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This business can be traced back to c.1835 and the watchmaker William Connell whose address at this time was 22, Myddleton Street, the former premises of Richard Daniel (Grimwade p.376). William moved in 1845 to 83 Cheapside (next door, but one, to James Bult). William is believed to have died in 1862 and the business passed to his son William George Connell. W.G. Connell ran the firm until his death in 1902, he was described as 'one of the pioneers of modern artistic silverware', he was succeeded by his son, George Lawrence Connell and his silversmith sister, Christine, who continued the business in the same vein.
They became a limited liability company in 1917 as G. L. Connell Ltd. The directors listed as G.L.Connell, Christine Connell and Hermann Julius Siemssen.
George Connell died in 1933 and the firm continued by his widow, Christina, acting as managing director until 1939 when the business was wound up.
William Connell
He was born in Surrey c1804 and apprenticed 1817. In 1845 he succeeded to the business of Richard Ganthony Master of the Clockmakers Company and is listed in 1846 as chronometer and watch maker to the Royal Navy.
No record of a sponsor’s mark can be found.
William George Connell
He was born in Pentonville London c 1834 and listed in 1878 also as chronometer and watchmaker to the Royal Navy.
In later UK Census records he also describes himself as a jeweller.
He registered a sponsor’s mark at the London AO in 1893. This was WGC in a shamrock leaf shape with the initial “G” in the top leaf.
George Lawrence Connell
He was born in Putney c1877. On the UK Census 1901 he is still living at his father’s house and is described as a jeweller’s assistant.
He is recorded as having bought in Art Nouveau and Arts & Crafts style work from, inter alia, William Hutton & Sons Ltd and A E Jones Ltd.
His wife Christine was a silversmith. Her work was retailed under the mark registered by her husband.
He registered a sponsor’s mark at the London AO in 1902. This was GLC also in a shamrock leaf shape this time with the initial “L” in the top leaf.
He also registered a similar mark at the Birmingham AO c1926.
I have two matching silver and enamel spoons with the exact markings above, including the S date stamp, and have identified it as George Lawrence Connell, 1913.
Mr. Connell, silversmith, &c, who has occupied temporary premises in Old Jewry, will shortly return to the new building in Cheapside which has been erected upon the site of his former premises.
Just setting out some corrections on Christine Connell.
Mary Christine Connell was born in 1878, daughter of William George Connell who built up the family jewellery business on Cheapside. She was sister to George Laurence Connell who jointly ran the family business with her after their father’s death in 1902. Christine Connell was a well regarded art and metalwork teacher and arts and crafts silversmith and jeweller in her own right. She is sometimes confused as the wife of Laurence Connell who married a much younger Christine Green (born 1892) in 1917.
Mr Wm Henry Ashurst, of the Old Jewry, solicitor, was summoned by the churchwardens of the parish of St Mildred, Poultry, at the Mansion-house, for refusing to pay a church-rate of 8s 4d,- Mr Cox, vestry clerk, attended to support the summons, and proved the levying of the rate. — Mr Ashurst took an objection to the validity of the rate, and handed in a written notice that he intended to dispute it in the Ecclesiastical Court, upon which - The Lord Mayor decided that his jurisdiction was ousted, and that the churchwardens, if they wished to enforce payment, must go to that court to prove that their rate was a legal one.— Mr Cox said they would certainly do so, and the summons was then dismissed.
Mr Wm. Connell (watchmaker, Cheapside) then answered to a summons for refusing to pay a rate of £6 10s, claimed by the same churchwarden and like-wise objected to the validity of the rate, and intended to dispute it. Mr Cox: Then, perhaps, you will put in a written notice, as Mr Ashurst has done.— Mr Connell: No. I do not think that is necessary. The notice I now give is sufficient in law.—The Lord Mayor: Yes, I think so. Mr Cox: Well, we must go to the Ecclesiastical Court, But I wish to state that this rate was levied for the repairs of the church, in consequence of a complaint from the rector that it was not fit for the performance of divine service; and that the parish was polled upon the rate, which was agreed to almost unanimously; and, until to-day, no gentleman has had the conscience to come, and, in the face of day, say he would not pay the rate, and now there are only three who refuse - Mr Ashurst, Mr Connell, and Mr Beck. But Mr Connell has himself filled the office of church-warden, and attended the church, and I do not suppose that he would dispute it unless he had conscientious objections. The amount expended for the repairs was £480. for which I can produce receipts, and we shall certainly go to the Ecclesiastical Court.— Summons dismissed.
Mr Thomas Beck, of Cheapside, who was summoned for £6, made a similar objection. — Mr Cox: Do you intend to dispute the rate in the Ecclesiastical Court? - Mr Beck: Yes.— Mr Cox: I am very glad to hear you say so.- This summons, also, was therefore dismissed, and the parties then quitted the court.
Source: The North Wales Chronicle - 26th March 1859
Messrs. Connell, of Cheapside, were recently able to identify a law clerk named Richard Poppin as the changer of a fifty-pound note, which had been received as proceeds of forgeries. Up to this time the police were unable to get a conviction against him, although many of his associates were undergoing various terms of imprisonment. He was sentenced to ten years' penal servitude.
Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller & Silversmith - 1st October 1892
Sportsmen who note the time of a run with hounds will be glad of a simple stop-watch that can be set without trouble, and adapted to any hunting watch. It is the invention of Mr. Charles Miles, Gorseside, Berkhampstead, perfected by Mr. Connell, 83 Cheapside, by whose permission it was described, with a sketch in the Horologieal Journal for the good of the trade. Round the face in the outer case of a half hunting watch is a movable ring, with nob to mark the time. When hounds find, the nob is set at the minute, so only the hour has to be remembered, and those who have used it speak highly of its efficiency and simplicity.
Source: Baily's Magazine of Sports and Pastimes - November 1883
