YORK, Thomas I & II (Grimwade p.324&332)

[MCB]

Thomas York I
He entered a mark in 1722 at Goldsmiths’ Hall from Queens Head Court, Turnagain Lane, near Snow Hill, probably as a case maker.
Land Tax assessment books record he continued to occupy the same property until 1761. The books show he, rather than his tenants, took responsibility for paying the Land Tax on his increasing property portfolio. He progressively bought all of the houses in Queens Head Court and seven more in Turnagain Lane itself. He may have decided to put the onus for the tax onto his tenants or removed elsewhere as he was last assessed in this way in 1761.
Page 351 of Watchmakers and Clockmakers of the World notes he was apprenticed in 1709 and a freeman in the Company from 1716-52.

Thomas York II
Grimwade records marks entered in 1761 and 1765 at Goldsmiths’ Hall from Dyal and Golden Ball, Fleet Market and it was presumably a comparison of signatures on the register which suggested to him these were entered by a person other than Thomas York I.
Both Thomas York I’s mark and the 1762 mark attributed to Thomas York II feature a coronet. Turnagain Lane adjoined Fleet Market. Thomas York’s apparent exit from Turnagain Lane in 1761-2, a new watch case making business in the same name opening in 1762 just a short distance away and registration of a mark with a coronet may be coincidence but no evidence has come to light for the existence of a second case maker named Thomas York. The Watchmakers and Clockmakers book does identify John Wadham York as the son of Thomas York I, himself a freeman of the Clockmakers Company from 1742-62. Grimwade lists no mark entered by him. John Wadham York died in 1769
Whether Thomas York I was involved with a son in the business which was conducted from Fleet Market or it was he alone who entered the marks of 1761 and 1765 is open to question.

The Will of Thomas York, late watch maker and goldsmith of St Bride’s parish, was granted probate on 9th November 1765.

[silverly]

6 June 1709 Thomas son of Edward York late of the parish of Saint George in Southwark in the County of Middlesex goldbeater deceased apprenticed to John Bayley clockmaker of London.