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Robert Howard

Robert Howard

Male 1739 - 1812  (73 years)    Has 12 ancestors and more than 100 descendants in this family tree.

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  • Name Robert Howard 
    Birth 1739  Folkestone, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death 19 Jan 1812 
    Burial 26 Jan 1812  Winchmore Hill Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Siblings 3 Siblings 
    Person ID I31501  Geneagraphie
    Last Modified 23 Nov 2003 

    Father Robert Howard,   b. 1706, Folkestone, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1793, Wandsworth, Surrey, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years) 
    Mother Elizabeth Cullen,   b. 18 Nov 1700, Folkestone, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1785 (Age 84 years) 
    Marriage 2 Oct 1731  Folkestone, Kent, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F182882  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Susannah Smith   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Marriage Abt 1761 
    Children 
     1. John Howard,   b. 1763   d. 1842 (Age 79 years)
     2. Robert Howard,   b. 1765   d. 1791 (Age 26 years)
     3. Joseph Howard,   b. 1769   d. Nov 1790 (Age 21 years)
    Family ID F182871  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 23 Nov 2003 

    Family 2 Elizabeth Leatham,   b. 1742, Pontefract, Yorkshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1816 (Age 74 years) 
    Marriage Feb 1772 
    Children 
    +1. Luke Howard,   b. 28 Nov 1772   d. 21 Mar 1864 (Age 91 years)
    +2. William Howard,   b. 1774   d. 30 Oct 1860, Hartley House, Plymouth, Devonshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 86 years)
     3. Elizabeth Howard,   b. 1779   d. 1869 (Age 90 years)
    Family ID F13127  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 23 Nov 2003 

  • Notes 
    • The second son of Robert and Elizabeth Howard was born at Folkestone in the year 1738 old style of New Year’s day 1739 according to the present mode.
      He and his brother Thomas nearly two years older, were educated in their native town, according to the best instruction to be obtained there. The essential parts for plain tradesmen were no doubt gained, but in after life Robert Howard much regretted the limited nature of his early education, having a great thirst for knowledge, which there was very small opportunity for acquiring. He and his brother Thomas were taught business under their father, and worked with their own hands before they came to London.
      Robert Howard about the age of 22 married Susannah Smith daughter of a Friend in a very humble line of business at Hollyport, a small village in Berkshire. She was it appears a very pretty young woman, but she was delicate and died of consumption in a few years, leaving three little children. Her younger sister lived to a very advanced age and used to say that “Sukey” as she was called made an impression on her future husband at first sight, by going to the shop in Smithfield to purchase some articles for her aunt, with whom she was then living in the neighbourhood. This was very likely as Robert Howard was always an admirer of beauty. She had however an uncultivated mind and a poor education and though perhaps she might be considered amiable and well disposed, she was not a well suited helpmate. In the second month 1772 Robert Howard married Elizabeth Leatham of Pontefract, daughter of William and Elizabeth Leatham and sister to his brother Thomas’ wife. The eldest son of this marriage was Luke Howard born on the 28th of the eleventh month 1772.
      Robert Howard had several years before this removed to larger premises, house and shop in Red Cross Street, Cripplegate (it is believed that the business of an ironmonger is still carried on there on the left hand near Barbican). Here he remained till about the year 1778, when the change took place to a large private house in Old Street with room behind for extensive buildings which he erected and afterwards added to, as the manufacturing of Tin Ware increased, and it became like a little town of workshops and warehouses; two dwelling houses were also built for Robert Howard’s partners, who had long been Clerks in that concern. By successive improvements in the various articles made, a thorough knowledge of the business, a firm determination to have every thing good of its kind - both in material and work, which his customers well knew and confided in - this business became very large and profitable.
      About 1782 the Argand Lamp, invented by a Frenchman of that name, attracted Robert Howard’s attention, and he gave his energetic mind to effect improvements in the original principle and through much toil and vexation from different causes, he succeeded in bringing it to such perfection that until the introduction of gas so much superseded their use these lamps in their various forms were a most valuable source of profit in trade and a great benefit to the public. Besides the improved manufacture of these lamps and also others of an inferior kind - Robert Howard invented the mode of making dish covers without seam, much handsomer that those formerly in use. The Dish Covers made under his superintendence had nearly the polish and appearance of silver. Many improvements in various things, and the business altogether of which Robert Howard had long stood the first - not only in London, but in general - gave him the just title of Father of the Trade, not only in plain articles of tin ware, but japanned teatrays, cannisters, mugs of all sizes, plate warmers, bread baskets, &c. &c. were a large part of the concern. Many of these goods were exported.
      The Japanners shops, including the ovens for the gradual drying of the different coats laid on, the women employed in polishing and producing imitation of tortoiseshell, - gilding the edges with leaf god &c. were objects of curious inspection to visitors. Ornamental painting also on many things employed several ingenious persons in this department, and the writer well remembers the delight afforded her in her young days by watching now and then the production of tulips, roses, honeysuckles, sprigs of jasmine, &c. on the beautiful little mugs with their clear shining tin insides and rims. These were much used in the West Indies. The large upper and under warehouses were repositories for great and entertaining varieties of goods.
      Robert Howard’s second son William was in partnership with his father, several years before the death of the latter in 1812. William Howard then became the principal in the concern. One of the partners had previously died. This once flourishing business soon got into a different state, partly from alterations in the trade itself. On the death of the other partner and William Howard’s retirement from town, and the business being left in the hands of a person by no means competent to manage it, the whole came to an end about the year 1847 and the lease soon after expiring, the once respectable mansion and the great premises behind were metamorphosed, the first into two dwelling houses with shops, the latter converted into streets of small houses, The whole neighbourhood has undergone a gradual deterioration, and is now totally different from what it was when the writer first remembers it.
      Besides the application of his powers of mind and energy to his general engagements in trade Robert Howard was filling up many useful posts as regarded the community. The London parish to which he belonged claimed many portions of his time as one of the guardians of the poor &c. Of the Bible Society he was one of the three Friends present at the first organisation (in 1804) of that now vast Institution and it had his steady support by attendance of the Committee and in other ways till near the close of his life. At that early period the path of perseverance had many rough places in it, but still there were many encouragements to go forward and those who joined in the first friendly compact in the good cause continued valiant for it. Other objects of public good and of benevolence shared Robert Howard’s labours and pecuniary means; he was ever the friend and advocate of the oppressed who came under his notice, with the widow and the fatherless. Some of this class remembered him with much gratitude.
      In the religious society of which he was from nearly his first entrance upon active life, a strictly attached and useful member, he had much to do, being not only an influential person in his own meeting, and an elder for 25 years, but also assisting in other meetings connected with the affairs of the Society. In the Educational Institutions of the Society of Friends he took a prominent part and manifested great interest in their welfare. Islington School and workhouse, as turned from the old foundation then Clerkenwell - (of late years removed to Croydon) was one of his constant cares.
      A number of ancient friends supported by the Monthly Meeting lived in dwellings separated into apartments on the same premises, but not in the School house.
      Ackworth School from its commencement in 1779 was a very favorite object of Robert Howard’s attention. He was [on] the London Committee and a very diligent member as long as ability remained, he very seldom omitted attending the General Meeting of the Institution and took an active part in all its concerns, being particularly desirous to promote the health if the children and family, by good diet and a supply of wholesome water, and was himself present to superintend a part of the work when the new well was opened for use. Though a large and at one time a portly looking man, Robert Howard never enjoyed good health. On this account partly in his 55th year he removed from Old Street as a home, though still retaining it as a Town house, - to a house with an extensive garden in Stamford Hill three and a half miles distant going in his carriage almost daily to town, his active mind being still in the pursuit of business and other engagements. Robert Howard also preferred remaining a member of the Peel Monthly meeting in the compass of which he had always lived since first coming to London. The attendance of Peel Monthly meeting caused too much time to be spent on the road First days, and the consequent absence from the place of residence nearly the whole day. The week day meeting on Fourth day was of course regularly attended. The hour for meeting both on First and Fourth day was 10 o’clock and the writer remembers that the afternoon meeting in winter began at 2 o’clock and at 3 in summer. It was considered an indulgence to go to Tottenham Meeting on First days a few times in the course of the year. Robert Howard in the latter part of his life suffered much from infirmities, the result of a worn out constitution; a fall which he had about 7 years before his death was also a cause of frequent suffering. Until within a short time of his decease he kept up his active habits as far as his strength would allow and sometimes it seemed to his friends almost beyond it.
      The immediate cause of his death was mortification in the foot; during the two months his illness confined him to the house, he was often under the influence of the remedies to which it was necessary to resort, but occasionally his mind was clear and collected, and his valuable life was closed in much peace on the 19th of 1st month 1812 when he was 73 years and 19 days old. His remains were interred at Winchmore Hill on the 26th of the same month.
      After Robert Howard’s decease his widow and only daughter (the writer) removed from Stamford Hill to Bruce Grove, Tottenham, there the widow resided for the remainder of her life, and there she died on the 26th of 10th month 1816 after a sudden attack of apoplexy in her 76th year. Her remains were interred at Winchmore Hill.



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