I am trying to find information on the family of
John Henry Pepper (b. 17 June 1821 in Westminster – d. 25 March 1900 in Leytonstone), probably best known for developing the projection technique known as “Pepper's Ghost”.
I have reference that his father was
Charles Bailey Pepper (b.
– d. 1854 in Lambeth, London) and that he was a public works contractor/civil engineer. I have found a Charles Bailey Pepper who is shown as a Painter and Glazier. He is resident at 35 Dartmouth Street, Westminster (1818) and 7 Great Queen Street, Westminster (1829).
Poll Books and Electoral Registers show him at St Margaret and St John the Evangelist, Westminster with properties at 18 Lewisham Street, Westminster, 11 Dartmouth Street, Westminster and Thornton Heath Villa, Croydon Common, Surrey.
He married Anne or Ann (b. abt 1795 in Westminster - ?). She is at 1 Lansdown Villas, St Mary Lambeth, Lambeth (1851) as a House Proprietor. Husband not shown, but with children - Jane, Martha and Adolphus and (1861 ) at 4 St Ann’s Place, Streatham, Surrey as Widow / Proprietor of Houses with children – Frederick and Martha.
It is mentioned that they had 11 children. Apart from John Henry Pepper, these may have been:
Frederick Thomas Pepper (b. abt 1827 in Westminster, Middlesex – d. 26 Dec 1903 in Hertfordshire)
m. Annie
? (abt 1833 in Southwark, Surrey - ?)
Jane Adelaide Pepper (b. abt 1831 in Putney, Surrey – d. 29 Dec 1917 in Streatham Hill, Surrey)
m. Richard Wheeler Thomas* (1824 in Middlesex – 6 July 1881 in Clapham Park, Surrey)
* This may have been Richard Wheeler Thomas of 10 Pall Mall, who was a London chemist who specialized in the production and sale of photographic supplies. Martha E Pepper (b. abt 1835 in Westminster – d. 1920 in Hammersmith, London)
Adolphus Pepper (b. abt 1836 in Westminster – d. ?)
John Henry PepperJohn Henry attended school at Loughborough House (Brixton), and King's College School (London). Around 1843 he was elected a Fellow of the Chemical Society. In 1845 he married
Mary Ann Benwell (b. abt 1819 in Hurst, Berkshire - 4 Dec 1889 in Surrey) at Westminster St Margaret, London and is said to have had a son with her in 1856?
In 1871, he is shown as a Professor of Chemistry; resident at Mapledurham, Oxfordshire (his nephew William Welsh (b. 1855 in Reading, Berkshire) is also shown).
Between 1874 and 1879 the family toured the United States and Canada before arriving in Melbourne, Australia on 8 July 1879.
In 1891, he is shown as a widower and a Professor of Chemistry, living at Rosebery Road, Clapham. (William H Welsh, the nephew is also with him as a Chemical Assistant).
In 1897 he marries
Janet Titlow in Essex. They live in Leytonstone, Essex (she is shown in his will at the time of his death). John was buried on 29 Mar 1900 at West Norwood Cemetery.
I don't know why he ended up in Leytonstone or was buried in Norwood?
While there is lots of info about him in relation to ‘Peppers Ghost’, I cannot find family details. If anybody has any details or links, I would appreciate any assistance.
