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James Carpenter (1763-1819)

Page history last edited by Jon 14 years, 8 months ago

Born around 1763[1].

 

An article looking at James' possible origins and the search for his family can be found in Searching for the Carpenters.

 

James was educated at St Anne's Charity School, Soho, Westminster, London[2] which was located in Rose Street[3]. The exact date of James' admission is not known but is likely to have been around 1772-3[4]. The school provided a strong element of religious teaching as well as reading, writing and arithmetic[5]. The boys wore clothing supplied by the school (including a cap, band, coat, gloves, shoes and stockings) as well as a badge with the letters 'St A. Westminster' and a number. The parents of the boys at the school were expected to supply the rest of their clothing[6].

 

In 1777 James was bound by indenture[7] for seven years as the apprentice of Mr Deykin, an umbrella maker, initially at Castle Street (for the first three years) and then at 47 Long Acre (for the last 4 years). The indenture would have been arranged by St Anne's Charity School which apprenticed boys when they reached the age of 14[8]. The indenture expired in 1784.

 

James appeared as a witness at the Old Bailey, the central criminal court in London, in the case of Henry Symonds who was tried for the theft of a linen oil-cloth umbrella on 14th January 1784[9]. The theft took place on 24th December 1783 from the premises of Richard Dakin[10], brass-founder and umbrella maker, of No. 4, Long-acre.

 

The proceedings of the Old Bailey give the testimony of Mr Dakin's servant:

 

"on Wednesday the 24th of December, between three and four, as I was going into the parlour,   James Carpenter came into the door, and I saw two men stand looking directly down the shop; on seeing these two men answer to the description I received on Monday, I says to Carpenter, these certainly are the men who took the umbrellas on Monday; upon that he went up stairs, I followed him, I then went up stairs and looked through the bannisters, one stood looking in at one end of the window, and the other at the other, seeing nobody in the shop, nor no person looking at them, the prisoner lifted one off the hooks, I saw him and immediately ran out after him, and turning round the corner he was rather too quick for me, I cried stop thief, he perceived the alarm, and threw it off his shoulder, and he run off, and one   Thomas Clapham laid hold of the prisoner, and I took hold of him and brought him back to the shop, and Carpenter picked up the umbrella; the value of it is seven shillings."

 

James Carpenter then gave his testimony:

 

"I was present on the 24th, and I saw the prisoner through the bannisters put his hand up and take this umbrella off the hook, I am sure it was him, I saw him throw it down; I assisted in taking him."

 

The defendant in the case, Henry Symonds, was found guilty and transported for seven years.

 

A separate official document relating to the case clarifies that 'James Carpenter was servant to the said Richard Deykin'

 

James Carpenter married Sarah Neal on 25th January 1803 at St George the Martyr, Queen Square, Holborn, London[11].

 

The family lived at Moors Yard in the Parish of St. Martin in the Fields from (at least) 1804 to 1819[12]. It is possible that James was still working for the Deykins as they owned property on the east side of Moors Yard. James was still an umbrella maker when his daughter Maria Elizabeth was baptised in 1816[13] and it seems likely that he passed on his trade to Edward Carpenter, who we believe could be James' nephew.

 

James fell ill in 1816 and was admitted to Bartholomew's Hospital. The loss of income caused hardship for the family and James' wife, Sarah, appeared before the examiners of St Martin in the Fields on 24th October 1816 to request poor relief[14]. The circumstances of James' illness and the duration of his stay in hospital are not known, but Sarah had cause to make a further request for poor relief on 13th February 1819 when it was noted that James was 'now ill'[15]. The text of both entries can be seen on the page: Settlement Examination Books - St Martin in the Fields

 

James died on 14th June 1819[16]. The cause of death was consumption[17].

 

Buried on 20th June 1819 in the Parish of St. Martin in the Fields[18].

 

Children:-

 

Footnotes

  1. James' age at death (50) in 1819 gives us an approximate year of birth of 1769 but evidence given in settlement examinations in 1816 and 1819 suggest that James is older (on the basis that James would have been 14 when he was apprenticed out from St Anne's Charity School in 1777, giving an approximate year of birth of 1763). The dates for James' apprenticeship can be corroborated with evidence from the Old Bailey where James appeared as a witness - suggesting that the earlier year of birth of 1763 is most likely. ▲
  2. Entries in the settlement examination books state that James was indentured from the school and we have assumed that this meant that he received an education before he became an apprentice. This fits with records that show James could write (his signature appears on the document that enabled his son William Carpenter to attend Shelton School). The settlement examination books are at Westminster Archives - reference F6104 and F6105 (MF 1909+1910). ▲
  3. The third school building was opened in Rose Street in 1734 with a lease for 60 years. Page 22. Cardwell, John Henry. The story of a charity school: two centuries of popular education in Soho, 1699-1899. Truslove, Hanson and Comba, 1899. ▲
  4. When the school was first opened in 1699 no boy was admitted to the school under the age of 10, although this was later reduced to 9. This would give us a date range of 1772-3 for James' admission. Page 9. Cardwell, John Henry. The story of a charity school: two centuries of popular education in Soho, 1699-1899. Truslove, Hanson and Comba, 1899. ▲
  5. It is difficult to tell the exact nature of the education James would have received. Cardwell explained that for the first scholars of St Annes reading, writing and the "grounds of arithmetic" formed the course of instruction. History and Geography were not taught. The boys were also taught to sing and had religious teaching on church lines. We do not know how much had changed - if anything at all - when James arrived at the school. p10. Cardwell, John Henry. The story of a charity school: two centuries of popular education in Soho, 1699-1899. Truslove, Hanson and Comba, 1899. ▲
  6. The clothing was given by the trustees and included caps, bands, coates, gloves, shoes and stockings with the rest of the clothes provided by parents. After a time breeches were added, buckles for the shoes and brass buttons for the coats. A badge with the letters St. A. Westminster and a number was added by order on August 7th 1765.' This dress remained the same until 1845. An illustration is given in the book by Cardwell. Page 17. Cardwell, John Henry. The story of a charity school: two centuries of popular education in Soho, 1699-1899. Truslove, Hanson and Comba, 1899. ▲
  7. 'An apprenticeship indenture was a legal document whereby a master, in exchange for a sum of money (the 'premium'), agreed to instruct the apprentice in his or her trade for a set term of years. The provision of food, clothing and lodging was generally part of the agreement.' Definition from http://www.englishorigins.com ▲
  8. Cardwell states that 'When a boy reached the age of 14 the trustees apprenticed him to some trade and paid a premium for him'. The school placed their boys with men of good character to ensure that their religious education would not be undone. It also appears that the school presented each boy with a bible, book of common prayer and a whole duty of man when they were apprenticed (at least in the early days). At the end of an apprenticeship the boys received a small gratuity if they had demonstrated good character. Page 18. Cardwell, John Henry. The story of a charity school: two centuries of popular education in Soho, 1699-1899. Truslove, Hanson and Comba, 1899. ▲
  9. The full text of the case, as reported in the proceedings, can be found at http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t17840114-26&div=t17840114-26 ▲
  10. Kent's Directory for 1794 includes an entry for Deykin Richard, Umbrella Manufacturer, 47, Long acre. This is consistent with the address given by Sarah for the period 1780-1784. It seems likely that the address referred to in the Old Bailey Proceedings is 47 Long Acre rather than 4 Long Acre. ▲
  11. The date of the marriage was given in the Carpenter Family Record Book whilst the location is given in the examination books of St Martin in the Fields. According to the entry James was a bachelor and Sarah was a spinster - both of this parish. James and Sarah signed the register with a signature. The witnesses to the marriage were [W?] Jenkins and [T?]. D. Bateman. ▲
  12. The earliest record that mentions this address is the baptism of Susannah Carpenter in 1804 and the latest is the burial of James Carpenter in 1819, however the period the family lived at this location could extend beyond these two points. After James' death in 1819 Sarah re-married and her abode was given as Brunswick Street, Southwark at the time of her death in 1830. ▲
  13. The trade of umbrella making is recorded as James' occupation on the entry in the Parish Registers for the baptism of his daughter Maria Elizabeth Carpenter in 1816. ▲
  14. Rough Examination Book 1816-1818, Page 1. F6104 (MF 1909). Westminster Archives. ▲
  15. Rough Examination Book 1818-1827, Page 26. F6105 (MF 1909+1910). Westminster Archives. ▲
  16. Carpenter Family Record Book ▲
  17. Sextons Day Book. Entry for Sunday 20th June 1819. The entry shows that James Carpenter, Moors Yd - M[ale] - 50 y[ea]rs old - died of Consum[ption]. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. J. Tillotson. The cost was 1-15-4. ▲
  18. Register of Burials in the Parish of St. Martin in the Fields in the County of Middlesex. The entry (no. 678) states that James Carpenter (50 years old) of Moors Yard was buried on 20th June 1819. The ceremony was performed by J. Tillotson, curate. ▲

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