PURSE, William (Grimwade p.634)
Arthur Grimwade states the following in his biography of William Purse: 'No record of apprenticeship or freedom. The name is only found as an attribution by Jackson to the mark in question appearing on a beaker of 1804. I can find no authority behind the attribution.'
I presume that the mark illustrated by Grimwade and given the number 3895 was not taken from the registers at Goldsmiths' Hall but from the 'other sources' that he mentions on the front cover, in this case Jackson. The mark in question that appears in the original version of Jackson (p.224) was dropped from the updated version when this work was revised by Ian Pickford. Grimwade's doubts and the removal of the mark from Jackson was a correct one, for, as can be seen from the advertisement below, William Purse had retired from the trade and sold up in 1798. Jackson acquired his information from a beaker in the possession of Crichton Brothers, the large firm of silversmiths with branches in Old Bond Street, London and Fifth Avenue in New York. Who the actual maker of that beaker was, I guess, we'll never know.
Messers Robins - London - 1798
As can be seen from the above, William Purse's premises were situated at 336, Strand along with a warehouse at Cloak Lane.
Source of advertisement: Oracle and Daily Advertiser - Monday 26th November 1798
Trev.
PURSE, William (Grimwade p.634)
Moderators: MCB, buckler, silverly
Re: PURSE, William (Grimwade p.634)
15 October 1765 William son of William Purse of Woodhead Scotland Weaver apprenticed to David Davidson Wheelwright. (In 1759 a David Davidson was made free by redemption in the Company of Wheelwrights. His occupation was Pawnbroker.)
1790 UK, Poll Books and Electoral Registers lists William Purse Pawnbroker at opposite Somerset Place Strand.
27 December 1805 William Purse of Saint Mary Le Strand aged 63 years burial recorded, cause of death dropsy.
1790 UK, Poll Books and Electoral Registers lists William Purse Pawnbroker at opposite Somerset Place Strand.
27 December 1805 William Purse of Saint Mary Le Strand aged 63 years burial recorded, cause of death dropsy.