He was the son of Bartholomewno Need (Grimwade p.289, 333) and apprenticed to his father in 1794.
He entered a maker’s mark at Goldsmiths Hall in 1803 as a watch case maker from 2 Castle Street, City Road.
In the same year he married Mary Ann Thwaites at St Mary, Islington; he was from St Leonard, Shoreditch parish.
In 1808 he entered a maker’s mark as a case maker from 22 Featherstone Street, City Road.
The christening record for their son Benjamin at St Leonard, Shoreditch in 1813 shows their address as Old Street Road and Matthew as a goldsmith.
The christening record for their son John at St John, Clerkenwell in 1816 shows their address as King Street and his father as a watch case maker.
The christening record for their son Robert at St James, Clerkenwell in 1819 shows their address as Smith Street and his father again as a goldsmith.
The burial in 1822 of Matthew Need aged 44 years, late of Old Bethlem, was recorded at St Botolph, Bishopsgate.