He was baptised Isaac Jabez Theo Newsome in 1839 at St John the Baptist, Coventry, the son of Jabez , a ribbon manufacturer of Spon End, Coventry and wife Hannah.
Aged 22 years In 1861 he was living with his parents at 22 Market Place, Coventry and was a watch finisher.
He married Elizabeth Smith at Holy Trinity, Coventry in 1862.
He appears in Warwickshire trade directories in 1876 at 19 Hertford Terrace, Butts, Coventry.
In 1878 as J Newsome he entered a maker’s mark at Chester Assay Office comprising JN in a rectangle.
Other maker’s marks in the same name as previously were entered at CAO in 1880 and 1884 comprising JN in an oval with a pellet between the initials.
He is recorded on the 1881 UK Census at 14 and 15 Butts as a watch manufacturer employing 30 men and 4 boys.
Another maker’s mark entered at CAO around 1886 comprised JN without any outline again with a pellet between the initials.
He died in Coventry on 13th January 1891.
His Will was proved for probate at the Birmingham Registry in the same year. His last addresses had been 14 and 15 Butts and 21 Spon Street, Coventry. The value of his estate was finally settled in 1892 at a few shillings and pence over £20579.
He was christened the son of John and Elizabeth Dent at St Clement Dane, Strand in 1790.
In 1804 he was apprenticed to his grandfather John Wright Dent, a tallow chandler but spent his time with his cousin Richard Rippon, a watchmaker such that by 1807 his grandfather agreed to turn him over to Rippon for the remainder of his term.
By 1814 he was making his own watches, in that year supplying a Standard Astronomical Clock to the Admiralty and another chronometer to the Colonial Office African Expedition. His personal output was insufficient however to provide him with a satisfactory livelihood and from 1815-20 he was forced to take employment with a number of well known firms including Callum Brothers of Castle Street, Long Acre.
He submitted two chronometers for trial at Greenwich in 1826 and, by 1828, was employed by the Royal Observatory examining and repairing chronometers. He charged the very large sum of 25 guineas to repair a chronometer but had no difficulty finding work at this price such was his reputation for high quality.
In a letter to the Board of Ordnance in 1829 the Astronomer Royal John Pound described Dent as among the best workmen of his day and his reputation brought requests for his work from the Admiralty and the East India Company. In the same year his Marine Chronometer number 114 won first premium award at the 7th Annual Trial of Chronometers, Dent taking full advantage in advertising his success.
In 1830 he joined in partnership with John Roger Arnold in his well established business at 84 Strand to trade as Arnold & Dent.
1831 saw his chronometer number 633 along with others sent to Captain Fitzroy for his voyage aboard HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin being a passenger on the ship.
Dent became frustrated in his hopes to take over the business, in 1840 the partnership was dissolved and he opened his own business at 82 Strand with second premises following at 33 Cockspur Street.
Richard Rippon had died in 1835 and in 1843 Dent married his widow Elizabeth taking Frederick and Richard Rippon as his stepsons.
Also in 1843 he was awarded the contract to produce a clock for the New Royal Exchange and opened a workshop at Somerset Wharf, Strand to facilitate its construction. The clock was installed in 1844.
Other business addresses were 61 Strand, 28 Cockspur Street and 34 Royal Exchange.
In 1852 he was awarded the contract to build the clock for the Houses of Parliament, Westminster but died in 1853 before the work was completed. His stepson Frederick Rippon Dent finished the work. The clock became known as “Big Ben”.
Frederick and his brother Richard took over the running of the business and Frederick advertised in 1855 as sole successors to the late E J Dent and, by appointment, watch and clockmakers to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
The firm eventually became E J Dent & Co Ltd closing to business in 1965.
A Webster & Co were originally stationers who absorbed several other businesses including the one owned by Harding & Co, the name displayed on the window of their shop. They were described as dealers in silver and fancy goods. It is not known if they did business directly with Goldsmiths Hall to require registering a mark.
As A Webster & Co (Piccadilly) Ltd they were taken over by Frank Smythson Ltd in 1963. This company, originated by Frank Smythson himself in 1887, is still in business in Bond Street, The Royal Exchange and Sloane Street, London.
Jenner & Knewstub shown in the other window was managed in 1856 by Frederick Jenner and Fabian J Knewstub at 33 St James Street, London SW. They opened another shop at 66 Jermyn Street in 1866.
Advertisements show the shops were something of fancy goods emporia selling everything from albums, boxes, clocks, dressing cases, enamels, fans, gold, handbags, inkstands, jewellery, leather goods, moresques, Norwegian belts, ornamental novelty appendages, Porcupine (The Fretful), quartz goods, ruby rings, silverware, travelling bags, umbrellas, vesta cases, writing cases, to other novelties and elegances probably beginning with the letters k, x, y and z which the advertisements do not directly mention.
Jenner & Knewstub entered marks at Goldsmiths Hall in 1874 and 1877 both comprising FJ over FK in a square shape; there was a pellet after each letter F.
The proprietors in Jenner and Knewstub had been joined by Charles L Faber by 1886. After Faber had retired, possibly after The Fretful Porcupine had found a new home, the business became a limited company and was taken over around 1890 by A Webster & Co.
The premises at St James Street and Jermyn Street were taken over by the hairdressers Penhaligon & Jeavons.
Explanation of terms.
The Fretful Porcupine cost two pounds five shillings and appeared in an advertisement in the Illustrated London News 19th December 1874 edition on page 574. It was not described in any further detail.
As members will already know the phrase “the fretful porcupine” is within William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Act I scene V.
Moresques are goods with a Moorish design.
Ornamental novelty appendages must be left for further investigation by the reader.
Acknowledgements. The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths Jewellers & Allied Traders 1838-1914 by John Culme; The Illustrated London News; Wikipedia; William Shakespeare (deceased).
The newly constructed premises of Stewart Dawson & Co.Ltd. at 19-21 Hatton Garden, London EC:
This image is from 1908, they moved into their new premises, named 'Treasure House' in 1907, later that same year they year they converted into a limited liability company.