 Interior St Michael's Wood St 1880 Isaac's monumental inscription from St Olave's Southwark reads ( church not extant), "In memory of Mr Isaac Jones who died 2 May 1762 aged 5[?] years. Also Susannah Jones wife of the above Isaac Jones who died 5 Feb 178[?] aged 84 years. Also of Nathaniel Richd. Jones of this parish Stationer Grandson of the above who died ………. 1797 in the [??] year of his age. Also ……………. children who died in their infancy. Isaac became an apprentice in 1726 to Humphrey Harris His record [Jones, Isaac, to Humphrey Harris, 5 Dec 1726, 1 Jun 1730 gone three months; filed, Feltmakers' Company] shows he did not complete his seven year apprenticeship possibly because he married Susanna WALTON on the 15th December 1728 in the Fleet. He is described as being of St Michael's, Wood Street ( interestingly, this church was the location of Robert Henry Rubidge's baptism). The Worshipful Company of Feltmakers is today the Livery Company of the hatters. "The first reference to Feltmakers is in London in 1180. In 1269 the Cappers became officially established. Hurers made shaggy caps and in 1311 the Hatters were active. The Hurers and Cappers amalgamated with the Hatters and then merged with the powerful Haberdashers in 1502. Many feltmakers were already members of the Haberdashers and, as the Haberdashers controlled the retail outlets and the raw materials, this unification seemed sensible. In 1583 the Feltmakers petitioned Queen Elizabeth I for their own Charter but it was not granted until 1604, when King James I came to the throne. In 1667, King Charles II granted an expanded Charter extending their powers.The Company was granted Livery in 1733, number 63 in order of precedence. In 1870-74 many famous politicians joined the Feltmakers. Between them four had been Chancellor, two First Lord of the Admiralty, two President of the Board of trade and two Foreign Secretary. The hatting trade flourished in the early part of the 20th. century. Twenty-seven Mayors were elected in 1914-18. In 1927 there were 9 Knights on the Feltmakers' Court. During the second half of the 20th century, the trade declined. There are now some 170 Feltmakers drawn from the higher ranks of many professions, businesses and trades as well as the hatting industry. The Feltmakers have produced two Lord Mayors and are flourishing again." http://www.feltmakers.co.uk/ |
Richard, Isaac's son, certainly was a hatter/ feltmaker's apprentice and was bound in 1755 to Richard Grafton in the sum of 12/6 for seven years. This gives an approximate birth year of 1741. Richard was admitted a freeman of the Company in 1762 while Isaac his brother had been admitted the year previously. Richard took on apprentices over the years as did Isaac his brother. [Interestingly, William KEMP, Hannah Payne's grandfather, was also a hatter in Southwark and doubtless knew the JONES hatters]  Hatmaking in the 16th Century from http://www.feltmakers.co.uk Richard married Sarah Cornwell in 1763 The Southwark JONES family: Nathaniel Richard Jones (1765 -1797) and had several children: Nathaniel Richard b 1765, Mary b 1767, Sarah b 1768, Joseph b 1770 and Susanna b 1773 and Ann b 1776.  The term 'mad as a hatter' has various derivations: see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatter I prefer the mercury poisoning. |
