MARSON, James (Grimwade p.305, 592)

[MCB]

As a bachelor he married Ann Saness at St Leonard, Shoreditch in 1761; both were from that parish.
He entered maker’s marks at Goldsmiths Hall in 1761 as a small worker from Princes Street, Moorfields.
As a widower he married Angela Littleboy at St Leonard, Shoreditch in 1763; both were from that parish.
Eight children of James and Angela Marson of Princes Street, Upper Moorfields were christened at that church 1763-1774.
He paid duty as a goldsmith of Moorfields for the Apprentice Indentures of Emanuel Alvaris in 1767
and, for the same reason in 1774 for John Jones, as a case maker from St Leonard, Shoreditch.
He entered another maker’s mark at Goldsmiths Hall from Princes Street in 1775 this time as a case maker.
His burial in December 1783 was recorded at St Luke, Finsbury.
His widow Angela entered her own mark in July 1784.

[silverly]

The 11 October 1747 christening at St Luke, Finsbury of James son of James Marson snuff box maker & Ann may apply.

[MCB]

In addition to the christening in 1747 of James, the son of James Marson and his wife Ann, mentioned in the previous post there were christenings of other children of this couple in 1748, 1753 and 1757 all at St Luke, Finsbury and all identifying their father as a snuff box maker.
It would be convenient to suppose these children were siblings of James Marson later of Princes Street, his father being James the snuff box maker but if James Marson junior was born in 1747 he would be unlikely to have married or entered a maker’s mark in 1761.
An alternative would be that James the snuff box maker was actually James Marson of Princes Street identified as such in the later christening records of his wife Angela’s children. James Marson was, after all, identified as a widower when marrying her in 1763. The signatures on the two marriage records of 1761, when the groom was described as a bachelor, and the one in 1763 are however similar enough to have been made by the same person and a burial of an Ann Marson at St Luke, Finsbury in 1762 has now come to light which could explain the change of this James’ status between 1761 and 1763.
Until further records become available it seems open to question whether the christenings in 1747-1757 are of the children of James Marson (later?) of Princes Street.

Mike

[MCB]

The Will of James Marson, watch case maker late of St Leonard, Shoreditch, was proved for probate on 24th December 1783 (National Archives reference PROB 11/1111/381).