BORRETT, Phineas (Grimwade p.375)

[MCB]

Goldworkers List (Section VII).

Married Ann Hutchinson at St Michael, Wood Street on 21st July 1780.
Christening record for daughter Mary Ann at St Mary, Staining Lane on 16th January 1782.
Entered maker's marks:
1780 from Staining Lane.
1784 & 1787 from Foster Lane.
1789 from 93 Aldersgate Street.
1805 from 5 Staining Lane.
Various Trade Directory entries as a jeweller in Foster Lane 1784-77, Queen's Square and 93 Aldersgate Street Aldersgate 1790, the latter as a jeweller and goldsmith.
Duty paid for Apprentice Indentures of Jno James Broughton 1790.
The Dictionary of National Biography (p.1277) for Thomas Girtin (1775-1802) the watercolour painter and Royal Academy exhibitor records that in 1800 he married the daughter of the respectable goldsmith Phineas Borrett (who had) a house of business at Staining Lane and that Girtin is also recorded in a Royal Academy catalogue as being at his father in law's address at 11 Scott Place, Islington.
Indentures for apprentice Thomas Young (Grimwade p.382) dated 15th January 1810 show Phineas Borrett as a working goldsmith at Staining Lane.
Death record yet to be traced.

[MCB]

John Vine (Grimwade p.369) signed indentures to be his apprentice in 1795.
Vine entered a mark at Goldsmiths Hall in 1815 as a gold worker from 5 Staining Lane which was previously Borrett’s business address.

[buckler]

Only a suggestion, but Borrett may well have died or retired in 1815 when John Vine took over the address. You may find a marriage for Vine to Mary Anne Borrett, Spinster in the early 1800's as this was the usual process of acquiring your old masters business - other than marrying the widow of course!

[MCB]

Thank you for the suggestions Clive.
When preparing the biography for John Vine (Grimwade p.369, 373) all efforts to clearly identify his wife proved in vain hence the omission of any detail of her there. The absence of a christening record for John, son of John Vine, who was recorded born in 1808 on his application for freedom in the Company of Goldsmiths, only compounded the problem.
For the record only one Mary Ann Borrett was found in the London Index as marrying between 1800 and 1850. This lady married Samuel Kay at St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich in 1818.
Borrett has now been found to have been assessed to Land Tax on the property in Staining Lane until 1813 but whether or not he retired or died in that year must remain open to question pending further evidence. The record of his death continues to remain elusive.

Regards,
Mike