This family fell under my shovel just this AM, when my daughter’s new 3-volume set of Romney’s Complete Catalogue arrived in the mail. We were just paging through, when this beautiful painting of a woman marked “Mrs Gathorne” popped up! By now, you know that I don’t like “unknowns”. Sure enough, the smaller photo on the preceding page was listed as “John Gathorne”. They were both noted as being dates and proper identities unknown, and that sent me scrambling to dig a little deeper. The following research notes prove to me that it could only be this husband and wife that Romney had painted. I love these London “merchant boys” of the 18th century. As an unshakable Capitalist, those pioneering Brits have become quite an interest of mine. Read on, and see if you don’t agree with me about this pair being Romney’s mystery paintings.
Naval Agent (1747-1774)
Listed in the Land Tax Records for Aldgate, City of London, 1765-1774. His place is next to “The Commissioners of the Navy Office”, and four doors down from “The Navy Office Slop Warehouse”. (Actually, he’s listed through 1777 as paying rent at that address.)
Prior to that, John Gaythorne and William Ferguson were already renting the place by the 1762-1764 tax records. The Commissioners did not appear next door to them until 1764, taking over the rent paid previously by Sarah Carbonell, but the aforementioned Slop Warehouse was always the same four doors away. By the time the taxes were appraised in 1765, William Fergusson’s name was gone, leaving John Gathorne alone. (An interesting note: spelled Gaythorne while partnered with Fergusson, Gathorne after that.)
(Men of Note in Finance and Commerce, E. Wilson, 1901): John Pakenham Stilwell. Entered Banking Business in November, 1859, in the firm of Stilwell and Sons, Bankers and Navy Agents. Is now head of the firm, which originally traded as John Gathorne, 37, Crutched Friars, Merchant and Navy Agent, 1747 to 1774 . . .”
Marriage
John Gathorne of the parish of St Olave’s Hart Street, London, married Mary Denton of the parish of Bexley, Kent, by license, at St Mary the Virgin, Bexley, Kent, on 14 Sep 1764. The official marriage record does not mention the marital status of either party, so no help there. I’m tempted to think that this may have been Mary’s second marriage and that she may have had a son named Samuel by a prior husband. See John Gathorne’s Last Will (below) for details.
Death
Mary died in 1774 and was buried on June 25 at St Olave’s on Hart Street, London, in the Chancel part of the South Vault. Her husband followed right behind, dying somewhere between the signing of his will (dated 19 Jun 1774) and the probate date of 22 Aug 1774. On 22 Aug 1774, the Reading Mercury published this: “Died. Lately, Mr John Gathorne, Crutched Friars, a Navy agent.” His burial does not appear in the St Olave parish register, but his name is included on the family Monument in the Kirkby Lonsdale parish church.
Memorial Inscription
GATHORNE
(South, two altar tombs, one without inscription, rail). “In a Vault below lie the remains of Isabel Gathorne, Widow of the late Revd. Miles Gathorne of Overton in Lancashire. She d. November 30th 1764 aged 69 y. Also of John Gathorne, late of London, Merchant, Son of the said Miles and Isabel Gathorne. He d. Aug. 4th 1774, aged 48 y. Also of Richard Gathorne, late of Kirkby Lonsdale, Esquire, only Brother of the said John Gathorne. He d. May 16th 1786 Aged 56 y. Also of the Reverend John Gathorne, only Son of the said Richard and Elizabeth his Wife. He d. March 10th 1831 on his 51st Birthday. Also of the said Elizabeth Gathorne who d. July 4th 1831 in the 86th y. of her age.”
A second monument (In. S) was erected for Elizabeth, wife of Richard. “S.m. Elizabeth Gathorne, who d. July the 4th, 1831 in the 86th y. of her age. In May 1786, she was left a widow by the late Richard Gathorne of Kirkby Lonsdale Esquire, with three infant children: John, Isabel and Eliza. Eliza m. John Moore of Grimeshill Esquire and d. September the 23rd 1812, leaving a son and a daughter. John, who was in Holy Orders, d. March the 10th 1831, leaving three daughters and two sons by his late wife Jane, the daughter of the Revd R. Housman of Lancaster. Isabel who m. John Hardy Esquire, Recorder of Leeds, by whom she has three sons and eight daughters, now living, has, this 26th day of January 1832, caused this tablet to be erected as a frail memorial of her filial affection and of the veneration in which she holds the memory of a beloved mother, who, while fulfilling relative duty with Christian meekness and fidelity, counted all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus her Lord.”
Richard Gathorne’s will contains the following order: “And it is my will and request that I may be interred after my death in the same grave with the remains of my late dear Mother and Brother in the Church Yard of Kirkby Lonsdale aforesaid and that a monument be erected thereon by my Trustees and Executors out of my effects of not less value than two hundred pounds.” A later codicil shows a change of mind: “I do hereby also revoke and countermand the direction and request in my said will for erecting a monument as therein mentioned shall be erectd and do order and direct that no such monument as therein mentioned shall be erected.”
Transcript of the LAST WILL & TESTAMENT of “John Gathorne, of Crutched Ffryars, London”.
“I do declare this to be my last will. I give to Mary Kensington, at present residing at my house, three hundred pounds. To Thomas Dent [Merchant and trading partner in the Azores, as well as substitute Consul when Captain Cook landed on the island] of Fayal [Portuguese Island] two hundred pounds. To Samuel Denton, at present residing at my house, five hundred pounds, which said five hundred pounds I desire may be laid out in the three per cents bank annuities within six months from my decease, in the names of Miles North Esquire of Kirkby Lonsdale, Peter Butt Esquire of Deptford Yard, and James Sykes, my Clerk, the interest of it to be paid to said Samuel Denton as it becomes due and the principal to be transferred to him the 30 of June 1781 or as soon after as conveniently may be. But in case he should not live till that time, then it is to go to my residuary legatee. I give unto James Sykes my Clerk one hundred pounds and do recommend him to all my friends as a proper person to succeed me in business. All the rest and residue of my fortune, whether real or personal, where or whatsoever, I give unto my dear Brother Richard Gathorne of Fayal. And I do hereby appoint him my Executor together with Miles North Esq. of Kirkby Lonsdale, Peter Butt Esq of Deptford Yard, and James Sykes my Clerk. Dated this nineteenth day of June one thousand seven hundred and seventy four [19 Jun 1774].”
“20th August 1774. On which day appeared personally Henry Wildman of the parish of Saint Bartholomew behind the Royal Exchange, London, Merchant, and John Glover of the parish of Saint Helen, London, Merchant, and by virtue of their corporal oaths deposed that they knew and were well acquainted with John Gathorne, late of the parish of Saint Olave Hart Street, London, deceased, for several years before and to the time of his death, and that they have often seen him write and subscribe his name . . .” The will was proved at London on 22 Aug 1774.