropshire, but well worth the time & cost.

[kaaren]

Many thanks for the info.  Much appreciated!

[Carolyn Clark]

What a sad tale, and seems not rare.  I'd be grateful for a copy o the article if you could send as researching life by the canal for the 200th anniversary in 2020.  Thank  Carolyn

[dawnsh]

Hi Carolyn

Welcome to Rootschat 

Fingers crossed you get a reply as this topic was started in 2008.

You may get results for your project by starting a new topic here

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/london-and-middlesex/

Have you contacted the City of Westminster archives for information?

Dawn