John William MARGRETT
Ancestral line: John William 1854, William 1829, William 1801, Stephen 1765, Stephen 1719, Thomas 1682, Thomas 1658..............Family Tree number 1
Born: 21APR1854 in the city of Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England
Second of six children of
Father: William 1829
Mother: Phoeby Price
John William married: 28DEC1875 in the city of Gloucester
John Williams spouse: Emily Jane Robertson
Eight Children: Emilie Louise 1876
Percy George 1878
Elsie May Robertson 1880
William John 1882
Mabel Marie 1883
Lucille Georgina 1884
Stanley Beauchamp 1890
Samuel Vincent 1891
John William died: 01JAN1933 aged 78, in Newport, Wales
John William Margrett was in a family that was fully caught up with the industrialization, urbanization and modernization of Victorian society during the 1800's.
His father, born 24 years before this son arrived, came from a very rural background; a small village called Deerhurst on the banks of the River Severn at the end of a road that went nowhere else. How his father came to meet his mother down in Minsterworth 13 miles (21km) away where he married Phoeby, may never be known unless it was the fact that both villages are on the banks of the River Severn. And the only work available from those villages was to be a labourer on the farms around them. But after they married and had their first child, a girl named after her mother, Phoeby, they moved into Gloucester city.
When John William was born his father was still just a labourer in Gloucester city, but within 2 years he was described as a railway guard which may have been a standard family 'improvement' because later records still show him as a railway labourer. In 1854 the railways had already altered cities, society and employment in a big way. Where the family lived was a city suburb with Gloucester Park at the end of the road and the railway station, where his father would walk to work, less than half a mile away. It was a typical town street with terrace houses on one side and semi-detached properties opposite. There would have been a school or successive schools, school friends and family life over the next 15 years. As the years went by, John William would see four brothers being born into the family followed finally by a sister.
Perhaps school ended in those days when people reached 12 years old or their early teens and, in any case, by April 1871, aged 16 he was calling himself a merchants' clerk, fully immersed in business and commerce at such an early age.
Just four years later, in 1875, John William Margrett (aged 21 years 8 months) married Emily Jane Robertson, who signed the Marriage Certificate stating that she was an adult and a spinster. She was the daughter of a butcher, perhaps the local butcher near their home, perhaps working in her fathers shop. The marriage was on Tuesday 28th December 1875 in the parish church of St Mary de Lode in Gloucester. Perhaps getting time off for a marriage was easier just after Christmas. On his marriage certificate, John William calls himself an accountant but, just short of one year later, when Emilie their first child was born, he was a clerk in customs. They are living in Goodyere Street, Gloucester just one street away from John Williams' parents.
But John William is definitely not one to sit still, because in October 1878, 22 months after their first child was born, their next child was born in Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales where he was working as a merchants clerk. Why have they moved to Cardiff? Admittedly his parents followed them to Cardiff, but not until after 1884 when his fathers business failed in Gloucester with the all trauma of bankruptcy. Perhaps it was his drive to get on but it was a significant upheaval and distance to move for a newly-married couple with one baby and just before another arrives.
At the young age of 26 and in the Census returns of April 1881 he is recorded as a “sack contractors manager” and the family of four are no longer in Cardiff but instead are living in Powd village, Whitchurch, Glamorgan which is some 5 miles (8km) out of Cardiff city. A blur of motion then, and by February 1882 they were back in Cardiff to see their fourth child, William, born and in September 1883 Mabel Marie is born as her father was aged 29 and working as a merchants clerk again. At last we know their address, 96 Woodville road, Cardiff and that continues in 1884. Some stability at last.
Perhaps that lasted for a while until in 1887, John Williams' mother, Phoebe, dies aged 58 shortly after they moved to Cardiff to be near the rest of their childrens' families. The family must have been shattered and needed to rally round their father William. At least William had his daughter at home. She was working as a school teacher. Despite all his fathers' financial troubles, the marriage must have been strong, and his father goes on to live 26 years a heartbroken widower.
Possibly John William thought that by the age of 36 in 1890 he was commercially gifted and perhaps he had saved or come by some capital. In any case, as Stanley their seventh child was born, John William had set himself up as a Hay & Corn Merchant and became an employer providing wages for one or more employees. In the Census return of early April 1891 we can see where the family of nine are living; 36 Clare street, Cardiff. An advertisement of 1894 tells us that the business was located in “New-street, Cardiff”. But just 12 days after the Census, the eighth child, Samuel, was born. And obviously the mother and father were so excited by this last addition to their family that they put an announcement in the newspaper. The Western Mail, Cardiff prints - “Births, MARGRETT on April 17, at 36 Clare-street, Cardiff, the wife of W. J. Margrett, of a son.” It was too soon to have agreed a name for the boy, perhaps.
Life continues to be fast moving as evidenced by press adverts. 1894 “Wanted, strong active Lad accustomed to Horse and Delivering Goods.” 1895 “Wanted active Young Man, accustomed to Horses etc. must know town, and have good references.” 1900 “Sales by auction. Corporation Horse Repository, Cardiff. Important special sale of Hunters etc also entries from....Mr. W. Margrett.”
But John William was also active not just in business. In 1899 the Western Mail, Cardiff carried a piece with the words “Press Benefit Banquet. Final List of Acceptances. In addition to the list of acceptances in connection with the annual banquet of the South Wales and Monmouthshire Press Benefit and Superannuation Society, which will be held at the Town-Hall tomorrow (Saturday) night, under the presidency of the mayor (Alderman Morel) the following list has been handed to us......” The list of names included Mr. W.J. Margrett which tells us two things. 1. he put his name to buying a ticket for charity. 2. John William sometimes called himself William John.
Family life can also be far from easy. In April 1905 Percy George, aged 27, their second child died. The cause of death is not yet known, but within 20 days Percys' mother, Emily has proved his estate swearing to a figure of £173 (worth about £21,511 in 2020).
Then in 1910 John William and his wife, Emily, have to handle the death (possibly from TB) of their youngest daughter, Lucille aged 25. Perhaps this terrible event is behind the fact that, less than a year later, in the April Census of 1911 (wife) Emily is not at home. Perhaps she was getting comfort by staying with staying relatives elsewhere. Five of the children seem to have left home, but Emile Louise, the eldest child aged 34 is unemployed and unmarried and must be keeping house with the help of a 17 year-old domestic servant. Stanley Beauchamp aged 20 lives at home working for his father but he will enlist in the Canadian army in 1917. And Samuel is living at home aged 19 and working as a sign painter. John William is now aged 56 and motorized vehicles are taking over the streets and horses are disappearing. How can a hay and corn merchant still make a living?
It's 1921 and the age of the motor car is now firmly established and now aged 67 William J Margrett, as he enters himself in the Census continues to work, and we hope, make a living, as a Hay and Corn Dealer at 59 A Broadway in Cardiff. His wife, Emily of a similar age and their unmarried daughter, Emile aged 44 are running the house between them, engaged in "Home Duties". Also still living at home is Samuel Vincent aged 29, working as a "horseman" for his father at their Cardiff depot. Their home apparently called "Pensarn", in Pensarn, Rumney, Newport, might have some comfort with 6 rooms.
We know little of the intervening years before the death of John Williams' wife Emily in July 1932. Shockingly his own death, aged 78, is recorded seven months later in February 1933. Do we think that shows “a broken heart”?
His eldest child, Emily obtains Letters of Administration to deal with his estate, which, she records is valued at just £80 (worth about £5,855 in 2020). It's a small sum to record as a value after such a long and eventful life.
None of the life of John William Margrett appears to have been published previously before the above record was created.
None of the Margrett Magazines from 1986 to 2012 included any of this life story and therefore none of this was previously recorded in the public domain through the magazines deposited at the British Library under the I.S.S.N. 0269-0284 in those years