VARDON, Samuel (Grimwade p.688)

[buckler]

13th December 1775 - Samuel Vardon and Thomas Vardon entered a joint mark as smallworkers at 39, Frith Street, Soho.

They obviously had differing political views as the Westminster Pollbooks for 1780 show:-
Samuel Vardon, Goldsmith of Frith Street St Anne Soho voted for Hood and Wray.
Thomas Vardon, Silversmith of Frith Street St Anne Soho voted for Rodney and Lincoln.
Curiously I can find only the record of Samuel in the 1788 election, when he is given as Samuel Vardon, Goldsmith of Soho Square St Anne ,Soho voting for Hood. The address is significant as it was not until 21st February 1789 that they reported to Goldsmiths Hall their move to 23, Soho Square.
Samuel seem to have been very much the senior as the Holden’s Directory for 1790 gives only Samuel Vardon, buckle maker at 23, Soho Square.

3rd Dec 1790 - The newspaper Argus reports on Court of Common Pleas "Varden and Another versus Bayley Brewer and Elder "
The plaintiffs appear to be one of the Vardon partnership - there is a mention of William Congrave late apprentice to Mess. Vardens. A Mr Pugh, who stated that he was formerly a buckle maker, was involved with the selling buckles to the defendants, although whether as a partner of the Vardons is not clear

At some stage the partnership got involved with John Stedman who had taken out buckle patents in 1781 (Nos 1350 and 1410). He appears in the London Directory of 1792 as John Stedman, Patent Buckle Maker at Princes Street, Leicester Square

Stedman and Vardon as a firm were signatories to the London Buckle Trade petition to the Prince of Wales on 3rd January 1792 so the partnership was certainly formed by that date.

By mid 1795 they were all bankrupt. The London Gazette isuue 13800 of 28th July 1795 required the surrender of John Stedman, Samuel Vardon and Thomas Vardon of New Bond Street Copartners Goldsmiths Dealers and Chapman (trading under the name of Messrs Stedman and Vardon) Bankrupts .

They appear to have quickly recovered. Unless Heal has his dating wrong, since he records Stedman & Vardon, goldsmiths and jewellers at 36, New Bond Street in 1796 and at 144, Tottenham Court Road in 1798.

Thomas Nixon, another bucklemaker was at 142, Tottenham Court Road in 1792, probably remaining there until moving to Walwoth in late 1798. The dates may imply that 142 = 144 perhaps.

[silverly]

An "advertisement" from the Saturday April 8, 1786 issue of The Daily Universal Register (London, Middlesex):

[MCB]

Indentures were signed in 1795 by Samuel William, son of Samuel Vardon silversmith of Tottenham Court Road, to be the apprentice of John Duffield London Frame Work Knitter.

[buckler]

Interesting confirmation that the bankruptcies were shortlived, unless this indenture was made in early 1795. It also indicates that the Tottenham Court Road address may have been used earlier than originally thought.

Despite the claims of Mr Stedman in the advert, his patents do not seem to have been have been widely used. Only one example has been seen by the writer. And a very poor implementation of Eley's it is too !