Could my West family be aristocratic?

[Merry]

Some bits and pieces from FMP newspaper records about Job Henry West (I've not transcribed fully, this is the jist!):

Morning Chronicle 03 November 1823
Partnerships dissolved: Job Henry West and Mary Forsyth of John St Curtain Road - brewers

17 October 1832 - Morning Post - London
From the London Gazette Oct 16th - Bankrupts - James William West and Job Henry West Turner's Square Hoxton brewers

17 March 1858 - London Evening Standard
Charles Stewart, an ex-policeman, was found guilty of having stolen a pint pewter pot, the property of Job Henry West.

Croydon Guardian and Surrey County Gazette 31 July 1880
West July 23rd at Katherine Villa Thornton Heath Croydon Job Henry West aged 78

Croydon Chronicle and East Surrey Advertiser 09 April 1881
A search for creditors etc following JHW's death. He is described as "formerly of Hackney Road, Middlesex but late of Thornton Heath Croydon.

Chelmsford Chronicle 10 March 1905
A claim is made upon the estate of JHW of a piece of land at Shaftesbury Road Leyton by Charles William Bowles of 181 Church Road Leyton. CWB lost the case.

London Evening Standard 21 July 1909
High Court of Justice Chancery Division - Not entirely sure what this is about as I cant tell where the details of one case end and the next begin!

I wonder if widow Mary Forsyth is of any importance?

[Merry]

Originally Posted by kiterunner

Oh, and Sarah West married William Unni Parks 12 Jun 1823 at St Luke, Finsbury, witnesses John West and Esther West.

Oh, I saw Sarah Parks on the 1841 census with (her mother) Eleanor West, but at the time I wasn't sure it was the right Eleanor.

Then there is a Mary Ann West who marries Edward Alfrey Parks 19 Mar 1815 at St Luke, Finsbury, witnesses John West and Sarah West. On the 1851 census Mary Ann's birthplace is Chatham, but I don't think we have found a baptism for her yet.

A couple of trees have used a Chatham baptism for a Mary (Ann) West where the parents are actually William West and his wife, but have John and Eleanor as her parents on their trees!

[Merry]

As others have said on this thread, the Victorian era was one in which many ordinary people made a vast sum of money. My 4xg-aunt, daughter of a hat maker, married a chap, son of an umbrella maker. Her husband lived 1803-1893, so a similar time frame to your ancestor and when he died he left over £300,000 (I haven't worked out what that might equal today!) all made from selling tea. Could have been beer if he hadn't been teetotal!

I'm not saying the stories you have might not be true, just that it was possible to make a great deal from nothing if you got lucky and worked hard.

Originally Posted by Merry

As others have said on this thread, the Victorian era was one in which many ordinary people made a vast sum of money. My 4xg-aunt, daughter of a hat maker, married a chap, son of an umbrella maker. Her husband lived 1803-1893, so a similar time frame to your ancestor and when he died he left over £300,000 (I haven't worked out what that might equal today!) all made from selling tea. Could have been beer if he hadn't been teetotal!

I'm not saying the stories you have might not be true, just that it was possible to make a great deal from nothing if you got lucky and worked hard.

I think about £37 million or have I gone completely mad

[Merry]

Originally Posted by maggie_4_7

I think about £37 million or have I gone completely mad

Probably lol! None of it has filtered in my direction

[kiterunner]

Wannabe Toff, one thing you could try if you haven't already done so, is to look through any West wills from around the right time to see whether they mention any of these people.

[Merry]

Originally Posted by Olde Crone

A nitpicky point - there was no compulsory service in Britain during the napoleonic wars, although there was a strong recruiting drive.

OC

Plus he "took a job in Chatham" a long time before the Napoleonic Wars began!