Jewellers lifestyle early to mid 19th century?

[quiffdo]

Hello all

Can anybody tell me what sort of lifstyle would a Master Watch,Clockmaker and Jeweller have around about the 1840-60 time?

The man in question was born in Bristol and by the 1841 census was living in Hackney London, by the 1851 census he had moved onto Wolverhampton.

Many thanks

Danny

[quiffdo]

Sorry about the Jewellers being spelt wrong on the post title, could a MOD please ammend this for me

Danny

[JudithM]

My 2x gt grandfather was a journeyman and later master watchmaker in Islington, having served his apprenticeship in the late 1830s. He appears to have lived in various rented houses, in the same street. Sometimes the whole house, sometimes part of a house depending on how large his family was at the time. He had an apprentice living in his house for a while but never (or at least not on census nights) had live in domestic help. His chilldren were educated, when one of his sons was ill he was able to send him some sort of convalescent home. He seems to have been respected within the community, and knew people such as the illustrator of Dickens' novels. For at least part of his working life he worked on his own account at home.

[quiffdo]

Thankyou Judith

Ive just seen on the census before 1851 he was a Glodsmith.
He seemed a well educated man.

Danny

[Olde Crone Holden]

Danny

Goldsmiths and jewellers served an apprenticeship, still do today. HOWEVER! Nothing stopping anyone claiming to be a Goldsmith/Jeweller, although that was quite unlikely in the 1840s, he would soon get caught out if he didn't have the necessary skills.

Your best bet is apprenticeship records. If I remember rightly, he was from Bristol but I bet he served his apprenticeship in Birmingham. He could have been apprenticed from age 10, although 12 or 14 was more usual.

He probably left a will - when did he die?

OC

[quiffdo]

I think he died in 1883 in walsall.

Not 100% but im pretty sure he did.

Danny

[Olde Crone Holden]

I'd look for a will then. A jeweller would have had valuable tools and stock to dispose of.

As to his lifestyle- may not have been all that grand. Jewellery etc has always been a luxury market and subject to extremes of cash flow!

He is living in what appears to be a fairly nice area in 1851, but that may have been necessity, in order to be near a source of clientele.

I presume you have found him on later census - is he still working?

OC

[quiffdo]

Thats the problem OC, i cant find him after 1851. I have his daughter Rosa as she married James Hill but William is still evading me.

I think he must be badly mistranscribed on later census.

Danny

[Olde Crone Holden]

I can see son Henry on later census - gone back to Wolverhampton, an umbrella maker, but I can't spot the rest of them.

OC

[quiffdo]

Strange isnt it, seems like William and co just disapeared off the face of the census.

Danny

[quiffdo]

Apparently this is Ann Pote, William's wife in 1871 Wolverhampton living with Elizabeth Brazier a licenced victualler.

RG10/2932. Folio 42, Page 23

And on the 1861 census she is also with Elizabeth Brazier.

Maybe Ann left William, still dosent explain why we cant find William.

Danny

[Olde Crone Holden]

This could be interesting:

RG9 176 129 15

Charles Pote, apprenticed to a watch and clockmaker called BAAT (looks like BOAT to me) born in Germany.

Maybe the origin of the surname in this family - or may simply be a coincidence!

OC

[quiffdo]

Maybe the origin of the surname in this family - or may simply be a coincidence!

OC

The origin of Pote in which family? Baat?

Danny

[quiffdo]

I saw this on FMP for the 1871 census and it looks like my guy -

Household POTE, William 1807 64 M Walsall Staffordshire

Danny

[Olde Crone Holden]

Danny

If the german surname is BAAT (or, I reckon, BOAT) that would easily either be anglicised to Pote, or alternatively the german lot may have been Pote, but said with a heavy accent, it would sound like BOAT.

It was just a thought - probably nothing in it but I thought it was an interesting coincidence of very similar sounding names, given the profession of Herr BAAT!

OC

[quiffdo]

OC

That is an intresting theory, im gonna spend today seeing what i can find out about the Pote family.

Danny

[quiffdo]

Right i have it all wrapped up, on the 1861 census William is with my 4xGreat Grandmother Rosa Pote and is listed as a Jeweller and on the 1871 census he is on his own and is listed as an Umberella maker (also mistranscribed as Rote)

Finally he's been found

Danny

[Olde Crone Holden]

That fits very nicely with son Henry who is also an umbrella maker!

OC

[quiffdo]

True, and he is also with my 4xgreat grandmother Rosa.

By the next census he is a Jeweller again and then the 1881 census he is down as Pope but he is a retired Jeweller and living with his daughter Mary and her husband Frederick Benbow.

Danny