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Thomas Freeth (1758-1826)


Son of Thomas Freeth of Liverpool

Born 14 Nov 1758 at Liverpool
Baptised baptised 28 Nov 1758 at St Nicholas, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Married  Catherine Eldershaw on 6 Sep 1778 at St Mary's Church, St Mary le Bone, Middlesex.
Married  Mary Ann Durant on 8 Jul 1787 at St Mary's Church, St Mary le Bone, Middlesex.
Died 4 Feb 1826 at Queen Street, Islington
Buried 6 Feb 1826 at St Mary's Church, Islington


Family

Children from marriage between Thomas Freeth and Catherine Eldershaw:

  1. Thomas Freeth, born 20 Jul 1783 christened 17 Aug 1783 at St James Church, Clerkenwell, London. Married Mary Crow at St Mary's Church, Islington on 13 April 1803. They had a son Thomas, christened 3 August 1806 at St Andrews Church, Holborn, London,and shown as living in Fetter's Lane.

Children from marriage between Thomas Freeth and Mary Ann Durant:

  1. Mary Ann Elizabeth Freeth, born 8 July 1788, baptised 16 Nov 1788 at St James Church, Clerkenwell
     
  2. James William Freeth, born 10 Nov 1790, baptised 31 Jan 1791 at St Sepulchre, Holborn. Address given as Clerkenwell Close.
     
  3. Maria Freeth, born 15 March 1793, baptised 14 Apr 1793 at St James Church, Clerkenwell. Died 29 May 1793
     
  4. Edward Freeth, born 19 May 1794, baptised 20 Jul 1794 at St James Church, Clerkenwell. Died 22 Mar 1795
     
  5. Charles Freeth, born 23 Mar 1797 at London baptised 25 Apr 1797 at St Pauls Church, Covent Garden, London. Died 26 Jan 1869 at 12 Alpha Road, St Johns Wood
     
  6. Gregory Jeremiah Freeth, born 15 Mar 1802, christened 29 Jan 1804 at St Mary's Church, Islington. Died 18 May 1857 at Gravesend
     

Timeline

DateEvent
17 Nov 1758  Thomas Freeth born, St Nicholas Church, Liverpool
6 July 1760 Phebe Freeth (his sister) born, St Nicholas Church, Liverpool
19 Jan 1762 Charles Freeth (his brother) born, St Nicolas Church, Liverpool
4 Mar 1764 Mary Ann Durant born, christened at Finsbury, London
17 Aug 1773 Thomas Freeth (his father) listed at St Martins Church Lane, Strand in London Goldsmiths
1774 Westminister Poll records show a Thomas Freeth (silversmith) living in Church Lane
6 Sep 1778 Thomas Freeth married Catherine Eldershaw, St Mary’s Church, Marylebone, London (he was then aged 20)
20 Nov 1781 Phebe Freeth marries John Wise, St Martins in the Fields, Westminster
20 July 1783 Thomas Freeth born, christened at St James Church, Clerkenwell
1783-1787 Catherine Freeth (Eldershaw) died (date unkown)
26 Mar 1785 Charles William Wise born, son of Phoebe and John
8 July 1787 Thomas Freeth married Mary Ann Durant in St Mary’s Church, Marylebone, London (he was then aged 29)
3 Aug 1787 John George Wise born, son of Phoebe and John
8 July 1788 Mary Ann Elizabeth Freeth born, baptised 16 Nov 1788 at St James Church, Clerkenwell (mother aged 24)
1789 London Directory shows Thomas Freeth, at No 24 Clerkenwell Close
1790-3 Thomas Freeth (father) shown to reside at 24 Clerkenwell Close, and later at 9 Queen Street, Islington in London Goldsmiths
1790 Bailey's Directory show Thomas Freeth, Silversmith, Clerkenwell Close
10 Nov 1790 James William Freeth born, baptised 31 January 1791 at St Sepulchre, Holborn; address given as Clerkenwell Close
15 Mar 1793 Maria William Freeth born, baptised 14 April 1793 at St James Church, Clerkenwell; died one month later on 29 May 1793
19 May 1794 Edward Freeth born, baptised 20 July 1794 at St James Church, Clerkenwell; died 8 months later on 22 March 1795
23 Mar 1797 Charles Freeth born, baptised St Paul’s, Covent Garden, London (mother aged 30)
15 Mar 1802 Gregory Jeremiah Freeth born, christened 29 January 1804 at St Mary’s Church, Islington
1814/5 Charles Freeth married Ann Gaby
11 Nov 1818 Gregory Jeremiah Freeth married Maria Theresa Constance Milentz in St Mary’s Church, Islington
15 Nov 1820 Thomas Freeth registered as a spoonmaker in London Goldsmiths, residing at 9 Queen Street, Islington
25 Nov 1824 Living at Queen Street, Islington (Proceedings of Old Bailey)
4 Feb 1826 Thomas Freeth died, living at 9 Queen Street, Islington, aged 67
14 May 1839 Mary Ann Freeth (nee Durant) died at No 9 Upper Queen Street

Notes




The picture on the left shows a view of the east end of London from Clerkenwell in the mid 1700's. The church spires are prominent!

The picture on the right shows Clerkenwell Green, at the end of Clerkenwell Close, in 1769.

(Click on the images for a larger view).



The biographical Dictionary of Goldsmiths Hall, pages 515 & 516, gives the following:
Freeth Thomas (2752): Smallworker, 17 August 1773, St Martins Church Lane, Strand. Heal records: Thomas Freeth 24 Clerkenwell Close 1790-3 and secondly at 9 Queen Street, Islington
Freeth Thomas (2753): Spoonmaker, 15 November 1820, 9 Queen Street, Islington.

London Goldsmiths 1200-1800 compiled by Sir Ambrose Heal lists a Thomas Freeth at 24 Clerkenwell Close. The baptism record of James William Freeth in 1791 shows the the parents' Christian names as Thomas and Mary Ann, of Clerkenwell Close. It leaves little doubt that he was the son of Thomas Freeth and Mary Ann Durant.

The Queen Street address is also an important link: Thomas Freeth was buried at St Mary’s Church Islington on 6 February 1826, and the age of 67 is consistent with his birth in 1758. When Mary Ann Freeth died in 1839, she was living at No 9 Queen Street, Islington.

The Thomas Freeth, registered as 2752 above at Church Lane in 1773, is unlikely to be this Thomas Freeth because he would have been 14/15 years old at the time. Hence we must assume the entry refers to his father Thomas from Liverpool. Later Westminster Records also indicate that there were two Thomas Freeths living at 9 Queen Street.


Westminster Poll Book 1774 - shows a Thomas Freeth living in Church Lane, a Silversmith.


The map on the right shows Clerkenwell Close just off Clerkenwell Green in 1804, between Grays Inn Road and St John's Street. To the north is Sadlers Wells, and nearby is the Cold Baths Fields Prison. Of particular note is the proximity to Islington, in the top right corner of the map (Queen Street is not shown). The area was on the edge of London, which was starting to expand rapidly.





The map on the left shows Queen Street, Islington in 1814. It was very much on the edge of London, and a later map of 1845 shows significant development of Islington.



First Marriage to Catherine Eldershaw

Thomas Freeth married twice. His first marriage was to Catherine Eldershaw on 6 September 1778 in St Mary’s Church, Marylebone, London[1]. The marriage was witnessed by Richard Wise and Phebe Freeth. On 20 November 1781, a Phebe Freeth and John Wise were also married at St Mary’s Church, Marylebone. Thomas Freeth was a witness, and his distinctive signature is evident on both marriage certificates. This clear connection between Thomas and Phebe establishes an important link back to their birth in Liverpool.

Thomas and Catherine had one child, a Thomas Freeth born 20 July 1783 and christened at St James Church, Clerkenwell, London on 17 August 1783 [2]. The son Thomas married Mary Crow at St Mary’s Church, Islington, London on 13 April 1803. The existence of another Thomas and Mary Freeth calls for considerable caution when searching through records, and there is evidence that there were others as well.

Thomas and Mary (nee Crow) had a son Thomas Freeth born in 1806 and christened on 3 August 1806 at St Andrews Church, Holborn. They are shown as living in Fetters Lane, Holborn.

Second marriage to Mary Ann Durant

Some time after the birth of Thomas (1783), Catherine died and Thomas married Mary Ann Durant on 8 July 1787 in St Mary’s Church, Marylebone[3]. He was described as a widower, so Catherine must have died between 1783 and 1787.

Mary Ann Durant was likely to have been born 4 March 1764, and was christened on 4 April 1764 at St Lukes, Old Street, Finsbury, London[4]. The register shows her parents as James Durant, Haymaker, and Mary.

Appearance at The Old Bailey

On Thursday 13th January 1825, Mary Freeth gave evidence at The Old Bailey[5] against Frances Smith, who was charged and subsequently indicted for stealing various goods from Thomas Freeth:
213. FRANCES SMITH was indicted for stealing, on the 26th of November, a blanket, value 3 s., and a pillow, value 2 s., the goods of Thomas Freeth , in a lodging-room.

MARY FREETH . I am the wife of Thomas Freeth, and live in Queen-street, Lower-road, Islington. I let a lodging to the prisoner seven weeks ago; she remained there one month. Three days after she was gone I opened the door, and missed the pillows and blanket. I had given her leave to go, as she could not pay her rent.

JOHN BROWNING . I am shopman to Mr. W. Smith, a pawnbroker. The prisoner pawned these articles, (to the best of my belief,) in the name of Ann Smith, on the 26th of November.

ROBERT WOOLEY . I am a Bow-street patrole. I apprehended the prisoner on the 1st of January, and found this duplicate upon her.

(Property produced and sworn to.)
Four witnesses gave the prisoner a good character.
GUILTY. Aged 29.
''Recommended to Mercy . - Confined Six Weeks.


References

  1. ^ Parish Register, St Mary's Church, Marylebone
  2. ^ Parish Register
  3. ^ Parish Register, St Mary's Church, Marylebone
  4. ^ Parish Register
  5. ^ ''Proceedings of the Old Bailey,http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t18250113-32&div=t18250113-32 (external link)


Created by: admin. Last Modification: Saturday 02 of April, 2011 16:35:04 WST by Robf.

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