WRIGHT, Thomas (Grimwade p.403)

[buckler]

Thomas Wright entered several marks a bucklemaker at various addresses in between 1774 and 1802..

He was probably the Thomas Wright involved with the marketing of Samuel Hands patent No 1679 of May 1789 for making spring shoe buckles. There is an example in the Chersey Museum but they are rare survivors. Not surprising as a more awkward chape design would be difficult to imagine.

The Times of 7th July 1790 advertises them as "Hands's Newly- Invented Brunswick Spring Shoe-Buckle " It gives several firms in London which supplied them, including Greys of Sackville Street, WRIGHTS- Poultry , Prices - No 89, Oxford Street, Coopers- Coventry Street, etc.
"Merchants and Shopkeepers supplied wholesale at the Patentees, Birmingham; and by their Agent, Thomas WRIGHT, Poultry, London "
An earlier advertisment in the Times of 12th August 1789 gives the patentees as Hands and Bingley, Birmingham and the address of the London agency as 6, Poultry (but not the name !)

Thomas Wright was almost certainly the partner of Samuel Hands of Birmingham and Robert Burton Cooper of Birmingham who went bankrupt in 1793
4th January 1793 — London Gazette (13535) announces their bankruptcy.
Universal Magazine 1793 refers to them as Samuel Hands and Robert Cooper Burton of Birmingham and Thomas Wright of London ..

10 May 1793
True Briton announces the bankrupcy of " Thomas Wright and John Bellamy of the Poultry, culters and silversmiths"

A Thomas Hands the Younger of Birmingham, Warwickshire , Buckle Maker was mentioned as paying a dividend in bankruptcy in 1790 (Times 3rd May 1790) who may be related .

[silverly]

4 October 1758 Thomas son of Roger Wright of the Parish of Saint Bennett near Paul's Wharf London Gentleman apprenticed to Jeremiah Wheate Goldsmith of London. (Jeremiah Wheate was apprenticed to Samuel Bourne (Grimwade p.446) in 1730.)

12 July 1804 Thomas Wright of Little Bell Alley in the Parish of Saint Stephen Coleman Street London will proved. Much of his estate was left to his wife Margaret Wright daughter of the late Christopher and Martha Bell including his shop and everything pertaining to it in Sweetings Alley in the Parish of Saint Michael Cornhill. Source Citation: The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 1412. (TNA/PROB 11/1412/53)

[buckler]

It puzzled me that after his bankruptcy in 1793, he still reported at Goldsmiths' Hall his move to 30 Little Bell Alley , Coleman Street. This continued involvement with the silver trade, and his obviously comfortable status at the time of the will, shows yet again how bankruptcy in the 18th century appears not to be particularly terminal to a man's life and career !