TROMBETTA Charles

Charles Trombetta (c.1766 - 1844) married Mary Fisher on 24 October 1797 in St Stephen, Norwich, England. (1) They had six children: Elizabeth Ann (1797 - 1868), Charles (1800 - 1801), Grace (1802 - ?), Charles (1808 - 1873), William (1811 - 1869) and Amelia (1815 - 1889). (2)

The family lived at St Stephen at least until their son Charles' burial on 9 August 1801. On 26 September 1802 Grace was baptised at St Gregory and the Trombettas were still living at St Gregory at the time of Charles' baptism on 6 November 1808. William was baptised at St John Timberhill on 16 June 1811 and Amelia on 23 April 1815. On Amelia's baptismal record her father's profession was thermometer maker. Charles also appeared in C. Berry's A Concise History and Directory of the City of Norwich, 1811 as a Weather Glass Maker at Timberhill, by Church. (3)

The following barometers can be found online:

    • "Late 18th Century Wheel Barometer by Trombetta of Norwich
    • An exceptionally rare and possibly unique 18th century wheel barometer.
    • The 8½" diameter silvered brass scale calibrated from 28" to 31" with weather indications shown in the earlier position on the outer edge of the dial. The centre of the dial very well engraved with a star burst and makers name. The finely cut brass set hand controlled from the base of the barometer using an internal cogged wheel and spindle mechanism. A very rare feature. Also with blued steel indicator hand. The whole dial enclosed within a glazed brass concave bezel. The long and offset silvered brass thermometer scale with extreme temperatures shown from -20º to 210º Fahrenheit. The mahogany case of a most unusual design with cross-grained sides, boxwood edge inlay and herringboned mahogany veneer to the front. This type of veneer is usually only found on stick barometers of this period.
    • Note: Charles Trombetta is recorded as working in Norwich C.1800. In 1797 he married a Mary Fisher at St Stephens Church, Norwich. He was one of many Italian Immigrants who made the UK their home in the late 18th century and brought with them their knowledge and ability to make some very fine Scientific Instruments.
    • Price: £4,250 / Height: 37" / C.1795"
    • P. A. Oxley
    • "Trombetta Round Topped Wheel Barometer.
    • A lovely quality and fairly unique mahogany wheel barometer, with floral style 'Sheraton' inlay to the top, bottom and sides, and slanted ebonised and boxwood 'zebra' edgelining, signed on the 8 inch silvered dial 'C. Trombetta, St. Gregory's, Norwh.' and unusually having the numerals on the inner aspect of the dial and the wording on the outer. Having a blued steel hand and brass pointer and with a large cast brass deep bezel typical of this type. With the arched silvered thermometer to the trunk having an unusual large bulbous tube. The case is of the rarer, earlier style with a rounded top and bottom as opposed to the pediment top and is shaped differently to normal in having a less rounded shaped to the trunk.
    • * Charles Trombetta is recorded as working in Norwich from circa 1800 until 1830 at various addresses including St Stephens and St Georges as well as St Gregory's. A Sheraton style example by him is illustrated and discussed in 'Barometers, Wheel or Banjo' by Edwin Banfield.
    • Height: 37 inches. Price: £2,650.00"
    • Leigh Extence
    • "C.Trombetta, St Gregory, Norwich, a 19th century mahogany chequer strung stick barometer, the silvered dial below a broken pediment with exposed tube and turned cistern cover, 98cm"
    • Cheffins, The Fine Art Sale, 25 March 2010, Clifton House, Cambridge, Lot 922
    • Artfact.com
    • "Barometer; Stick, Trombetta (C), Mahogany, Inlaid, English, 39 inch.
    • Item D9898980
    • An English stick barometer, early 19th century, mahogany veneer with inlaid border, tapered form surmounted by hinged case having glass-fronted door beneath classical pediment with finial. Brass face incorporates thermometer, barometer scale, engraved 'C. Trombetta Norwich' by maker."
    • Prices4antiques.com
    • " A Victorian mahogany banjo barometer, marked 'Trombetta & Co, Norwich'
    • Cheffins, Decorative Interiors Sale, 2009, Lot 246"
    • Invaluable.com
    • "Charles Trombetta, Norwich (Barometer maker), mahogany and inlaid wheel barometer, circa 1820, 8 1/4'' silvered dial, signed, within a case inlaid with shells in harewood, silvered thermometer dial, 96cm.
    • Byrne's Auctioneers and Valuers, Antiques and Fine Art, 2010, Lot 406."
    • Artfact.com

On 6 June 1841 Charles, 70, was living with his son Charles in St Stephens Street, St Stephens, Norwich. (4) Mary had died in the second quarter of 1838. (5) Charles died in Shoreditch, London, in the third quarter of 1844. (6) He was buried on 14 July at Hoxton St John, Hackney. His address was Bacchus Walk and he was 78. (7)

Notes:

    1. Norfolk & Norwich Millennium Library, parish registers Norwich St Stephen, Fiche 51, Page 131, N° 10
    2. Norfolk & Norwich Millennium Library
    3. Parish registers Norwich St Stephen
    4. Baptism Elizabeth Ann Trumbetta, Fiche 24, Page 61, N° 56
    5. Baptism Charles Trumbetta, Fiche 24, Page 74, N° 18
    6. Burial Charles Trumbetta, Fiche 27, 1801, N° 17
    7. Parish registers Norwich St Gregory
    8. Baptism Grace Ann Trumbetta, Fiche 11
    9. Baptism Charles Trombetta, Fiche 12
    10. Parish registers Norwich St John Timberhill
    11. Baptism William Trombetta, Fiche 9
    12. Baptism Amelia Trombetta, Fiche 11, Page 11, N° 84
    13. GRO death Elizabeth Trombetta, Apr-Jun 1868, Shoreditch, Volume 1c, Page 105
    14. GRO death Charles Trumbetti, Oct-Dec 1873, Norwich, Volume 4b, Page 104
    15. GRO death William Trumbetta, Jan-Mar 1869, Norwich, Volume 4b, Page 105
    16. GRO death Amelia Dupuy, Jul-Sep 1889, Pancras, Volume 1b, Page 83
    17. Berry, C., A Concise History and Directory of the City of Norwich, 1811, p. 129
    18. Gutenberg.org
    19. 1841 Census, HO 107/791/3 Folio 57 Page 26 Ancestry
    20. GRO death Mary Trimbetty, Apr-Jun 1838, Norwich, Volume 13, Page 192
    21. GRO death Charles Tromertier, Jul-Sep 1844, Shoreditch, Volume 2, Page 291
    22. London Deaths and Burials, burial Charles Trombetter, Hoxton St John, 14 Jul 1844 Ancestry