MASSEY, Benjamin (Grimwade p.593)

[MCB]

He was born in Norwich around 1780.
A document of 1805 records Benjamin, a merchant, son of Benjamin Massey of Lynn, Norfolk applying for freedom of the City of London by redemption in the Company of Bakers.
A business trade card at the British Museum indicates he was trading at 116 Leadenhall Street as a goldsmith in 1811 well before he entered his maker’s mark at Goldsmiths Hall from that address in 1829.
The 1841 UK Census for Paradise Villas, Stoke Newington records him as a banker aged 60 years living with his wife Mary aged 60 years, two children aged 30 and 25 years and, among others, two servants.
As a widower from Stoke Newington he married Catherine Baker, also from Norfolk, at St Martin in the Fields in 1845.
On the christening record of a daughter at St Mary, Stoke Newington in 1845 he is shown as a merchant from Stoke Newington.
The christening record of another daughter at the same church in 1848 shows him as a goldsmith from Stoke Newington.
On the christening record of a son at St John, Hackney in 1850 he is shown as a silversmith from Pembury Road, Hackney where he is similarly recorded on the 1851 UK Census aged 70 years living with Catherine, the three young children mentioned above and three servants.
His burial in 1854 aged 74 years is recorded at St James, St Pancras; his last address was Upper Hornsey Rise.
The family association with 116 Leadenhall Street continued. His widow Catherine’s Will granted Probate at the Principal Registry in 1878 refers to her having been late of that address.

[silverly]

The 1843 London Post Office Directory shows Benjamin Massey as a goldsmith and jeweller at the Leadenhall address.

[MCB]

The Will of Benjamin Massey, goldsmith late of Leadenhall Street, was proved for probate on 7th March 1854 (National Archives reference PROB 11/2188/90).

[fance51]

I have just come across this post thru searching the internet for Benjamin Massey. This is nothing about the silversmith business but I got quite excited about the history of him. He is supposedly my GGGrandfather who raised his grandson Benjamin Gurney. Benjamin came out to Australia in 1849 as 3rd Mate on the 'Samuel Boddington'. My Benjamin mother was 'supposedly' Mary Ann Massey and her father worked at 116 Leadenhall St, London. After finding this info from here, I've done some research and I'm not sure we got the correct Benjamin Massey.
Does any of this info ring any bells, or I'd be grateful for any snippet or where to go on from here. We've been looking for many years!

Fingers crossed and I apologise if i've over-stepped by answering on this forum

Thanks, Nancy Gurney from Australia

[silverly]

Welcome to the forum. I think you are on track with this Benjamin Massey as your ancestor. The Leadenhall address would be enough for me to cinch it, but I understand you'd like the highest degree of confidence in your information as possible.

Here's a couple more excerpts from records that may be useful:

12 January 1804 Benjamin Massey silversmith of London son of Benjamin Massey of Lynn in the County of Norfolk and Sarah his wife deceased and Mary Wright daughter of William Wright mariner of Yarmouth and Mary his wife both deceased took each other in marriage in a public assembly of the people called quakers in Yarmouth.

1841 UK Census lists Samuel Gurney Massey age nine months and born in Hackney, Middlesex son of Benjamin Massey silversmith.

Good luck with your family history research. In time I may find additional information. Once I get started, it's often difficult to stop.

[fance51]

Thanks for reply, much appreciated.
I have the marriage certificate of Sarah and Benjamin. Their son, the Leadenhall Benjamin, remarried after his first wife died and remarried a Catherine (maiden name unknown) and had 3 more children, he was in his 60's+ when they were born. I'm interested in the 2 children in the 1841 census when the first wife was alive, one Benjamin born 1811 and Maria born 1816. The 1811 Benjamin 'could' be ours and calculating dates be our Benjamin's father but he used the Benjamin Gurney!! ....but these two have gone AWOL!!

Does not seem the Leadenhall Benjamin raised my grandfather! Gosh this family history get you in, its 3.40 am here and I'm still up! Just downloaded Benjamin's will, well, what a catastrophe that was, barely readable and no help at all!

Thanks for listening (lol) to my ramblings and if you do find anymore I would love to hear from you

Cheers, Nancy in Australia

[silverly]

You're welcome. The first post in this thread gives Catherine's maiden name.

[silverly]

30 January 1796 John Boulter of Great Yarmouth in the County of Norfolk Silversmith paid apprentice indenture duty for Benjamin Massey.