Recently I have been researching William Eastman. . .
trying to establish if he is my Ancestor. As he appears to have died before the first census in 1841, it is difficult to know if the references I have found relate to the Father of my Gt Gt Gt Grandmother, Mary Ann Eastman, born 1825. According to the dates, all records found appear to relate to the same William Eastman, Spice Merchant - rather than two or three different individuals with the same name and trade. William Eastman, Spice Merchant, Ancestor or not: Born about 1795.
In 1817, at the age of 22, he married Mary Austin at St George The Martyr, Southwark.
[Image of the church on right]
On the baptism record of son William Edward [not confirmed] in 1820 William is recorded as a Warehouseman, abode: St Olave.
In 1822, at the time of the baptism of son George at St Paul Deptford, he is a Clerk and living in Bridge Place, Deptford. The 1825 baptism record for daughter Mary Ann at St Paul, Deptford shows William still at Bridge Place but Occupation is now Spice Merchant.
On this map of 1827 Bridge Place is off ".... ford lower road" horizontally level on the map with the "wet dock". This may be the place but is not confirmed.
On the baptism record of daughter Emma [not confirmed] at St Mary, Rotherhithe in 1826 William is a Merchant and now living at Goldsworthy Place [in the parish of Saint Mary, Rotherhithe]. Twins: Isabel and Frederick, were baptised in 1828 and daughter Esther in 1830, all at St Mary, Rotherhithe and William is still listed as a Merchant of Goldsworthy Place.
One of the issues I have is that William appears to have been living in the Southwark/Deptford area, South of the River and I am wondering if he would have commuted to Distaff Lane to work and if so how would he have done that in the 1800s.
I don't think he would have moved with his family to Distaff Lane - I get the impression that Distaff Lane was just a business premises and/or warehouse and unlikely to provide accommodation for his wife and children.
When he states he is "of Distaff Lane" does this mean he was living there. Possible, of course, that he lived at Distaff Lane and left the family in Southwark. At the time of William and Mary making their Wills, and dying in 1835 and 1836 respectively, they were living at Hunter Street, Kent Road - suggesting that the family did not move from Southwark.
Hunter Street, Southwark is no longer there - it ran between Long Lane and Bermondsey New Road [also no longer there?] near Tower Bridge Road.
"Rotherhithe" engraved by J.Carter after a picture by W. Tombleson, published in Tombleson's Thames ..., 1830.
London Metropolitan Archives has in it's catalogue an entry for 8th Nov 1826 "Insured: Messrs Mayor and Co Little Distaff Lane spice merchants." From the collection of the Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group". In the records of The Old Bailey Online: William Eastman is recorded as the victim of a crime which came to court on 21st February 1828 involving theft by John Smith: "WILLIAM EASTMAN. I am a spice-merchant , and live in Little Distaff-lane. I was in Tower Royal , between six and seven o'clock in the evening, on the 20th of February, walking with my partner, who felt somebody touch him; he said to me "Somebody is picking your pocket;" I turned round and saw the prisoner putting my handkerchief into his bosom. I gave him in charge." Again, William Eastman is in the records of the Old Bailey in the case of John Barclay Hill who was indicted for stealing goods from William Eastman "and others". There are two records relating to this case, both dated 4th December 1828, in one of which William Eastman states: "I am a partner in the firm of Eastman and Co. - there are two other partners" Freemason Registers on Ancestry.com for 1828 show William Eastman Spice Merchant of 2 Distaff Lane - age 33. On the same page is George Samuel Dove of the same address. The London Gazette: Notice is hereby given, that the Partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, George Mayor, William Eastman, and George Samuel Dove, carrying on business as Spice Merchants, under the style and firm of Mayor, Eastman, and Dove, at Little Distaff Lane in the City of London has been disloved by mutual consent as far as relates to William Eastman; and that all debts due to and from the said late copartnership are to be paid and received by the said George Mayor and George Samuel Dove, who will continue to carry on the said trade under the firm of Mayor, Dove and Co. As witness our hands this 20th day of December 1833. George Mayor William Eastman George Samuel Dove The London Gazette of 1834 has the following entry: "Notice is herby given, that the Partnership lately subsisting between William Eastman and Thomas Wrangham, both of No 6 Turnwheel Lane in the City of London, Spice Dealers carried on under the firm of Eastman and Co. was dissolved by mutual consent on the 27th day of October 1834; all debts due and owing to and from the said Partnership will be received and paid by the said Thomas Wrangham." So, it appears that he may have been in business with Thomas Wrangham trading under the name of Eastman and Co., and with George Mayor and George Samuel Dove trading as Mayor, Eastman, and Dove, before deciding to become a Baker. The 1834 Electoral Register - under the heading of Liverymen - William Eastman of 2 Distaff Lane, a Baker. The Register is of "persons entitled to vote in the election of members of Parliament for the City of London, as Freemen of such City being Liverymen of the several companies thereof and as inhabitant householders of such city."
Cordwainer's Hall, Distaff Lane.
Children of William Eastman and Mary Austen:
William Edward Eastman 1820-1894 George Eastman 1822 Mary Ann Eastman 1825-1902 Emma Eastman 1826-1909 Isabel Eastman Twin 1828-1914 Frederick Eastman Twin 1828- Esther Eastman 1830-
The Will of William Eastman of Hunter Street, Kent Road was made on 26th September 1835 in which he leaves everything, including the interest in a policy of insurance of 2000 pounds to his wife Mary Eastman. The will was proved 12th November 1835.
Mention is made in the Will of both George Mayor and George Samuel Dove. Burial records for St George the Martyr, Southwark show William Eastman of Hunter Street buried 4th October 1835, age 41.
Note: Apparently, In 1899, some one and a half thousand coffins were removed and re-interred at Brookwood Cemetery.
Mary Eastman died in 1836 presumably also at Hunter Street, she too was aged just 41 years.
On the marriage certificate of daughter Mary Ann Eastman to Thomas Mullins in 1840 her father is stated as William Eastman, Spice Merchant, and on that of son William Edward to Olive Elizabeth Robinson in 1843, William Eastman, Spice Merchant deceased.
Will of William Eastman:
Will of Mary Eastman:
To be continued . . . .