{"id":19049,"date":"2023-11-09T14:10:14","date_gmt":"2023-11-09T14:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/?p=19049"},"modified":"2024-03-14T15:00:40","modified_gmt":"2024-03-14T15:00:40","slug":"margaret-blake-briarholm-nursery-london-road-hadleigh-essex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/margaret-blake-briarholm-nursery-london-road-hadleigh-essex\/","title":{"rendered":"Margaret BLAKE &#038; Briarholm Nursery, London Road, Hadleigh, Essex"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">In July 2022 I helped the owner of a newly acquired black and white photograph to pinpoint exactly where it was taken on <strong>London Road<\/strong>, <strong>Hadleigh, Essex<\/strong>. The photo captured <strong>Miss Margaret Blake<\/strong> standing outside her gardening business &#8220;<strong>Briarholm Nursery<\/strong>&#8221; in the late 1920s or 1930s. Always eager to learn more, I went on to research Margaret&#8217;s family tree and discovered her mother&#8217;s side had a fascinating history including quack doctors, printers, artists and house builders.<\/span><\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-19049 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1200\" height=\"776\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Briarholm-Nursery-317-London-Road-Hadleigh.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-19050\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Briarholm-Nursery-317-London-Road-Hadleigh.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Briarholm-Nursery-317-London-Road-Hadleigh-250x162.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-19050'>\r\n\t\t\t\tMiss Margaret Blake standing outside Briarholm Nursery, London Road, Hadleigh, Essex\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>The above photograph was bought by <strong>Peter Lewsey<\/strong> from <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.co.uk\/usr\/justgoodcards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">justgoodcards<\/a> <\/strong>and the original discussion can be found on <strong>AGES Archaeological &amp; Historical Association<\/strong>&#8216;s Facebook <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/356810951142530\/permalink\/2226317660858507\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"google-inline\">\r\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\"\r\n     data-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4258812866305862\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9216860104\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n<p>By researching census records and old maps it was possible to pinpoint Briarholm Nursery to <strong>317 London Road<\/strong>, which stood next to a large house called &#8220;<strong>Alverstoke<\/strong>&#8221; at 319 (demolished 1962-64) on the corner of Oak Road North.<\/p>\n<p>The picture on the left below was taken prior to 1931 when Essex County Council submitted a <a href=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/compulsory-purchase-order-1931-london-road-hadleigh-essex\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Compulsory Purchase Order<\/a> for the strips of land along either side of London Road for widening and improvement purposes. &#8220;Alverstoke&#8221; is the large house on the far right with Briarholm Nursery set back in the plot to its left (hidden from view by the tree). The photo on the right shows the same scene today, much changed.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-19049 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/London-Road-Oak-Road-Junction.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"1200\" height=\"752\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/London-Road-Oak-Road-Junction.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-19051\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/London-Road-Oak-Road-Junction.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/London-Road-Oak-Road-Junction-250x157.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-19051'>\r\n\t\t\t\t&#8220;Alverstoke&#8221; on right, with Briarholm Nursery hidden to its left.\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Corner-of-London-Road-and-Oak-Road.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"1200\" height=\"752\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Corner-of-London-Road-and-Oak-Road.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-19056\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Corner-of-London-Road-and-Oak-Road.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Corner-of-London-Road-and-Oak-Road-250x157.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-19056'>\r\n\t\t\t\tCorner of London Road and Oak Road Today (Google Maps)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p>Margaret BLAKE&#8217;s land abutted London Road on its south and reached back to the garden of her family home called &#8220;Briarholm&#8221; on Church Road (now number 42), opposite Hadleigh Junior School.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-19049 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1920\" height=\"927\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Briarholm-Church-Road-Hadleigh-1939.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-19052\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Briarholm-Church-Road-Hadleigh-1939.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Briarholm-Church-Road-Hadleigh-1939-250x121.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Briarholm-Church-Road-Hadleigh-1939-1536x742.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-19052'>\r\n\t\t\t\tEssex (New Series 1913-) n LXXXII.15 Revised 1939, Published 1947\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p>Briarholm Nursery was still running in <strong>1955<\/strong> when it was officially given the address of &#8220;<strong>317 London Road<\/strong>&#8221; by the GPO. The business was bought by brothers Harry Arthur CHASE and Edward Leonard CHASE (aka Len) who traded as &#8220;<strong>Chase Bros.<\/strong>&#8220;. In 1939 Harry and Len (plus their wives) were living at &#8220;Perseverance Villa&#8221;, The Crescent, Hadleigh. Harry worked as a shopkeeper (corn dealer) and Len a decorator. Perseverance Villa was the home of Harry&#8217;s wife Hetty Louise WOODFORD&#8217;s family from about 1902 until her parents died in 1924 and 1926. Hetty&#8217;s brother <strong>Alfred William WOODFORD<\/strong> died in Gallipoli during WWI and is commemorated on the Hadleigh War Memorial.<\/p>\n<p>In Nov <strong>1962<\/strong> <strong>P. N. Wall Esq.<\/strong> (c\/o Lloyd, Ager &amp; Co.) applied to the Benfleet Urban District Council to demolish &#8220;Alverstoke&#8221; and replace it with &#8220;<em>two shops and offices or two flats on first floor<\/em>&#8220;. The planning was refused on the grounds that the property was &#8220;<em>within an area which it is proposed shall be allocated primarily for residential purposes<\/em>&#8220;. A year later in Oct <strong>1963<\/strong>, another application was filed on behalf of <strong>Messrs. Chase Bros.<\/strong> for &#8220;<em>shops with flats over<\/em>&#8220;, outlining both the nursery grounds and the house plot next door. Permission was granted with various conditions, mostly regarding the flow of traffic in and out of Oak Road North.<\/p>\n<p>In May <strong>1964<\/strong> a third planning application was submitted by <strong>Messrs. Henry Developments Ltd<\/strong> and <strong>Messrs. North Estuary Properties (Hadleigh) Ltd<\/strong>., (c\/o Lloyd, Agar &amp; Co.) for both plots for the &#8220;<em>provision of three shops, two floors offices, eight flats plus car parking etc.<\/em>&#8220;, with permission granted for &#8220;<em>three shops and one office on ground floor, one office and three flats on first floor and five flats on second floor with provision for car parking<\/em>.&#8221;, which was subsequently built and bringing to an end Briarholm Nursery.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>MARGARET BLAKE ~ FAMILY TREE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Margaret BLAKE<\/strong> was born on 4th Jun <strong>1879<\/strong> in Islington, London, the first of two daughters born to <strong>Arthur John BLAKE<\/strong> and his wife <strong>Kate HODSON<\/strong>. Arthur began his career as a commercial clerk when he was 18, having been born in Islington in <strong>1853<\/strong>. By the time he and Kate (b.<strong>1858<\/strong> and also from Islington) married in the summer of <strong>1878<\/strong>, he was working as a commercial traveller. Arthur was 25 and Kate was 20. Their daughter Margaret was born the following year, and Dorothy two years after that.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Margaret Blake<\/strong> b.04 Jun <strong>1879<\/strong> in Islington, unmarried, death unknown<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Dorothy Blake<\/strong> b.13 Nov <strong>1881<\/strong> in Islington, m.<strong>1918<\/strong> to <strong>Jean F Delmer<\/strong>, d.<strong>1950<\/strong> in the district of Thurrock, Essex<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The family had moved to Tottenham, London by <strong>1891<\/strong> where Arthur was working as a shipping clerk, and were back in Islington by <strong>1901 <\/strong>with Arthur working once again as a commercial traveller in paints. The family of four then moved from Islington to Hadleigh, Essex and were living in a seven-roomed property called &#8220;The Woods&#8221; on Scrub Lane when the <strong>1911 <\/strong>census was taken. Arthur (58) was still working as a commercial traveller in enamels and paints, and Kate was 53. Margaret (age 31) and Dorothy (age 29), were still living at home, both unmarried and with &#8220;<em>no occupation<\/em>&#8220;.<\/p>\n<p>There are very few newspaper articles or adverts mentioning the Blake family in Hadleigh, but there is a little to be gleaned from what is found. Dorothy was part of the Operatic Society which in Apr <strong>1912<\/strong> performed &#8220;A Nautical Knot&#8221; with Dorothy cast in the lead. The annual flower show and gala in connection with the Hadleigh and District Horticultural and Poultry Association was held in the Meadow, Scrub Land on Monday 4th Aug <strong>1913<\/strong> for which Margaret won first place for two marrows and third place for a collection of six different vegetables. In Oct <strong>1914<\/strong> &#8220;Miss Blake&#8221; of Briarholm (most likely Dorothy rather than Margaret) placed an advert for &#8220;<em>Anglais parlant francais desire echanger lecons anglais pour lecons fiamands<\/em>&#8220;, which translates to &#8220;<em>English speaking French wants to exchange English lessons for French lessons<\/em>&#8220;. And lastly, in Oct <strong>1915<\/strong> &#8220;<strong><em>The Misses Blake and Mongredian<\/em><\/strong>&#8221; advertised for sale cabbages, wallflowers, pansies, antirrhinums and Sweet Williams from Briarholm.<\/p>\n<p>The newspaper advert from 1914 confirms the family had moved a couple of streets to &#8220;Briarholm&#8221; by October and electoral records from <strong>1918<\/strong> give their address as &#8220;Briarholm&#8221;, Church Road. However, this was not the property at what is now 42 Church Road with the nursery attached, as this was still a large vacant plot up to 1923. Nor did the family name the property themselves. The &#8220;Briarholm&#8221; in which the Blake family first lived in is what is now 90 Church Road opposite the top of Seymour Road which was already named &#8220;Briarholm&#8221; in the 1911 census. In <strong>1924<\/strong> 66-year-old Kate employed local carpenter and builder <strong>Lewis Sidney UPSON<\/strong> to build the family a new bungalow on Church Road and a lockup shop on London Road for Margaret&#8217;s nursery. When the Blake family moved into their new home they took the name &#8220;Brairholm&#8221; with them, and their old home became &#8220;The Bungalow&#8221;. It is interesting to note that Lewis&#8217;s nephew <strong>Harry John WIFFEN<\/strong> died in France during WWI and is commemorated on the Hadleigh War Memorial.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to the construction work, Dorothy had married a Belgium man named <strong>Jean F DELMER<\/strong> in the spring of <strong>1918<\/strong> somewhere in the Rochford district (not at St James The Less in Hadleigh) and their first and only child was born on 20th Sep 1920 in Belgium (John Emile DELMER). However, when the <strong>1921<\/strong> census was taken Dorothy and her son were living with her parents and her husband Jean was nowhere to be found. Also living with Arthur and Kate was a French boarder called Rene CASTANET (age 21 and with no occupation) and a second boarder called Cecil Edward BRICK (age 28) who was a local schoolmaster. The night the census was taken Margaret was visiting Mrs Lilian Anne WARD (age 44) close by at &#8220;The Croft&#8221; on Beech Road. Margaret had just turned 42 and working as a nursery gardener with her own account from her home &#8220;Briarholm&#8221;, Church Road. Arthur (age 68) was still working as a commercial traveller, employed by Aspinalls Enamel Ltd. of New Cross, London. Kate (age 63) had no occupation listed, and Dorothy (age 39) stated to be &#8220;<em>married to a Belgium<\/em>&#8220;. Arthur died a few years later in early <strong>1928 <\/strong>aged 74.<\/p>\n<p>On the 6th Jan <strong>1931<\/strong> Essex County Council made a <a href=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/compulsory-purchase-order-1931-london-road-hadleigh-essex\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Compulsory Purchase Order<\/strong><\/a> for the strips of land on either side of London Road, Hadleigh in order to widen and improve the old road into Leigh and Southend. Dorothy was forced to sell 17 sq yards of her garden in front of her nursery and 13 sq yards in front of her shop. She was described as the &#8220;owner-occupier&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Margaret, Dorothy and their mother Kate were still living at &#8220;Briarholm&#8221; when the <strong>1939<\/strong> Register was taken. Kate was now 81, Margaret was 60 (unmarried) and Dorothy was 58 (marital condition not recorded, her husband still a mystery). The occupations of all three women were recorded as &#8220;unpaid domestic duties&#8221;, implying Margaret was no longer running her nursery (although it was still a running business). Dorothy&#8217;s son John was working as a cowman and farm assistant at &#8220;Crasoways&#8221; in Washford, Williton, Somerset age 19.<\/p>\n<p>Kate died at &#8220;Briarholm&#8221; on 1st Dec <strong>1942<\/strong> aged 84 leaving effects to the value of \u00a3718 4s 4d (nearly 28k as of Sep 2023). There are no further confirmed records for Margaret so how long she remained in Hadleigh or the place and date of her death are currently unknown. Dorothy died in the district of Thurrock, Essex in spring <strong>1950<\/strong> aged 68 and her son John died on 28th Nov 1996 in Cheshire aged 76.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>BLAKE FAMILY &#8211; PATERNAL HISTORY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Margaret&#8217;s paternal family originated in Hampshire and Derbyshire. Her father <strong>Arthur John BLAKE<\/strong> was the last of six children born to <strong>William BLAKE<\/strong> and his wife <strong>Sarah EGLINGTON<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>William BLAKE <\/strong>was born in <strong>1818<\/strong> in West Tytherley, Hampshire and was the tenth of eleven children born to <strong>William BLAKE<\/strong> Snr and his wife <strong>Jenny\/Jane DAWKINS<\/strong>. William Snr was a labourer and local parish clerk in West Tytherley. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong>Sarah EGLINGTON<\/strong> was born on 10 Jun <strong>1816<\/strong> in Ashbourne, Derbyshire and was the fourth of ten children born to <strong>John EGLINGTON<\/strong>\u00a0and his wife <strong>Elizabeth WHITE<\/strong>. John worked as a grocer and his father <strong>Samuel EGLINGTON <\/strong>(wife <strong>Elizabeth BAGNALL)<\/strong> was a stone mason. Elizabeth&#8217;s father <strong>William WHITE <\/strong>(wife <strong>Mary THACKER) <\/strong>worked as a whitesmith and one of her brothers was a bell hanger.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>William and Sarah married on 1st Jun <strong>1843<\/strong> at Saint John The Evangelist, Waterloo Road, Lambeth, Surrey and had six children. William was working as a grocer when the couple married but moved onto the railway shortly after working as a clerk and guard. The family moved around quite a bit as it grew, settling in Islington, London by 1853.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>William Blake<\/strong> ~ b.12 Sep <strong>1844<\/strong> in Derby, Derbyshire, m.<strong>1872<\/strong> to <strong>Elizabeth Smith<\/strong> <em>(Sergeant Royal Artillery \/ Printer Compositor \/ Clerk for Electrical Engineer)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Harry Blake<\/strong> ~ b.01 May <strong>1846<\/strong> in Great Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire, m.1868 to <strong>Emma Maria Trounce<\/strong> <em>(Printer&#8217;s Compositor)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Francis Blake<\/strong> ~ b.30 Oct <strong>1847<\/strong> in Great Berkhampstead, Hertfordshire (Machine Minder Engineer)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Caroline Blake<\/strong> ~ b.<strong>1849<\/strong> in Wolverton, Buckinghamshire, m.<strong>1871<\/strong> to <strong>Guthrie James Adamson<\/strong> (Carpenter), d. <strong>1929<\/strong> in Broadmayne, Dorset<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Alfred Blake<\/strong> ~ b.03 Dec <strong>1850<\/strong> in Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire, m.<strong>1873<\/strong> to <strong>Mary Jane Snell<\/strong>, d. <strong>1927<\/strong> in Edmonton, London <em>(Metropolitan Police Inspector \/ Estate Agent)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Arthur John Blake<\/strong> ~ b.<strong>1853<\/strong> in Islington, London, m.<strong>1878<\/strong> to <strong>Kate Hudson<\/strong>, d. <strong>1928<\/strong> in Hadleigh, Essex <em>(Commercial Traveller in Enamels &amp; Paints)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>William and Sarah were living with their son Arthur and family in Tottenham in <strong>1891<\/strong> (Margaret&#8217;s parents and sister Dorothy) Eleven-year-old Margaret was not at home and has not been identified in the census (possibly at a boarding school). Sarah died in Edmonton in mid-<strong>1896<\/strong> aged 80 most likely at the home of their daughter Caroline with whom William was living in <strong>1901<\/strong>. William&#8217;s death has not been identified but does not show up in the 1911 census.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>HODSON FAMILY &#8211; MATERNAL HISTORY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Margaret&#8217;s maternal family originally came from Staffordshire, Lincolnshire and Essex before moving to London. Her mother <strong>Kate HODSON<\/strong> was the second of six children born to <strong>William HODSON<\/strong> and his wife <strong>Eliza Sarah PARKINSON<\/strong>. William was from a family of successful printers and artists working all around the country and Eliza&#8217;s father and brother ran a very large building firm in London.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The HODSON line can be traced back to Margaret&#8217;s 3rd great-grandfather <strong>Nathaniel HODSON <\/strong>and his first wife <strong>Mary SHIRLEY <\/strong>who married in <strong>1737<\/strong> in Longford, Derbyshire. Their first two sons were baptised in Duffield (about 10 miles away) and then they moved to Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire where they baptised a further six sons, burying one at age 3.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>William Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.Aug <strong>1738<\/strong> in Duffield, Derbyshire, married <strong>Fanny<\/strong>, d.08 Sep <strong>1816<\/strong> in Islington, London<em> (merchant in Lothbury, London)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Francis Hodson<\/strong> (<em>baptism recorded as &#8220;Charles Hodson&#8221;<\/em>) ~ b.Jul <strong>1740<\/strong> in Duffield, m.1767 to <strong>Anne Smith<\/strong>, d.17 Oct <strong>1812<\/strong> in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire <em>(printer in Cambridge)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Nathaniel Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.May <strong>1743<\/strong> in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, m.<strong>1766<\/strong> to <strong>Jane Partridge<\/strong>, death unknown <em>(schoolmaster and bookseller in Burton)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Joseph Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.Nov <strong>1745<\/strong> in Burton, d.21 May <strong>1748<\/strong> aged 3<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Charles Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.May <strong>1748<\/strong> in Burton, m.1771 to <strong>Rebecca Allen<\/strong>, d.Jul <strong>1814<\/strong> in Burton <em>(schoolmaster in Burton)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Joseph Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.Oct <strong>1750<\/strong> in Burton, marriage and death unknown <em>(printer and bookseller in Salisbury, Wiltshire)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong> James Hodson<\/strong> (Margaret&#8217;s 2nd great-grandfather) ~ b.May <strong>1753<\/strong> in Burton, m.<strong>1788<\/strong> to <strong>Harriet Clarkson<\/strong>, d.16 Apr <strong>1812<\/strong> in Holborn, London <em>(printer, stationer, quack doctor and Minister of the New Jerusalem Church)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Mary died at some point before <strong>1769<\/strong> as Nathaniel remarried <strong>Hannah SPENCER<\/strong> on 12th Apr when they were aged 50 and 26. Nathaniel was noted to be widowed and working as a victualler. The couple had two children (including his only daughter) before Nathaniel died in Mar <strong>1786<\/strong> in Burton aged about 67. No further information on these two children or his widow Hannah has been found.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Edward Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.<strong>1772<\/strong> in Burton (no records found after baptism)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Ann Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.<strong>1775<\/strong> in Burton (no records found after baptism)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Francis HODSON (Margaret&#8217;s 3rd great-uncle) co-founded the Cambridge Chronicle in <strong>1762<\/strong> with Thomas FLETCHER, a London printer and stationer to whom his younger brother <strong>James HODSON<\/strong> later became indentured for a term of seven years (the minimum term at the time). There is a record for the collection of tax on the money received for this in <strong>1770 <\/strong>when James would have been 17, but the dates recorded were not related to when an apprentice started or finished just when the tax was collected. James&#8217;s elder brother William was well-established in London by this time so was not without family after moving down the country. By <strong>1776<\/strong> 23-year-old James had moved to Southampton and was working as a bookseller, stationer and printseller from his premises on the High Street next to the Mitre Inn. He also sold a variety of quack medicines such as &#8220;<em>Dr Robert Walker&#8217;s Jesuits Drops<\/em>&#8221; and the following year became an appointed State Lottery seller. James was an authorised vendor of Dr John BURROW&#8217;s improved recipe for &#8220;<em>Velnos&#8217; Vegetable Syrup<\/em>&#8220;, as were his brothers Francis in Cambridge and Joseph in Salisbury. His brother William also sold similar items in London. &#8220;<em>Velnos&#8217; Vegetable Syrup<\/em>&#8221; claimed to be able to cure everything from smallpox and leprosy to syphilis and cancer.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-19049 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1776-Hampshire_Chronicle_04_November_1776_0008.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"373\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1776-Hampshire_Chronicle_04_November_1776_0008-250x373.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-19068\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1776-Hampshire_Chronicle_04_November_1776_0008-250x373.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1776-Hampshire_Chronicle_04_November_1776_0008-1031x1536.jpg 1031w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1776-Hampshire_Chronicle_04_November_1776_0008.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-19068'>\r\n\t\t\t\tHampshire Chronicle (04 November 1776 )\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1777-Hampshire_Chronicle_18_August_1777_0003.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"524\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1777-Hampshire_Chronicle_18_August_1777_0003-250x524.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-19070\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1777-Hampshire_Chronicle_18_August_1777_0003-250x524.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1777-Hampshire_Chronicle_18_August_1777_0003.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-19070'>\r\n\t\t\t\tHampshire Chronicle (18 August 1777)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl>\r\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p>Business seems to have been going well, and in Nov 1776 James became the new partner of The Hampshire Chronicle with James LINDEN (1727-1806), founded by Linden in 1772. The partnership did not last long, as Linden, a former schoolmaster, became sole proprietor in Jan 1778 and bankrupt in Feb <strong>1778<\/strong>. A month later James HODSON sold by auction all his household contents and entire business stock from his house at 145 High Street. He had moved from Southampton by Sep leaving at least one of his medicinal orders unpaid for (a batch of &#8220;<em>Lecoeur&#8217;s Imperial Oil<\/em>&#8221; made by local perfumer Thomas MACKLIN).<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-5 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery galleryid-19049 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1776-Hampshire_Chronicle_11_November_1776_0003b.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"177\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1776-Hampshire_Chronicle_11_November_1776_0003b-250x177.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-19069\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1776-Hampshire_Chronicle_11_November_1776_0003b-250x177.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1776-Hampshire_Chronicle_11_November_1776_0003b.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-19069'>\r\n\t\t\t\tHampshire Chronicle (11 November 1776)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1778-The-Hampshire-Chronicle-etc-02-March-1778-0002.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"147\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1778-The-Hampshire-Chronicle-etc-02-March-1778-0002-250x147.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-19071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1778-The-Hampshire-Chronicle-etc-02-March-1778-0002-250x147.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/1778-The-Hampshire-Chronicle-etc-02-March-1778-0002.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-19071'>\r\n\t\t\t\tThe Hampshire Chronicle (02 March 1778)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1778-The-Hampshire-Chronicle-etc-14-September-1778-0003.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"198\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1778-The-Hampshire-Chronicle-etc-14-September-1778-0003-250x198.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-5-19079\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1778-The-Hampshire-Chronicle-etc-14-September-1778-0003-250x198.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1778-The-Hampshire-Chronicle-etc-14-September-1778-0003.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-5-19079'>\r\n\t\t\t\tHampshire Chronicle (14 September 1778)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p>Five years passed with no further sign of James until 2nd Dec <strong>1783<\/strong> when he took on apprentice Edward HODSON (age 16), the nephew of his brother Francis for a period of seven years (completed in 1790). James was now age 30 and a &#8220;<em>citizen and stationer of London<\/em>&#8220;. The following year, James reappeared in the newspapers as &#8220;<strong>Dr James Hodson M.D.<\/strong>&#8221; in Dec <strong>1784<\/strong>, working from 14 Northumberland Street, Charing Cross, London. He was once again preparing and selling Dr John BURROW&#8217;s M.D. improved recipe for &#8220;<em>Velnos&#8217; Vegetable Syrup<\/em>&#8221; and now offering consultations on the &#8220;virtues&#8221; of his medicine from his home, although his main source of income remained that of printing. It is interesting to note that John BURROWS also lived in Charring Cross at this time at Craigs Court just around the corner from James, and the two men were clearly now well acquainted. The making of Velno&#8217;s Vegetable Syrup and the authenticity of its recipe were contested between certain makers at this time. James had acquired his recipe directly from John Burrows who had then &#8220;improved&#8221; upon the original which he had sold since at least 1760 in its original form, and placed a newspaper advert with this declaration backed by the signatures of both John Burrows and his wife confirming this. However, in 1790 another seller of Velno&#8217;s recipe Isaac Swainson declared all others to be &#8220;v<em>ehicles for poisonous metals<\/em>&#8220;. He had repeatedly called upon Burrows to produce proof he had ever seen the original recipe or been employed in any other capacity than a vendor, from which he was according to Swainson, &#8220;<em>discharged with dishonour<\/em>&#8220;. He also went on to say &#8220;<em><strong>A person calling himself Dr. Hodson<\/strong>, is the worthy disciple of Burrows, and renews the same pretensions, with the same truth and honour<\/em>&#8220;. Swainson went so far as to offer \u00a31000 &#8220;<em>to any man in England who will produce a deed, conveyance or any circumstance that will prove the recipe of De Velnos has been made known to any person in Great Britain or Ireland, except Dr. Mercier and Dr. Swainson<\/em>&#8220;.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-6 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-6' class='gallery galleryid-19049 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1770-Leicester-Journal-13-October-1770-0004.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"574\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1770-Leicester-Journal-13-October-1770-0004-250x574.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-19086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1770-Leicester-Journal-13-October-1770-0004-250x574.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1770-Leicester-Journal-13-October-1770-0004.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-19086'>\r\n\t\t\t\tLeicester Journal (13 October 1770)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1784-The-Salisbury-Journal-20-December-1784-0004.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"593\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1784-The-Salisbury-Journal-20-December-1784-0004-250x593.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-19082\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1784-The-Salisbury-Journal-20-December-1784-0004-250x593.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1784-The-Salisbury-Journal-20-December-1784-0004-647x1536.jpg 647w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1784-The-Salisbury-Journal-20-December-1784-0004.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-19082'>\r\n\t\t\t\tThe Salisbury Journal (20 December 1784)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1790-Bath-Chronicle-and-Weekly-Gaze-16-September-1790-0004.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"388\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1790-Bath-Chronicle-and-Weekly-Gaze-16-September-1790-0004-250x388.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-6-19083\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1790-Bath-Chronicle-and-Weekly-Gaze-16-September-1790-0004-250x388.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/1790-Bath-Chronicle-and-Weekly-Gaze-16-September-1790-0004.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-6-19083'>\r\n\t\t\t\tBath Chronicle (16 September 1790)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p>James published a lengthy quack medical book in Aug <strong>1785<\/strong> entitled &#8220;<strong><em>Nature&#8217;s Assistant to the Restoration of Health<\/em><\/strong>&#8220;. In it, he described the uses of several of his remedies such as &#8220;<em>Aromatic Nervine Tea<\/em>&#8221; (half-a-crown a packet) and &#8220;<em>Persian Restorative Drops<\/em>&#8221; (half-a-guinea a bottle) along with his improved version of &#8220;<em>Velnos&#8217; Vegetable Syrup<\/em>&#8221; renamed &#8220;<em>Parisian Vegetable Syrup<\/em>&#8220;. It also included several pages of letters and cases from cured customers. The book was printed by his apprentice and nephew Edward at Bell Yard, Temple Bar and ran into several editions. The eleventh edition of 1791 included a dedication to <strong>Charles COLLIGNON, M.D.<\/strong>, professor of anatomy at Cambridge University (who had died Oct 1785) &#8220;<em>by his late pupil and obedient servant<\/em>&#8220;. James was clearly implying he had a medical degree, but there is no evidence at all to support this claim. It is possible that after he moved from Southampton in 1778 he went to Cambridge (where his brother Francis lived) and attended lectures on anatomy held by Professor Charles COLLIGNON. A little bit of research into James&#8217;s acquaintance Dr John BURROWS confirms that he was also not a qualified doctor, but rather the son of an apotheary. Mr Swainson was likely spot on when stated the &#8220;person calling himself Dr. Hodson&#8221; was a &#8220;worthy disciple of Burrows&#8221;.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-7 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-7 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-7 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-7 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-7' class='gallery galleryid-19049 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Books-Natures-Assistant-by-James-Hodson-11th-Edition-1791-3.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"451\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Books-Natures-Assistant-by-James-Hodson-11th-Edition-1791-3-250x451.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-7-19072\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Books-Natures-Assistant-by-James-Hodson-11th-Edition-1791-3-250x451.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Books-Natures-Assistant-by-James-Hodson-11th-Edition-1791-3.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-7-19072'>\r\n\t\t\t\tNature&#8217;s Assistant by James Hodson, 1785 (title page, 11th edition 1791)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Books-Natures-Assistant-by-James-Hodson-11th-Edition-1791-5.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"451\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Books-Natures-Assistant-by-James-Hodson-11th-Edition-1791-5-250x451.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-7-19073\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Books-Natures-Assistant-by-James-Hodson-11th-Edition-1791-5-250x451.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Books-Natures-Assistant-by-James-Hodson-11th-Edition-1791-5.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-7-19073'>\r\n\t\t\t\tNature&#8217;s Assistant by James Hodson (dedication page, 11th edition 1791)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl>\r\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p>In <strong>1786<\/strong> James wrote &#8220;<strong><em>Jesus Christ the True God, and the Proper Object of Supreme Adoration<\/em><\/strong>&#8220;, printed by subscription the following year by his nephew and apprentice Edward. A long list of subscribers was included within the book which listed several family members, soon-to-be in-laws and members of the New Church with which he was about to get heavily involved.<\/p>\n<p>Between 1786 and 1787 James lived at 31 Great Marlborough Road, Soho and married <strong>Harriet CLARKSON<\/strong> on 19th May <strong>1788<\/strong> at St Andrews, Holborn. James was now 35 and Harriet 23 and the couple moved to 29 Hatton Garden then number 24 in <strong>1794<\/strong>. It is interesting to note that Harriet had been baptised as an adult at St Andrews just 11 days prior to her marriage, her father having been born a Quacker before joining the New Chuch.<\/p>\n<p>The couple had two children (the first being Margaret&#8217;s 2nd great-grandfather), both of whom were baptised at St Andrews. James was working as a printer from 22 Bell Yard, Temple Bar with his nephew Edward who had completed his apprenticeship in 1790.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>James Shirley Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.08 Oct <strong>1792<\/strong>, m.<strong>1816<\/strong> to <strong>Mary Anne Wilson<\/strong>, d.<strong>1869<\/strong> in Clerkenwell, London <em>(master printer and publisher)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Harriett Clarkson Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.20 Oct <strong>1796<\/strong>, m.<strong>1818<\/strong> to <strong>Harry Hodson<\/strong> (stationer) and <strong>1838<\/strong> to <strong>Alfred Essex<\/strong>, d.<strong>1839<\/strong> in Clerkenwell, London<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>As James became more and more involved with the <strong>New Church<\/strong> (aka <strong>Swedenborg Society<\/strong>), along with his father-in-law <strong>John CLARKSON<\/strong>, he re-baptised his children in <strong>1799<\/strong> at New Jerusalemite Church on Cross Street (now St Cross Street) just off Hatton Garden. The family had moved to 15 Cross Street by this time. From <strong>1800<\/strong> James traded as &#8220;<em>J. Hodson and Co.<\/em>&#8220;, printing pamphlets for the Swedenborgians among other paid jobs. After a division occurred within the church, James started his own Swedenborgian ministry at Dudley Court (formally above Denmark Street off Charring Cross Road but now no longer there) where he was ordained on 3rd Mar <strong>1805<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>James continued to publish his own religious works and quack medical pamphlets until his death on 16th Apr <strong>1812<\/strong> aged 58. In his will he names himself as &#8220;<em>James Hodson of 15 Cross Street, Hatton Garden &#8230; printer<\/em>&#8221; tellingly making no mention of his medical title. He left his &#8220;<em>library table bookcase and books therein<\/em>&#8221; to his son James Shirley HODSON (age 19), &#8220;<em>eighty pounds capital stock of the Stationers Company<\/em>&#8221; to his wife Harriet for her life, which was then to go to his daughter Harriet Clarkson HODSON (age 15). Everything else he left to his wife.<\/p>\n<p><strong>James Shirley HODSON<\/strong> (Margaret&#8217;s great-grandfather) married <strong>Mary Anne WILSON<\/strong> of Kingston, Surrey on 17th Sep <strong>1816<\/strong> at St Andrews, Holborn and they had nine children, all of whom were baptised at New Jerusalemite Church on Cross Street. Margaret&#8217;s grandfather was the seventh child to be born.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Sophia Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.27 Nov <strong>1817<\/strong> in Kingston, Surrey, m.<strong>1847<\/strong> to <strong>Samuel Parsons<\/strong> (died 1849), d.<strong>1900<\/strong> in St Marylebone, London <em>(teacher of music)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>James Shirley Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.27 Dec <strong>1819<\/strong> in Holborn, m.<strong>1848<\/strong> to Caroline Mallett and\u00a0 <strong>1871<\/strong> to Louisa Ashby Shury<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">, d. <strong>1899<\/strong> in New Barnet, Hertfordshire <em>(vocalist, journalist, secretary to Printers Pension Almshouse and Orphan-Asylum-Corporation)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Harriett Eliza Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.10 Sep <strong>1822<\/strong> in Holborn, m.<strong>1858<\/strong> to <strong>William Hoe<\/strong> (stationer), d.<strong>1908<\/strong> in Tufnell Park, London<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>George Clarkson Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.12 Mar <strong>1826<\/strong> in Holborn (no records found after baptism)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Mary Anne Wilson Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.12 Mar <strong>1826<\/strong> in Holbornn m.<strong>1850<\/strong> to <strong>Benjamin Page Searle<\/strong> (insurance inspector), d. <strong>1905<\/strong> in Tufnell Park, London<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Laura Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.19 Mar <strong>1828<\/strong> in Holborn, m.<strong>1860<\/strong> to <strong>George Rose<\/strong> (mat manufacturer), d.<strong>1907<\/strong> in West Ham, London <em>(wood engraver, needlewoman &amp; ladies nurse)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>William Hodson<\/strong> (Margaret&#8217;s grandfather) ~ b.28 Oct <strong>1829<\/strong> in Holborn, m.<strong>1855<\/strong> to <strong>Eliza Sarah Parkinson<\/strong>, d.<strong>1918<\/strong> in Edmonton, London <em>(clerk, lithographic artist &amp; printer)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Francis Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.30 Jul <strong>1833 <\/strong> in Holborn (no records found after baptism)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Samuel John Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.14 Oct <strong>1835<\/strong> in Holborn, m.<strong>1871<\/strong> to<strong> Alicia Deane<\/strong> and <strong>1893<\/strong> to <strong>Edith Mosley<\/strong>, d. <strong>1908<\/strong> in Holloway, London <em>(<\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>watercolour artist)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>James&#8217;s sister Harriet married their 1st cousin 1x removed Harry HODSON (a stationer) in 1818, but he sadly died three years later in 1821 aged 27. Their mother Harriet died on 21st May <strong>1825<\/strong> aged 60 and left her daughter the family house at 15 Cross Street.<\/p>\n<p>James was admitted to the <strong>Company of Stationers<\/strong> on 5th Feb <strong>1828<\/strong> when he was 36. The document stated that he was born after the date his father had been admitted into the Company of Stationers, but the exact information was not included only &#8220;Copy 1783&#8221; which was the date his father took on an apprentice of his own.<\/p>\n<p>James&#8217;s sister Harriet remarried Alfred ESSEX in <strong>1838<\/strong> but died the following year aged 44 leaving 15 Cross Street to James who was living there with his family by lease. The family were still at 15 Cross Street when the <strong>1841<\/strong> census was taken but by <strong>1851<\/strong> had moved to 22 Portugal Street, Westminster where they remained until James retired in the <strong>1860s<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>James died at his home at 37 Myddelton Square, Clerkenwell on 5th Apr <strong>1869<\/strong> after suffering for ten days with Bronchitus (age 76). Mary died towards the end of <strong>1871<\/strong> aged 78.<\/p>\n<p>James and Mary&#8217;s children had some quite creative occupations. Sophia was a teacher of music, as was her own daughter (piano). James Jnr was a master printer, journalist, vocalist and chorister, and later the secretary to the Printers Pension Almshouse and Orphan-Asylum-Corporation. Harriet worked as a shopwoman before marrying a stationer. There is no record of George after his baptism. Mary married an insurance inspector and Laura married a mat manufacturer (prior to which she was a wood engraver and after being widowed a needlewoman and ladies&#8217; nurse). William, Margaret&#8217;s grandfather, was a chancery, court &amp; auctioneer&#8217;s clerk as well as working as a lithographic artist and printer. Like George, there is no record of Francis after his baptism. Their last child Samuel became a well-respected watercolour painter.<\/p>\n<p>Margaret&#8217;s maternal grandfather <strong>William HODSON<\/strong> was born on 28th Oct 1829 in Holborn, most likely at 15 Cross Street. He was working as a court clerk in 1851 and married <strong>Eliza Sarah PARKINSON<\/strong> in St Pancras during the summer of <strong>1855<\/strong>. They had seven children between 1856 and 1872 and moved around quite a bit.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Percival Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.<strong>1856<\/strong> in St Pancras, London, m.<strong>1879<\/strong> to <strong>Jane Scrivener<\/strong>, d.<strong>1936<\/strong> in Barnet, London <em>(auctioneer and surveyor)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Kate Hodson<\/strong> (Margaret&#8217;s mother) ~ b.31 Mar <strong>1858<\/strong> in Islington, London, m.<strong>1878<\/strong> to <strong>Arthur John Blake<\/strong> (commercial traveller in enamels and paints), d.<strong>1942<\/strong> in Hadleigh, Essex<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Emily Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.<strong>1859<\/strong> in Islington, London, m.<strong>1893<\/strong> to <strong>Francis Taylor <\/strong>(Sergeant Major 17th Lancs.), d.? <em>(vaudeville author)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Florance Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.<strong>1861<\/strong> in Islington, London <em>(milliner)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Lewis Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.<strong>1865<\/strong> in Islington, London, m.<strong>1887<\/strong> to <strong>Emma Ann Clayton<\/strong>, d.<strong>1898<\/strong> in Islington<em> (clerk)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Gilbert Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.06 Oct <strong>1868<\/strong> in Clerkenwell, London, m.<strong>1891<\/strong> to <strong>Sarah Alice Snook<\/strong>, d.<strong>1946<\/strong> in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire <em>(secretary of Public Company &amp; Limited Liability Company)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Mabel Hodson<\/strong> ~ b.07 Mar <strong>1872<\/strong> in Finsbury Park, London, m.<strong>1892<\/strong> to <strong>Edwin Arthur Dover<\/strong> (mercantile clerk), d. <strong>1968<\/strong> in Eastbourne, Sussex<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>In <strong>1861<\/strong> the family were living in\u00a0Islington where William was working as a court clerk but by <strong>1871<\/strong> (age 41) he had changed careers and was working as an &#8220;artist in wood&#8221;. By <strong>1881<\/strong> William had progressed to a lithographic artist and printer employing three men and two boys, and the family were living in St Pancras then Clerkenwell. James continued in the printing business until the <strong>1890s<\/strong> when he changed back to working as a clerk for an auctioneer, now living in Hornsey. He was retired by <strong>1911<\/strong> and back in Islington. Throughout the census records his wife Eliza never has an occupation noted.<\/p>\n<p>William died in early <strong>1918<\/strong> aged 88 and his widow Eliza moved to Hadleigh, Essex to live with her daughter Kate and family but was there only very briefly as she died in the spring of 1918 aged 84 a few weeks after William.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; &#8211; &#8211;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Margaret&#8217;s maternal grandmother <strong>Eliza Sarah PARKINSON<\/strong> also came from a successful family. Her father, <strong>Thomas PARKINSON<\/strong> began life as a plumber slowly building up a firm of plumbers, glaziers, house decorators, carpenters &amp; joiners and by 1861 was employing fifty-two men to build and repair houses. It has not been possible to confirm Thomas&#8217;s parents who likely came from Lancashire where he was born c.1798 in either Bury or Chorley.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Thomas PARKINSON<\/strong> married <strong>Mary TRAYLER<\/strong> (daughter of a miller from Roydon, Essex) on 8th Jan <strong>1824<\/strong> at St Botolph without Aldersgate, London and had eleven children between 1824 and 1843, losing three at a young age. Of their three surviving sons two joined the family business, but one died shortly after marrying leaving just William to carry on the company who eventually became a senior partner. Two of Mary&#8217;s brothers were also carpenters and builders working in London.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>William Parkinson<\/strong> ~ b.18 Oct <strong>1824<\/strong> in St Botolph Aldersgate, London, m.Emma, d. <strong>1889<\/strong> in Bloomsbury, London<em> (builder)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Mary Alice Parkinson <\/strong>~ b.03 Jan <strong>1826 <\/strong>in Aldersgate, m.<strong>1848<\/strong> to <strong>Henry William Brown<\/strong> (fish merchant), d. <strong>1917<\/strong> in Camberwell, London<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Thomas Parkinson <\/strong>~ b.03 Jan <strong>1827<\/strong> in St Georges, Bloomsbury, London, no record after baptism (died)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>John Parkinson <\/strong>~ b.24 May <strong>1829<\/strong> in Bloomsbury, no record after baptism (died)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Emma Ellen Parkinson<\/strong> ~ b.20 Apr <strong>1831<\/strong> in Bloomsbury, m.<strong>1861<\/strong> to <strong>Daniel Alexander Williamson<\/strong> (landscape artist), d. <strong>1916<\/strong> in Broughton in Furness, Lancashire<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Jane Trayler Parkinson<\/strong> ~ b.01 Aug <strong>1832<\/strong> in Bloomsbury, no record after baptism (died)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Eliza Sarah Parkinson<\/strong> (Margaret&#8217;s grandmother) ~ b.16 Jul <strong>1834<\/strong> in Bloomsbury, m.<strong>1855<\/strong> to <strong>William Hodson<\/strong> (clerk, artist &amp; printer), d.<strong>1918<\/strong> in Hadleigh, Essex<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Harriet Ann Parkinson<\/strong> ~ b.17 Oct <strong>1835<\/strong> in Bloomsbury, m.<strong>1856<\/strong> to <strong>John Hall<\/strong> (silk merchant), d. <strong>1933<\/strong> in Lodsworth, Sussex<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Thomas John Parkinson<\/strong> ~ b.30 Jul <strong>1837<\/strong> in Bloomsbury, m.<strong>1860<\/strong> in <strong>Mary Elizabeth Cattel<\/strong>, d.bef<strong>1871<\/strong> age 26 to 34 <em>(house builder carpenter)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Jane Emily Parkinson<\/strong> ~ b.03 Nov <strong>1839<\/strong> in Bloomsbury, m.<strong>1868<\/strong> to <strong>William Salmon<\/strong> (builder), d.<strong>1878<\/strong> in Southwark, Surrey age 39<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Frederick George Parkinson<\/strong> ~ b.Mar <strong>1843<\/strong> in Bloomsbury, unmarried, d.<strong>1868<\/strong> age 25 (insurance seller)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-8 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-8 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-8 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-8 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-8' class='gallery galleryid-19049 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Mary-Trayler-b1799-.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"385\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Mary-Trayler-b1799--250x385.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-8-19060\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Mary-Trayler-b1799--250x385.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Mary-Trayler-b1799-.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-8-19060'>\r\n\t\t\t\tMary Parkinson, nee Trayler (1860s)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Thomas-Parkinson-b1797.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"385\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Thomas-Parkinson-b1797-250x385.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-8-19061\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Thomas-Parkinson-b1797-250x385.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Thomas-Parkinson-b1797.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-8-19061'>\r\n\t\t\t\tThomas Parkinson (1860s)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl>\r\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Original photographs thanks to <strong>Ancestry<\/strong> member <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ancestry.co.uk\/profile\/04a06a11-0006-0000-0000-000000000000\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nicola Chakraverty<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Thomas ran his business from 26 King Street, Bloomsbury up to at least <strong>1865<\/strong>, then from 27 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury trading as &#8220;<strong>Parkinson &amp; Son<\/strong>&#8220;, the son being William. Thomas was still working up until his death on 5th Apr <strong>1871<\/strong> aged 73. His widow Mary died the following year on 19th Feb <strong>1872<\/strong> aged 72.<\/p>\n<p>William took over the running of the company after his father&#8217;s death, moving to 27 Southampton Row where he died on 18th Jan <strong>1889<\/strong> aged 64. It is likely the business was then run by Williams&#8217;s son Herbert William PARKINSON, Margaret&#8217;s mother&#8217;s 1st cousin.<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>1894<\/strong>, a publication entitled &#8220;<em>Illustrated London and Its Representatives of Commerce<\/em>&#8221; detailed the business of Parkinson &amp; Son. It was described as being nearly a century old, having begun in <strong>1793<\/strong> by the current senior partner&#8217;s grandfather Thomas PARKINSON. However, as Thomas wasn&#8217;t born until 1798 he couldn&#8217;t possibly have begun trading in 1793. This suggests that it may have been Thomas&#8217;s unknown father who had begun the business, or at least worked in the same trade.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>&#8220;MESSRS PARKINSON &amp; SON BUILDERS DECORATORS etc. 27 SOUTHAMPTON Row WC AND 11 GLOUCESTER ROAD SW.<br \/>\nFor nearly a century the business has maintained its high-class connection in the West End and the favourite residential suburbs of the metropolis. <strong>It was established in 1793 by Mr Thomas Parkinson the grandfather of the present senior partner<\/strong> and at an early age in its history, the founder through his complete technical knowledge and his exceptional energy had laid the foundations of the valuable connection which has since been built up by his successors. The headquarters of the firm in Southampton Row WC are spacious and have been admirably adapted to the requirements of the several departments of their many-sided business. Here are the headquarters of their operations as builders and decorators. But such is the comprehensive character of many of the important contracts which they make for the erection and repair of private mansions and business premises that their vocations include those of plumbers and sanitary engineers It is natural also that out of their extensive connection among families of the highest social distinction and mercantile firms of the greatest eminence, there should have grown up the excellent business which they conduct as estate and house agents. The premises have a spacious plate glass display front. At the rear is a series of workshops devoted respectively to the various industrial operations. These are fitted up throughout with appliances of the most approved modern type for the production of the high-class work for which the firm are celebrated. They have also workshops at 18 Gate Street. The number of hands employed in the works varies of course with the extent of the contracts on which they are engaged but it averages from one hundred to one hundred and fifty many of whom are experts of rare skill and trained artistic taste. Messrs Parkinson have an excellently equipped branch of their business at 11 Gloucester Road South Kensington. The careful personal supervision bestowed by the principals upon every department of their business has thoroughly consolidated the reputation which the firm has enjoyed throughout so long a course of years. Those desiring either to let or to hire house property or who have occasion to require building decorating or repairing of existing houses cannot do better than place themselves in the hands of Messrs Parkinson &amp; Son. Their experience as sanitary engineers is very extensive and they are constantly called upon to make reports upon the sanitary condition of dwelling houses as well as practically to carry out needed sanitary reforms which they have done in many well-known private houses to the entire satisfaction of the owner.&#8221;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-9 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-9 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-9 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-9 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-9' class='gallery galleryid-19049 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Illustrated-London-and-Its-Representatives-of-Commerce-1893.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"90\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Illustrated-London-and-Its-Representatives-of-Commerce-1893-250x90.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-9-19087\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Illustrated-London-and-Its-Representatives-of-Commerce-1893-250x90.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Illustrated-London-and-Its-Representatives-of-Commerce-1893.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-9-19087'>\r\n\t\t\t\tIllustrated London and Its Representatives of Commerce 1893\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Kensington_News_and_West_Londo_25_February_1888_0001_Clip.jpg' rel=\"lightbox[19049]\"><img width=\"250\" height=\"322\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Kensington_News_and_West_Londo_25_February_1888_0001_Clip-250x322.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-9-19088\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Kensington_News_and_West_Londo_25_February_1888_0001_Clip-250x322.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Kensington_News_and_West_Londo_25_February_1888_0001_Clip.jpg 650w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-9-19088'>\r\n\t\t\t\tKensington News (25 February 1888)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl>\r\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p>Perhaps having a housebuilder for a great-grandfather is what inspired Margaret BLAKE&#8217;s mother Kate to build her own house in 1924. Better that than becoming a quack doctor!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Resources &amp; References<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">I use many different resources during my research, a majority of which I do online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ancestry<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ancestry.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.ancestry.com<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>British Newspaper Archive<\/strong> &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk<\/a> (also available on Find My Past)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Essex Archives<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essexarchivesonline.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.essexarchivesonline.co.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Find My Past<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findmypast.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.findmypast.co.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Google Books<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.google.co.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>National Library of Scotland<\/strong> (maps) &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.nls.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">maps.nls.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>RootsChat<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rootschat.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.rootschat.com<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Newspaper articles reproduced with the permission of the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">British Newspaper Archive<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>The British Library Board<\/strong>. <\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Maps reproduced with the permission of the\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.nls.uk\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Library of Scotland<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Specific sites used for this research:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ed Pope History<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/edpopehistory.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/edpopehistory.co.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>The Swedenborg Society<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.swedenborg.org.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.swedenborg.org.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Geri Walton<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.geriwalton.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.geriwalton.com<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The photograph of <strong>Briarholm Nursery<\/strong> was bought by <strong>Peter Lewsey<\/strong> from <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.co.uk\/usr\/justgoodcards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">justgoodcards<\/a><\/strong> and the original discussion pinpointing its location can be found on <strong>AGES Archaeological &amp; Historical Association&#8217;s<\/strong> Facebook <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/356810951142530\/permalink\/2226317660858507\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">If you have any questions regarding my research or would like anything added or amended, please <strong><a href=\"mailto:powdermonki@hotmail.com?subject=Tracing%20Ghosts\">contact me<\/a><\/strong>. I\u2019m also available to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/hire-me\/\"><strong>hire<\/strong><\/a> to trace family trees and delve into the history of your house.<\/span><\/p>\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In July 2022 I helped the owner of a newly acquired black and white photograph to pinpoint exactly where it was taken on London Road, Hadleigh, Essex. The photo captured Miss Margaret Blake standing outside her gardening business &#8220;Briarholm Nursery&#8221; in the late 1920s or 1930s. Always eager to learn more, I went on to research Margaret&#8217;s family tree and discovered her mother&#8217;s side had a fascinating history including quack doctors, printers, artists and house builders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19050,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[87,489],"tags":[204,224,200,507],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19049"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19049"}],"version-history":[{"count":34,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19049\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19111,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19049\/revisions\/19111"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19050"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19049"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19049"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19049"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}