Smith family jewellers of London

[Jasswiss]

We were just in touch about Greswell but suddenly realized you might be able to help me with another set of jewellers who belong to a family tree I am working on.

Caleb Smith (1816-1890)
1871 Census at 28 Gerrard street,Soho

AND

Jabez Smith (1822-1916)

They were brothers.

And the next generation:
Caleb Joshua Reuben Smith 1860-1935(son of Caleb)
Jabez Samuel Smith (1846-1922) (Son of Jabez)
Joseph Charles Smith (1855-1919) ditto

On census reports they give their profession as either Jeweller or Goldsmith.Does Grimwade or any other publication mention any of them ?
Many thanks for any help.

[MCB]

Hello Jasmin

Grimwade's book ends at 1837. It is unlikely any of the people you list were old enough to enter a mark before then and, although the book isnt wholly in alphabetical order, their names do not seem to be there.
The follow-on publication was The Directory of Gold & Silversmiths Jewellers & Allied Traders 1838-1914 by John Culme but again, as far as I can tell, none of those you list appears there as having entered a mark at Goldsmiths' Hall.

Mike

[Jasswiss]

Mike,
I can only see a snippet of page 152 of Culme's "Directory of Goldsmith's and Jewellers" on google,but I think that CJR Smith probably refers to Caleb Joshua Reuben Smith.I have found out now that he did his apprenticeship with W.H.Peake who appears to also be mentioned in that book on the same page.
If the other Smiths are not mentioned in Culme's book do you think it would still be worthwhile making a trip to the Company of Goldsmiths archives or did Culme cover all the goldsmiths who entered a mark at the Goldsmith's Hall ?
Jasmin

[MCB]

Hello Jasmin

There isn no an all-name index in the book mentioned in my previous post. The biographies are in alphabetical order by reference to the particular goldsmith or silversmith etc for whom John Culme found a registered mark. It was therefore inevitable that the reference to Smith and Peake you have now found through Google would have escaped me. The book has been reviewed again, no biographies for the people on your list were found and the presumption remains that they did not enter marks.
I have found the book comprehensively covers the marks registered in London between 1838 and 1914 but whether it covers all of the marks I couldn't say.
If you find, on contacting Goldsmiths' Hall perhaps, that any of the people you are interested in did enter a mark we would be grateful if you would let us know please.

Mike
For forum information the reference made to page 152 was within the biography for Charles Faberge and refers to the 1910 Court Case Peter Charles Faberge and Co v the Goldsmiths Company in which Culme noted that "Evidence for the Goldsmiths Company was given by several notable trade personalities including ....CJR Smith of Peake & Co....". The case was concerned with whether enamels or enamelled work fell within the provisions for hallmarking by the Goldsmiths Company. The Court found for the Goldsmiths Company.

[MCB]

Hello again Jasmin

My apologies for a typo. There is no all-names index in the book.

Mike

[MCB]

Hello yet again Jasmin
There has been a break through in searching Culme's book for Smith and Peake.
The history of the firm is contained on page 191 under the heading GRANT & PEAKE (where else!). It mentions amongst other things:
Caleb Smith as a partner in Grant & Peake from around 1871 to 1873 when he retired. The mark in use appears to have been the one registered by W H Peake in 1871 (WHP in a rectangle);
1877 WH Peake entered another mark (same style as 1871);
1898 WH Peake sold the business to his manager CJR Smith, Charles Garrett and William John Stead. Name changed to Peake & Co;
Marks were entered at Goldsmiths' Hall in 1898 (PE & Co in a rectangle), 1899 (similar to 1898) and 1903 (P & Co in an upright rectangle with script lettering);
1912 Peake & Co Ltd formed, the directors being the previous partners;
No mark found for Peake & Co Ltd;
CJR Smith was apprenticed to Grant & Peake in 1874, retired in 1928 and died in 1935. He was a member of the London County Council Consultative Committee and of the Silversmiths & Jewellers Art Council. He was elected as a liveryman of the Goldsmiths Company in 1907;
I hope this helps!

Mike

[Jasswiss]

Mike,
Fantastic information !Thanks so much.I will make a trip to the Goldsmith's Hall library to see whether I can find out anything more and will post it once I've written it up.
Cheers,
Jasmin

[Lodger]

Hi,
I recently acquired a not very exceptional fiddle shaped tablespoon by Eley & Fearn bearing the contemporary initials JHD and bearing the words The Jolly Rambler. After some research, with the assistance of Google, I have ascertained that JHD was John Hodsdon Durand (MP for Maidstone 1802 to 1806) and that, in the records of the Royal Yacht Club he was the owner of cutter the Jolly Rambler. Durand died in December 1830 and from the previous posts it would appear that the executors or beneficiaries of his will sold the cutter to Messrs Greswell and Harris. I thought that this information might be of interest to the descendants of John Greswell.