www.925-1000.com

There may have been a family workshop continuing in Salisbury Court over many years and the different addresses in the Land Tax assessments books etc probably relate to an individual's private address but on the face of it the records suggest there were several by the same name. The following biographies have, so far as is possible, been separated into groups which link detail together. All addresses are in a small geographical area.
* Detail marked thus was noted by Grimwade and is included here for ease of reference.

Jasper I
He married Rachel Forcer of Blackfriars at St Bride’s, Fleet Street in 1720.
He was assessed to Land Tax on property in Sugar Loaf Court, Fleet Street from 1722-4.
Their son Jasper was christened at St Bride’s in 1724 when their address was Salisbury Court.
*He entered a mark in 1725 at Goldsmiths’ Hall as a small worker from that address.
Jasper Cunst from Salisbury Court died of convulsions and was buried in 1725 at St Bride’s without a note of his age. He may have been a child of Jasper I or Jasper I himself.
One by the same name paid Duty in 1737 as a goldsmith from Salisbury Court for the apprentice indentures of Thomas White which may indicate the death in 1725 was of a child.

Jasper II
He was assessed to Land Tax on property in Crown Alley, Fleet Street from 1727-43. The property was empty in 1744.
*Jasper Cunst of St Bride’s (Fleet Street) was made bankrupt in 1741.
He paid Duty as a goldsmith from St Bride’s for the apprentice indentures of John Soldan in 1754.
He was assessed to Land Tax on property in Ditch Side near Bride Lane from 1750-66. A new tenant was assessed on the property in 1767.

Jasper III
He married Judith Heybourne at St Bride’s, Fleet Street in 1754; both were from that parish.
A son of Jasper and Judith of Salisbury Court was christened at St Bride’s in 1755 and three other children, including Jasper IV in 1758, were christened at Bridewell Chapel between 1756 and 1763 without recording their address.
He was assessed to Land Tax on unidentified property in Bridewell precinct from 1755 -1762. The assessment book for 1763 is missing.
He was assessed to Land Tax on property in Fleet Street from 1767-78. A new tenant was assessed in 1779.
He was aged 43 years in 1778, late of St Bride’s, and buried at Bridewell Chapel.

Jasper IV
He was christened in 1758 at Bridewell Chapel, the son of Jasper III and his wife Judith.
*He entered a mark in 1776 at Goldsmiths’ Hall as a goldworker from Dorset Street.
Jasper V, the son of Jasper and Ann of Brooks Market, was christened at St Andrew, Holborn in 1779.
A son and a daughter of Jasper and Ellin or Eleanor of Bangor Court were christened at St Andrew’s in 1782 and 1784 respectively.
The burial of a Jasper Const was registered at St Clement Dane in 1810 without detail of age or last address.

Jasper (Who?)
Was listed in the 1773 Parliamentary Report as a goldworker at Salisbury Court?
Who of St Bride’s wrote a Will granted probate in London in 1776?
Entered a mark in 1776 at Goldsmiths’ Hall as a goldworker from Salisbury Court?
Answers to the forum please!

A real can of worms, Mike !

The unusual name helps

13 October 1731
Proceedings of the Old Bailey ref t17311013-38
"John Williams [Defendant ], of St. Brides , was indicted for privately stealing a Handkerchief, value three Shillings, from the Person of Jasper Cunst [Victim] the 15th of September last.
The Prosecutor depos'd, That as he was walking in Fleet-street , a Person ask'd him, if he had lost Nothing; that feeling in his Pocket, he miss'd his Handkerchief; whereupon the said Person told him he saw the Prisoner take the Handkerchief out of his Pocket; upon which he was immediately apprehended, and the Handkerchief was found in his Pocket. The Fact being plainly prov'd, the Jury found him guilty to the value of 10 d. "
The location and date indicates that this is probably Jasper I

To add to the confusion we have two very close deaths.

6 April 1776
The Will of Jasper Cunst, Goldsmith of Saint Bridget otherwise Bride , City of London poved at PCC Ref. TNA/PROB 11/1018/148

16 November 1778
Will of Jasper Const, Jeweller of Saint Bride , City of London probed at PCC Ref.TNA/PROB 11/1047/154
This one we know from the advertisement below to have lived at 69, Salisbury Court, off Fleet Street
(Salisbury Court was the home of many Silversmiths in the late 18th Century - also at least one Auctioneer !)

7 December 1778
Daily Advertiser - Issue 14959.
“To be Sold by Auction by WILLIAM GIBSON …..
The genuine neat Houshold Furniture and Working Tools of Mr JASPER CONST, Goldsmith and Jeweller deceased, at his late House , 69, Salisbury Court , Fleet Street, consisting of Chamber, Parlour and Kitchen Furniture etc…….Catalogues….. and at William Gibson’s No 59 Salisbury Court "

Thanks to my wife's visit to the National Archives recently we have some more information on the Cunsts (my spell checker has just made a very vulgar suggestion)
The Jasper Cunst whose will was proved at PCC in 1776 was the father of the Jasper Conts whose will was proved just two years later in 1778. I think it probable that the original name was the Kunst. Then Anglised to Cunst, then, probably due to the realisation that this was a mistake, to Const.

Jasper CUNST will was signed 14 October1774 and witnessed by Mary Jervis(?) and Reginald Parker. Executors were Tobias ? and his son named as Jasper Cunst . The sole beneficiary was Jasper Cunst' s daughter Catherine Bradshaw, the wife of Samuel Bradshaw. Interestingly the will has a memoranda correcting the original spelling of Bradshaw. Either Jasper Senior had a very poor memory , or his English was not good.

Jasper CONTS will was signed, almost certainly on his deathbed , on 29 October 1778, and proved at PCC just over two weeks later on 16 November 1778. The witnesses were Joseph Webb and Thomas Holloway, and the sole executor was his brother, Francis Const. The beneficiary was his sister, Mrs Catherine Bradshaw, the wife of Samuel Bradshaw.
Hence we now know a little of the family relationships.