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F D mark - perhaps Francis Daniell

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:30 pm
by buckler
FD mark -script



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On a buckle frame (probably a shoe buckle) which the vendor stated was dug up in a place call Curry Rival, south of Taunton and reported as a find to Taunton Museum.
It’s a shouldered design, with low areas stippled in the manner associated with "D" shaped buckles of the 1730’s. Size 41mm by 51 mm

The Assay mark is the London Lion of 1740 —1756 and stylistically I’d date it at the beginning of that period

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Perhaps by Francis Daniell for whom Grimwade gives only one mark - May 1760 - as a smallworker at Little Deans Court , St Martin Le Grand ( no map record of Little Deans Court but St Martin le Grand was an area known to be infested with bucklemakers ). However a document in West Sussex Record Office (manorial documents of West Hoathly Rectory, 1694 - 1841) records "Francis Daniell of St. Luke, co. Middx., bucklemaker, administrator of goods of Nehemiah Norgrove dec'd., during the minority of the latter's son John, to (b) the said John Norgrove of St. Peter's, London, poulterer".
Daniell died 1761 or 1762 - PROB 11/865 - Will of Francis Daniell, Silversmith of Saint Luke Old Street , Middlesex .Probate granted at PCC on 26 May 1761. The address is in the City.
Presumably one or more marks in the lost smallworker register
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:39 pm
by buckler
The will of Francis Daniell is quite an interesting and rather moving document

Will was dated 7th July 1752, witnessed by William Stewart, Martin Cox and William Cox, (perhaps William Cox II), but it was not proved until 1761 so he must have lived for some years after making it. His wife proved the will so she obviously outlived him .

It seems to have been drafted by Daniell himself as it is a strange mixture of formal legal phrases, requests to friends and instructions to his wife in personal terms . A very amateur , but human document

It mentions his mother Mary Daniell, his brother .William Daniell son
of Thomas Daniell ( presumably Francis's father also) all of ? Smithfield ?.

He left most of his estate to his wife Sarah Daniell ( the sole executrix) "hoping she will make the best use of it for the Education of my dear child Frances Daniell and lastly my desire is that ?she? (probably overwriting you ) should leave of the Business and go to your [sic] uncle Mr William Daniell or your aunt ? Bugram ? of Southam and they I ????? will take care of you and my Dear Child . I beg the favour of Mr Charles Blythe and Mr Richard Mills to assist you in getting in my debts and Finishing the Business and selling the Tools .. .. .. "
Richard Mills is almost certainly the silversmith now best known for tongs and nips . Although we know Daniell had interests in West Sussex I was not aware of any connection, perhaps via his wife to Southam, The only Southam I can find is in Warwickshire (good bucklemaking country) .....three miles from where I live !
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2009 6:20 am
by buckler
For "aunt ? Bugram ? of Southam " please read

" aunt Ingeram of Southam " Presumeably the modern spelling would Ingram.
I had forgotten that this clerk used the fancy "I" that looks, to the terminallly thick, like a "B"
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