Genealogy Chat

All sorted now thanks to someone on FTF who found a newspaper announcement in the Morning Cronicle for his sons {my gr gr gr grandfather} marriage in 1835, stating that Benjamin was of His majestys Post Office, so i have managed to tie it all in. The leatherselling must have been a side line.

Sally thanks for the info on Kelly...... Benjamins inventory after his death states that he owned the Post Office London directory and it was sold to Kelly upon his death,for £300 pounds, but no money had yet been received........ maybe i`m an Heiress to the kellys directory.....lol

Intresting about the title of Inspector of letter carriers.....prehaps the directory went with the job and vice versa......

thank you all for your input, and helping to put me out of my miseyr, now to get in touch with my GR contact and confirm "my" Benjamin Critchett, did come from Dunkeswell Devon.

oh Happy days........if only it always all fell in to place, if i hadn`t by chance got that will yesterday, I would never had made the connection. I did know about the Benjamin letter carrier on the Old Bailey site, but never dreamt he was one and same person.

Nicky

A bit of searching revealed that Frederic Festus Kelly took over production of the Post Office London Directory in 1935 - and at that time also became His Majesty's Inspector of Inland Letter Carriers.

Thank you Frances...... have now posted it on FTF, so will be intresting to hopefully get some more veiws.




Nicky

Frances...... May I join you on this lie down?...... my head is buzzing with this, just wish I could sort it all out.


Nicky

Sally..... Yes my thoughts exactly.

Thanks for your input.


Nicky

The Kelly's London directory was most recently known as The Kelly's Post Office London Business Directory (no longer published) - might explain a link with the post office

Thanks frances... thats the line I`m thinking along, but then what happened to the other Benjamin critchett? where is his death, presumably would be London as he worked in Central London,?.......... its a mystery, thanks for your input.


Nicky

Sorry this is a bit long winded, but am going to try to give all the facts, and I would like anyones opinion on this.

My problem is my gr gr gr gr grandfather was Benjamin Critchett born c1776 died 1836 age 60years {london burial records} I also have inventory/probate taken on his death in 1836, so am sure that is the year he died. He lived from at least 1801 {year of his marriage} in the ST Pauls/Benets Hill Aldgate area of the city. On 2 of his childrens baptism records in 1815 and 1816 he is down as a leather seller, and his inventory also states he is part owner of the Post Office London directory {sold to Kellys upon his death} and a gentleman.


Then there is this Benjamin Critchett, an Inspector of letters for the Post Office in Central London who was a witness in many fraud and theft cases at the Old Bailey {Old Bailey online} He appears in no cases after 1835, and in one of the trials in 1835 states he has worked for the post office for 45 years. Yesterday I downloaded a will from TNA of a Henry Critchett from Westminster, written in 1795 hoping he may be related to my Critchetts.

This Henry leaves money/belongings to his nephews Michael, and Benjamin Critchett of the Post Office in Central London, it states both Michael and Benjamin are the sons of his brother John from Dunkeswell Devon. Henry also leaves money to his own wife Mary.

Last week a GR member made contact with me asking me was my Benjamin Critchett born 1776 Dunkeswell, as she had seen the baptism register of him and his brother michael born 1775, they were sons of John and Mary critchett

So I now know that the Benjamin critchett born c1776 in Dunkeswell Devon ended up in London working for the Post Office.

I also have the will of a Mary Critchett {a widow] from Benets Hill Doctors commons, London in 1821 {written in 1817} where she leaves most of her money and possesions to her nephew Benjamin Critchett Leatherseller. {In Benjamins inventory after his death it states he has the lease for Bennets Hill Doctors commons}.

So I have 2 questions ,is this Mary the widow of Henry?.... if she is then I have the connection

And are Benjamin Critchett who was definetly a leather seller between 1815 and 1817, and Benjamin Critchett who works for the Post Office the same person? the only definite fact I have is that they are both born c1776. I can find no other reference to this letter inspector Benjamin other than the Old Bailey trials.

Please give me your thoughts on this....


Nicky