KEITH, John James (Grimwade p.568)

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He was christened the son of George and Hannah Keith at St Luke, Finsbury in 1794.
The marriage of John Keith to Lucy Vernon at St Bride, Fleet Street in 1816 may be relevant; both were from that parish.
The christening record for a son James at St Martin in the Fields in 1817 shows his parents as John James and Lucy, their address as 7 Castle Street.
The christening record for another son John at St Leonard, Shoreditch in 1819 shows their address as Margaret Street.
The christening records for a further three of their children at St Luke, Finsbury in 1821 -1825 show their address as Bath Street.
A maker’s mark had been entered at Goldsmiths Hall in 1824 as a plateworker from Union Street.
The christening records for two more of their children at the same church in 1827-9 show their address as Eastigny(?)Place.
The christening record for another daughter at St Leonard, Shoreditch in 1831 shows the new address Britannia Terrace notified to Goldsmiths Hall in 1834.
Four more of their children were christened from that address at St John, Hoxton 1834-40.
All 12 records show their father as a silversmith as does the 1841 UK Census record although their address, probably in error, is shown there as Britannia Street.
John James Keith’s burial aged 53 years was recorded at St James, St Pancras in 1848; his last address was Britannia Terrace.
Further history of the business which was continued by his son John after 1848 can be found in The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths Jewellers & Allied Traders 1838-1914 by John Culme (pages 269-70).

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The Will of John James Keith, late silver plate worker of Britannia Terrace, City Road, was proved for probate on 26th February 1848 (National Archives reference PROB 11/2069/296).