There is no evidence of any children being born to this couple.
Seehl was known as a manufacturer of Iron(II) sulfate (known since ancient times as copperas and as green vitriol) and was apparently leasing the Copperas Works from Sarah's brother, John Perry (and probably later from her nephew, John Perry). As we see here in An Account of the Hamlet of Poplar, in Middlesex, From "The Universal magazine" for June, 1795, "Not far from this dock, Mr. Perry has a copperas work, situate on the river Lea, near the Thames, in the parish of St. Leonard Bromley, and which, although not so large as his copperas works at Whitstable in Kent, and Walton-on-the-Naze, in Essex, is allowed to be the most complete work of the kind in England."
The Register of Duties Paid for Apprentices' Indentures, 1710-1811, show that on 15 May 1749, Ephraim Reinhold Seehl of Blackwall, Middlesex, Copperas Maker, took as his apprentice one John Bridges Buckle.
(As an aside, but this could have been the same chap previously apprenticed to Seehl, a John Bridges Buckle, Gent, was buried on 26 Apr 1756 at Saint Giles in the Fields, Holborn. The Proceedings of the Old Bailey dated 28 May 1756 explain the case where Buckle had been stabbed by a Mr Venables, who said in his defence, "I saw Mr Buckle upon my wife in the bed naked as I am to appear before God". Venables was found guilty of Manslaughter.)
The six pages of the Will of Ephraim Reinhold Seehl of the Parish of Bromley St Leonards in the County of Middlesex Chemist and Copperas Maker, which was originally drafted in 1757, has been one of the most difficult to read because of the quality of the squashed up handwriting. Nevertheless, he mentions therein, his loving wife Sarah; his brothers-in-law John Perry and John Brown; his sisters-in-law Elizabeth Brown, wife of John Brown; Susanna Gilbert, Widow; and Mrs [unreadable] Perry, Widow (certain this is Hellen Perry, widow of Philip Perry); as well as his niece Sarah Brown eldest daughter of the said John Brown; and Kitty Brown youngest daughter of John Brown (Kitty is either my misreading of the handwriting, a pet name for their youngest daughter, Helen, or a child I've not found records for). Seehl left most of his property to his 'dearly beloved wife Sarah' and appointed Sarah as sole Executrix. He seemed to make some changes to the Will in 1769, but added a Codicil, dated 29 Apr 1775, in which he began, "That as my two brothers-in-law and Mrs [unreadable] Perry are since the making of this Will dead ..." and changes the beneficiaries: in place of John Brown, is Kitty Brown and in place of Mrs [unreadable] Perry, was her daughter Susanna Taylor. Also mentioned is Mrs Sarah Clark. And, "... to my nephew John Perry and also to my niece Elizabeth Perry his wife ... as had given and bequeathed before in the Will to their fathers John Perry and John Brown". The Will also mentions his nephew Joseph Hankey (who was married to John Perry Sr's daughter, Ann); the Copyhold property in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex and the Copyhold estate in Bromley St Leonard. The Will was proved on 12 Sep 1783.
Sarah Seehl died on 28 Apr 1804. The Commercial Chronicle of 1 May 1804 (Tuesday) reported "On Saturday last, at Limehouse, Mrs Sarah Seehl, relict of Ephraim Seehl, Esq." Sarah Seehl was buried on 4 Jun 1804. The Parish Register of St Dunstan's, Stepney lists the burial of, "Sarah Seehl of Poplar at Poplar", which I would assume to be once again at Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church) - in her Will, Sarah stated her wish to be buried in the vault with her late husband - although there's also a record in the Parish Register of All Saints Church, Poplar on the same date of the burial of Sarah Seehl (86).
Probate was granted on the Will (with three Codicils the last dated 3 Jun 1802) - which runs to 15 handwritten pages - of Sarah Seehl of Church Row, Limehouse, Widow, to the surviving Executor, John Perry, on 20 Jun 1804.
Philip Perry (b. 3 Oct 1710, bap. 22 Oct 1710 at St Mary Magdalene Woolwich, son of Philip Perry and Elizabeth Flemming, married Hellen Hubbard at St Dionis Backchurch, on 20 Dec 1734 - the same church where Philip's sister, Elizabeth Perry married the following February. The record reads, "Philip Perry of the Parish of St Dunstan, Stepney in the County of Middlesex Batchelor & Hellen Hubbard of the same parish (Spinster) were married (by Licence) on Friday the 20th Day of December 1734." There are no clues as to why both couples chose to marry in this church.
Records suggest that the couple had three daughters:
Elizabeth Perry b. Friday, 7 Nov 1735, bap. 27 Nov 1735 (at 20 days old) at St Dunstan, Stepney. Elizabeth, daughter of Phil Perry of Pop[lar] & Hellen. She was buried on 20 Dec 1735. The record lists, "Elizabeth Perry of Pop[lar] to Poplar", indicating that she was more than likely buried at Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church).
Elizabeth Perry b. Saturday, 24 Jan 1736 (Julian) 1737 (Gregorian), bap. 22 Feb 1736 (Julian) 1737 (Gregorian) (at 29 days old) at St Dunstan, Stepney. The baptism record for this child also specifies, "Elizabeth, daughter of Phil Perry of Pop[lar] Shipwright & Hellen."
Susanna Perry b. Sunday, 8 Jul 1739, bap. 31 Jul 1739 (at 23 days old). "Susanna, daughter of Phil Perry of Pop[lar] Shipwright & Hellen."
Philip Perry died, aged 35, and was buried on 30 Mar 1746. In the parish registers of St Dunstan's, Stepney is the record of the burial of "Philip Perry of B.Wall at Poplar", indicating that he too was buried at Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church, built by the East India Company in 1654).
The only record of the birth of a Hellen Hubbard, around the relevant time, anywhere in the world - and it is with two LLs as it was upon marriage, as well as on the baptisms of all three of their daughters - is of a Hellen Hubbard b. 30 Jul 1701, bap. 3 Aug 1701 in Hardingham, Norfolk, the daughter of Robert and Mary Hubbard. (There no records whatsoever of a likely Helen Hubbard with the usual spelling with one L). It could be Hellen born in 1701, which would make her nine years older than Philip Perry, which is not unheard of. She would have been 33 when she married and, whilst late having children at that time, still of childbearing age. But, whilst it would seem reasonable, I cannot see a way to either confirm or refute this. There are no obvious clues either as to whether Hellen Perry remarried, nor of when she died, although she must have died before 29 Apr 1775, because a Codicil to the Will of her brother-in-law, Ephraim Reinhold Seehl, of that date stated she had died.
John Brown (b. ~1710) married Elizabeth Perry (bap. 27 Mar 1714/15 in Woolwich, Kent), eldest daughter of Philip Perry and Elizabeth Flemming, at the church of St Dionis Backchurch, located in the heart of the City of London on 13 Feb 1734 (Julian) 1735 (Gregorian). The record reads, "John Brown of the Parish of St Dunstan Stepney in the County of Middlesex Batchelor & Elizabeth Perry of the same parish Spinster were married (by Licence) on Thursday the 13th day of Feb 1734/5."
The records of five children can be attributed to this couple:
Sarah Brown b. Friday, 11 Jan 1740, bap. 5 Feb 1740 (at 25 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Sarah, daughter of John Brown of Poplar Brewer & Elizabeth
Elizabeth Brown b. Wednesday, 3 Jul 1745, bap. 11 Jul 1745 (at 8 days old). In the records of St Dunstan's, Stepney, it says 'Elizabeth, daughter of John Brown of Poplar Brewer & Elizabeth at Poplar'. Being baptised 'at Poplar' may have been at Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church).
Susanna Brown b. Tuesday, 21 Apr 1747, bap. 19 May 1747 (at 28 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Susanna, daughter of John Brown of Poplar Brewer & Elizabeth.
John Ephraim Brown b. Wednesday, 14 Feb 1750, bap. 5 Mar 1750 (at 19 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. John Ephraim, son of John Brown of Poplar Brewer & Elizabeth.
Helen Brown b. Saturday, 12 May 1753, bap. 6 Jun 1753 (at 25 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Helen, daughter of John Brown Poplar Brewer & Elizabeth.
The baptisms all list their father as John Brown of Poplar, Brewer. Additional evidence that these are the children of this family: Sarah was the name of Elizabeth's aunt and sister; Elizabeth is obviously her own and her mother's name; Susanna was another of Elizabeth's sisters; John, clearly for his father, but Ephraim after his uncle, Ephraim Seehl, married to his mother's sister, Sarah; and Helen was the widow of Elizabeth's brother, Philip Perry.
John Brown had died before 29 Apr 1775, because a Codicil to the Will of his brother-in-law, Ephraim Reinhold Seehl, of that date stated he had died. Beyond this, Brown is not the easiest name to research. Without further clues, it isn't possible to determine which of many records are relevant.
Fleming Perry b. 4 Jan 1717, bap. 12 Jan 1717. Fleming, son of Mr Philip Perry, buried 21 Oct 1720 at St Margaret's, Barking
Sarah Perry b. 27 May 1719, bap. 14 Jun 1719. Sarah, daughter of Mr Philip Perry, buried 26 May 1720 at St Margaret's, Barking
Sarah Perry bap. 12 Mar 1720 (Julian) 1721 (Gregorian). Sadly, the church official had stopped putting in the actual birth dates.
All of the baptisms were at the church of St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich. Elizabeth and Susanna, baptised together in 1714/15, were presumably born in different years, but the record doesn't show which years. Elizabeth is listed first on the baptism, as well as later in her father's Will, so I'm assuming she was the older of the two. St Margaret's Church, Barking a.k.a. the Church of St Margaret of Antioch is where Captain Jonathan Collett, to whom Philip Perry left a bequest, was baptised and later buried. Susanna Perry would seem to have been named after Collett's wife, Susanna Hill (whom he had married at Saint Helen Bishopsgate, City of London on 6 Jul 1706).
The Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard (PDF) by Henry Green and Robert Wigram (published 1881), claim that in 1708: "About this time the manager of Sir Henry Johnson's Yard was a certain Philip Perry, whose history and introduction to Blackwall has been given as follows. In or about the year 1690, Philip Perry was a carpenter on board of one of His Majesty's ships. During a severe storm the vessel was in much danger of foundering from a bad leak, but in consequence of Philip Perry's skill and ingenuity the ship was saved and brought safely back to port. The Commissioners of the Admiralty, to mark their appreciation of his service, gave him an important post at Plymouth Dockyard, whence he was transferred to Deptford, where he greatly increased his reputation. This position he is said to have relinquished to superintend Sir Henry Johnson's business at Blackwall."
Ship's carpenters went on voyages to make running repairs, so I suspect there may be some truth in the story, but it bears all the hallmarks of family making it sound more dramatic than reality. If we were to be really pedantic, the reigning monarchs in 1690 were William III and Mary II, who ascended the throne after the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688, so a reference in 1690 should have been to one of 'Their Majesties' Ships'. It seems more likely this event was after the death of Mary II in 1694, and before the accession of Queen Anne in 1702. Of course this could all just be a completely romanticised family myth. And Green & Wigram's chronology is decidedly suspect.
The earliest reports confirm that Perry's career began in Plymouth and this, I feel, helps make a case for him originally being from that area. Both British History Online and Three Decks think he was born in 1678 (the latter will have got the information from the former). If so, there's a potential baptism of Philip Perry, son of John Perry (and reputedly grandson of Philip Perry) in 1679, in Maker, Cornwall (just across the Tamar from Plymouth), which several people have accepted and I agree that, circumstantially, this looks incredibly reasonable, but may be unlikely to be absolutely proven.
"Perry, a working shipwright, was employed in the Naval Yard at Plymouth during the first years of the eighteenth century.", according to British History Online. He was then posted to Kinsale in 1702, where he was appointed Master Shipwright and there are references to substantiate him being in Kinsale from Mar 1702 until Jun 1705. He'd been sent to Ireland with other shipwrights for the purpose of 'their taking shipping there' at the beginning of the War of the Spanish Succession. Records listed at The National Archives (not downloadable) also confirm these postings: on 18 Mar 1702 "Plymouth Officers on behalf of Philip Perry, Shipwright. A testimonial of the good service of Phillip Perry." Then on 25 Sep 1702 "Philip Perry, Shipwright, Kindsale, Petitioner. He asks to be registered at Kinsale as a skilled man and to receive a higher level of pay." And "Kinsale Officers for Philip Perry, Shipwright, provide a Testimonial on behalf of Phillip Perry, Shipwright."
Then on 6 Aug 1705, "Philip Perry, Sheerness. Regarding his service in Kinsale where he acted as Foreman and assisted in repairs to masts and boats. Requests an allowance to take into consideration his 13 years service, including two spells in Kinsale." And on 17 Aug 1705 "Philip Perry, Sheerness. Further request for acting foreman pay for his time at Kinsale."
The other question that arises is, where and when did he meet Elizabeth? He'd only been in the London area for eight months when they married, but could he have known her longer? Could she have been from Plymouth? It seems that I'm not the first person to suggest this, but no evidence was offered.
The church where all of their children were baptised, St Mary Magdalene Woolwich, is right next toWoolwich Dockyard, also known as The King's Yard, Woolwich, "where many ships were built from the early 16th century". It's some distance (~4 miles) from Deptford Dockyard, the nearest church to which is St. Nicholas, on Deptford Green, so surely attending the church in Woolwich suggested Philip Perry was employed at Woolwich? And indeed, confirmation is in a record listed at The National Archives (not digitised so not downloadable), dated 1708, "Folio 396: Philip Perry. Petition for employment as Boatbuilder at Deptford Yard. Places mentioned: Kinsale, Woolwich. People mentioned: Mr. Stacey, Mr. Philips, Commissioner Wright."
Mr. Stacey was Richard Stacey, English shipbuilder and ship designer. In 1695, Stacey was Master Boat Builder at Plymouth Dockyard; "In 1698 he transferred briefly to Kinsale (until Apr 1705). He then worked for a few months at Sheerness Dockyard in 1705 before being appointed Master Shipwright at Woolwich Dockyard in November 1705." From 1709 until 1715, Richard Stacey was Master Shipwright at Portsmouth Dockyard and this is the only time Perry doesn't go with him. Then in 1715, Stacy was Appointed Master Shipwright at Deptford Dockyard. Stacey, being around 15 years older than Perry could have been his master (with whom Perry served his apprenticeship), or Perry was a highly trusted employee, but they must have known each other and Perry generally went where Stacey went.
Did Philip Perry work at Deptford perhaps with Stacey after 1715?
The Master Shipwrights House at Deptford, "... was rebuilt in 1708 for master shipwright Joseph Allin who, dissatisfied with his existing house, persuaded the Navy Board to invest in a remodelling. However, Allin overspent on the house and, amidst rumours of corruption, he was dismissed in 1715." [Source]. That's when Richard Stacey was appointed Master Shipwright at Deptford Dockyard, a position he held until 1742, so he will have lived and worked in this magnificent house for 27 years. British History Online, also tells us that, "In the mid-1730s, when it was rumoured that Philip Perry was about to desert Blackwall for Deptford, he was described as 'the Great Builder'." You can quite imagine this rumour being taken seriously. Philip Perry must have visited there during that time and may have worked there too. And Philip Perry's son-in-law, Philip Gilbert, certainly must have done so, as he was briefly Assistant Master Shipwright at Deptford Dockyard in 1740.
"During the 1720s he [Perry] worked as manager for John Kirby and was later employed in a similar capacity by Collett and Boulton." (As an aside, but nevertheless important to note, Philip Perry's granddaughter, Elizabeth Perry and her husband (my cousin) Elnathan Ayres, gave the middle name Boulton to two of their children.) The baptisms in Woolwich suggest the Perrys were still there until around 1720/1, which confirms the statement, "there is no evidence of his being at Blackwall before 1722". By 1722 Perry was living in Blackwall Yard, where he occupied the mansion house 'and garden adjacent with the garden and terrace walk on the east side of the same'.
In the parish registers of St Dunstan's, Stepney is the record of the burial of Elizabeth Perry on 21 Apr 1734. I'm certain this is Mrs Philip Perry, because it says "Elizabeth Perry of B'Wall to Poplar", indicating that she was buried at Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church) built by the East India Company in 1654, where her husband, sons and grandson were also later buried.
In his Will, drafted on 20 Jun 1741, "Philip Perry the Elder of Blackwall in the Parish of Stepney in the County of Middlesex Shipwright" ... directed, "My body I commit to this earth to be decently buried by walking burial in as frugal a manner as conveniently may be at the discretion and management of my sons Philip Perry and John Perry and my Son-in-Law John Brown (whom I herein make Executors ...)" A walking burial, I assume, is his coffin taken in procession on foot, without hiring expensive carriages. Philip left £120 to Abraham Cropp Esq., "by borrowing securities to him for my late son Thomas Perry deceased". (Thus Thomas must have died before 1741, but I've not found when or where). He made bequests to his said son Philip Perry the Younger; his son John Perry; Son-in-Law John Brown; Captain Jonathan Collett; Captain Richard Gosfreight (Collett and Gosfreight were the principal ship's husbands for whom he'd built many ships); his sister Sarah Price, Widow; Philip Littlepage* (grandson of my said sister Sarah Price ten pounds to put him out apprentice); George Case the Clerk of Blackwall Yard; and his three daughters Elizabeth Brown, Susanna Perry & Sarah Perry. Philip Perry makes no mention of his wife in his Will, suggesting she pre-deceased him, adding circumstantial confirmation to the above. There are various stipulations as to how his estate should be divided among his children, depending upon what the total amounted to and it's obvious he was pretty well off.
*(Philip Littlepage bap. 3 Jul 1734, was the son of Sam Littlepage of Poplar, Gent, and Sarah Price, who married on 7 Feb 1728 at St John At Hackney, but I've been unable to find a marriage of a Sarah Perry to anyone named Price.)
The Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard (PDF) claims that John Perry and his brother, Philip Perry, became Yard Managers at Blackwall when their father, "Philip Perry, died on the 26 Sep 1732, at the age of sixty-one years, and was buried near the first Sir Henry Johnson, in the ground adjoining the East India Company's, or Poplar, Chapel, as it was now called. After his death the business was carried on by his son, who, as we learn from local records, had become by this time a person of considerable influence in the neighbourhood." Philip Perry died in 1742, not 1732 (although I suspect he retired in 1732, as John Perry was managing the yard from then), and this is probably just a 'typo', but it's also not the first time details in Wigram & Green's account just don't add up and, at best, have probably been wrongly remembered.
Philip Perry died on 26 Sep 1742 and was buried on 2 Oct 1742. The parish records of St Dunstans, Stepney lists, "Philip Perry of Blackwall at Poplar", indicating he too was buried at Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church).
There are records for the following children of John and Ann Perry:
Philip Perry b. Monday, 18 Dec 1738, bap. 23 Dec 1738 (at 5 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. The Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard lists Philip's birth year as 1739, but I don't see this as an inconsistency, as it was probably calculated from age. Philip Perry, eldest son of the late Mr. Perry, died (unmarried) at the age of thirty-seven, in 1776 (purportedly on 5 Jul 1776) and buried on 10 Jul 1776, at St Dunstan's, Stepney
Ann Perry b. Friday, 16 May 1740, bap. 6 Jun 1740 (at 21 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney
John Perry b. Sunday, 12 Sep 1742, bap. 14 Oct 1742 (at 32 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Reputedly died on 23 Nov 1742
John Perry b. Tuesday, 4 Jan 1743, bap. 25 Jan 1743 at St Dunstan's, Stepney (at 21 Days Old). This clearly doesn't agree with the birth date of 6 Apr 1743 on John's burial in 1810. Could this discrepancy be confusion from the change from the Julian to Gregorian calendar? *
Thomas Perry b. Tuesday, 2 Apr 1745, bap. 23 Apr 1745 (at 21 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Presume died in infancy.
Samuel Perry b. Wednesday, 6 May 1747, bap. 2 Jun 1747 (at 27 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. Presume died in infancy.
Elizabeth Perry b. Monday, 15 Aug 1748, bap. 8 Sep 1748 (at 24 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney. (This child must have died as an infant: there is a potential burial on 3 Dec 1748 in Whitechapel)
Elizabeth Perry b. Monday, 28 Aug 1749, bap. 15 Sep 1749 (at 18 days old) at St Dunstan's, Stepney.
All baptisms list the parents as John Perry, Shipwright, and Ann of Poplar.
* At first there appears not to be enough time between John b. 1742 and John b. 1743 for them to have been of the same mother, however, the second John - the only one of these births falling in the first part of the year - was born in 1743 to him, but 1744 in our modern (Gregorian) calendar. The year difference before 1752 is due to the use of the Julian calendar, where the year began on March 25th, not January 1st. Thus entries between January 1st and March 24th of a given year would be one year behind our calendar.
Ann Perry is reputed to have died on 6 Aug 1752 in Reading, Berkshire.
John Perry married Catherine Gibson on 3 Dec 1754 at St Dunstan-in-the-West. The marriage record reads: "John Perry of Blackwall in the Parish of Saint Dunstan Stepney Widower in the County of Middlesex and Catherine Gibson of this Parish Spinster were Married in this Church by Licence this Third day of December, in the year One Thousand and seven hundred fifty four, by leave of the Vicar by me John Gibson Clerk." The Reverend John Gibson, was Catherine's elder brother. Witnesses were Bartholomew Gibson and William Gibson, her other two brothers. Catherine Gibson (bap. 11 May 1720 at St Paul's, Covent Garden) was the daughter of John Gibson and Dorcas Shower (m. 4 Sep 1716 at St John the Baptist, Pinner.)
Mrs Catherine Perry was buried on 20 Dec 1766 on St John the Baptist, Pinner, Harrow, Middlesex. The Will of Katherine Perry formerly Gibson states that she was the wife of Mr John Perry of Blackwall, Shipwright. It mentions her house at Pinner: she left "the house, called the White House and all the land surrounding the house to my husband, John Perry, together with the furniture that is mine." The rest of my fortune that my father John Gibson left me and all that has been left me or given to me by other friends Mr Perry has given me the Liberty to Dispose of it at my Death ..." These included bequeaths to her brothers William Gibson, Barth[olemew] Gibson and John Gibson and to her sisters Elizabeth Gibson and Dorcas Gibson.
The Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard (PDF) says, ''John Perry died [listed in various locations as on 20 Jan 1771] at Blackwall, and was buried with his wife and father in the grounds of Poplar Chapel (St Matthias Old Church)." His grandson, Mr. Richard Perry, writes of this:—"My grandfather was of a very religious turn, and was supposed by the family to have passed away while engaged in his devotions ('Beatus ille!'). He had retired to his chamber one evening for that purpose, and was found dead upon the floor; the candle had fallen from his hand, and had providentially become extinguished." Mr. Perry left two sons and several daughters. His eldest son Philip died shortly afterwards, and his second son John succeeded him in business. By his will, dated 1772, "Mr. John Perry, of Blackwall, shipbuilder, left the interest of £200 to be given half-yearly in bread to the poor of the hamlet."
Probate was granted on 1 Feb 1771. In his will John Perry of Walthamstow in the County of Essex Esq, indeed states that "it is my will and desire to be buried in my vault in Poplar Church Yard." John Perry left his eldest son "Philip Perry the sum of five thousand pounds part of my four percent consolidated bank annuities and the five thousand pounds part of my three percent consolidated bank annuities to and for his own use which sums I direct shall be transferred within two months after my decease in the names of my two sons Philip and John Perry and of my sister Sarah Seehl wife of Mr Ephraim Rinhold Seehl." He left his share of the partnership trade of a shipwright in the Great Yard at Blackwall to his son John. He also gave John his share of the capital stock in the trade of Ropemaker. To his daughter Ann Hankey (wife of Joseph Hankey), "I give to my said daughter Ann my best Tea Equipage at Walthamstow ... the Carved Rosewood Table and the set of China Tea Chest Spoons and Cannisters belonging to the same and the Silver Tea Kettle Lamp ... used therewith and also the large case of silver spoons." The Will lists his three sisters Sarah Seehl, Susanna Gilbert and Elizabeth Brown.
The statement that "Mr. Perry left two sons and several daughters" suggests that Thomas and Samuel had predeceased him, or died as infants, however I've not found evidence of that. They were certainly not mentioned in their father's will either, but I have seen suggestions (not yet researched them) that either one or both lived to be adults. The Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard also suggests his wife (which one?) was buried at Poplar Chapel, but I can find no record substantiating this. And "several daughters" would also suggest there were more than the two I've found records for, but only Ann was mentioned by name in his will. There have been numerous inconsistencies and, given that Wigram & Green published the Chronicles of the Blackwall Yard in 1881, over 100 years and at least three generations of Perry's had passed, that, whilst I have more faith in their account of the shipbuilding (there'll be ledgers and other records for those), it looks like most of the family information is half right when it comes to the males directly involved in the business and decidedly shaky for all the rest and should not be relied upon.
(Sarah Dalton (née Travally) and her sister Elizabeth Travally, who was my 5x great-grandmother, were Elnathan Ayres' first cousins, daughters of Winnall Travally and Elizabeth Benbow. Winnall Travally, my 6th great-grandfather, thus was Elnathan's uncle; his mother's brother. As both Elnathan and his father were shipwrights and since the Daltons later lived in a house built by John Perry (shipbuilder), the founder of the Blackwall Yard, which built ships for the East India Company, I was certain Elizabeth Perry was related - she was John Perry's youngest sister. Elnathan Ayres was my 1st cousin seven times removed, as our nearest common ancestors were Thomas Travally and Rachel Winnall - his grandparents and my 7x great-grandparents.)
Elnathan Ayres had at least eight children with Elizabeth Perry:
Elnathan Boulton Ayres b. Saturday, 5 Dec 1772, son of Elnathan, Shipwright of Queen Street and Elizabeth, bap. 30 Dec 1772 at St Anne, Limehouse (at 25 days old). Elnathan Ayres of Queen St, aged 2 years, 6 months, was buried at St Anne, Limehouse on 4 Jun 1775
Elizabeth Ayres b. ~Jul 1774. Elizabeth Ayres of Queen Street was buried at St Anne, Limehouse on 21 May 1775, aged 10 months.
Elizabeth Ayres b. Friday, 25 Sep 1778, bap. 18 Oct 1778 (at 23 days old), as Betsey Ayres daughter of Elnathan Ayres (Shipwright, Ropemakers Fields) & Eliz, at St Anne's Limehouse
For the last child in 1796 to be also named Martha, it's clear that Martha Travally Ayres born in 1780 must have died (not found record) and makes sense of the order the children are later listed on Elnathan Ayres' will.
Eldest son and daughter Sage, were given the middle name Boulton, which had to be significant. Richard Boulton was one of four partners - all retired sea captains who had worked for the East India Company and were members of London's shipping community - who had owned the Blackwall Yard (The Ownership of Blackwall Yard, 1724–79). Boulton, was a London merchant and an important figure in the East India Company, of which he was a director from 1718 to 1736 and on the Committee for Shipping from 1723 until 1726. He was a member of the Honourable Company of Shipwrights. During the 1720s Elizabeth's grandfather, Philip Perry, worked as manager for John Kirby and was later employed in a similar capacity by Collett and Boulton. (Blackwall Yard: Development, to c.1819). And her brother, John Perry, purchased the yard from Boulton, Gosfreight and partners.
The will of Elnathan Ayres is a real eyebrow-raiser and probably creates more mysteries than questions it answers, but its highlights include:
In the Name of God: Amen: I Elnathan Ayres, Ship Wright of the Town of Calcutta Bengal being in bodily Health, and of sound and disposing memory; and considering the Evil, Dangers and other Uncertainties of this transitory life, do (for avoiding Controversies after my Decease) make, publish and declare this My last Will and Testament, in manner following:- that is to say, first I recommend my Soul to God, who gave it; and my body I commit to the Earth, or Sea, as it shall please God to order; and for and concerning all my Worldly Estate, I give bequeath and dispose thereof as followeth; that is to say; First I Will, that all my just Debts and funeral Charges be paid and discharged by my Executors hereinafter named and Secondly that my House and all my Effects be turned into ready money as soon as conveniently may be and Disposed in the manner following, Viz, I leave and bequeath to my son James Ayres, born in Calcutta the Sum of Sicca Rupees [1] three thousand five hundred to be laid out by my Executors, at Interest on good Security, for his Education (which is not to be under the charge of his mother), the principal not to be given to him untill (sic) he becomes of Age the remainder of my property I leave to my Wife Elizabeth Ayres of the parish of St Mary's Rotherhiethe (sic) London and in case of her Death to be equally Divided between my four children in England, Viz: George Ayres, Charlotte Ayres, Sage Ayres and Martha Ayres, of the parish Aforesaid and to my Oldest Daughter Elizabeth Ayres, I only leave one Rupee and in case of the Death of my son James born in this country before he becomes of age, then the property left him to go to my Children in England, to be equally Divided as above, and I do hereby nominate and appoint James Horsburgh and George Watson of the Town of Calcutta to be Guardians of my Son James and Executors of this my last Will and Testament ... dated 7 Jul 1808.
From the will, I'm reading that Elnathan Ayres was acknowledging a - clearly illegitimate - child he fathered in India with someone other than his wife. Even without the details of his estate, we had to know he was wealthy enough to do so. There is a transcript of the baptism record of James Ayres, son of Elnathan Ayres, born on 3 Feb 1809 and baptised on 26 Feb 1809, in Bengal, India. The record doesn't say who the mother was. The Will must have been drawn up as soon as Elnathan knew she was carrying the child. Alas, there's also a transcript of a burial record for James Ayres described as "Poor Boy From Free School", Race: White (if one were to speculate, I'd bet his mother was a western woman and more than likely someone else's wife, hence Ayres was taking responsibility for the child's upbringing), on 1 Dec 1812 at Fort William, West Bengal, India. Sadly, I'm sure this was the same child.
[1] Sicca Rupee - a rupee issued in Bengal before 1836 weighing more than the rupee of the British East India Company.
One wonders what eldest daughter Elizabeth had done to deserve the indignity of being left only 1 Rupee!
Elnathan Ayres was buried on 25 Apr 1812, in Fort William, West Bengal, India. On the original record of 'Burials at Calcutta Fort William in Bengal A.D. 1812', it lists, "Mr E Ayres Ship Builder at Sulkea Shot Himself." One assumes this was not accidentally. Was it because of the scandal and shame of his indiscretion, or was there some other reason? I'm sure we'll never know.
(Sulkea (now Salkia), is a neighbourhood in Howrah of Howrah district in the Indian state of West Bengal, opposite Calcutta (now Kolkata). It is located on the west bank of Hooghly River, the westernmost distributary of the Ganges. Sulkea, originally a place where salt was brought and stored in warehouses, was one in a long list of shipyard locations on the Hooghly River in the early 19th century. The area was of truly global significance, enduring for centuries. Because of the rich textiles like muslin and silk, it attracted merchants, missionaries, mercenaries, statesmen, labourers and others from Europe and beyond, making it a mini 'Europe on the Hooghly'!)
His Executors presented his will before the Honourable Sir Henry Russell Knight Chief Justice at the Supreme Court in Fort William on 29 Apr 1812. The Executors produced an immensely detailed inventory of his possessions, dated 9 May 1812, right down to teaspoons and six pairs of cotton stockings and even 'a bag with salt'. It also showed that Elnathan Ayres' estate totalled £8282 3s 6d (well over a million pounds now), of which almost £5,000 was to be paid to the Ayres Family in England. Clearly he was no ordinary shipwright. Probate was granted in England on 2 Apr 1816.
It appears Elizabeth Ayres (née Perry) died, age listed as 61, and was buried on 6 Feb 1815 at St Anne, Limehouse, so probate followed her death.
Even with this detail, I'm sure there's a much bigger story yet to uncover.
