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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Kent => Topic started by: Smokey807 on Thursday 11 April 19 16:50 BST (UK)

Title: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: Smokey807 on Thursday 11 April 19 16:50 BST (UK)
I would appreciate some assistance with any family or business information for Horace Arthur Leather who was an antique dealer. All I have to go on is the following;

1903 Tunbridge Wells Directory,,,Horace Arthur Leather, antique dealer, 43 Vale Road
1913 Sevenoaks directory... Horace Arthur Leather, dealer in antiques, 53 London Rd, Sevenoaks

The Courier of Dec. 2,1902 reported on antiques for Christmas by H.A. Leather, Vale Road and others.
The Courier of June 4,1906 reported on the construction of a porch on the building of H.A. Leather , 43 Vale Rd.
The Courier of Aug. 14,1908 referred to the "widow of Mr. H. A. Leather" and some damage done to the building and stock at 43 Vale Road.

From the above article of Aug 14,1908 it appears that Mr. H.A. Leather had passed away sometime before 1908 and that his wife continued to operate the shop under her husbands name.

I have two postcard views of Tunbridge Wells showing the shop of H.A. Leather opposite the post office. The name H.A. Leather is shown on the shop awning with the word "antiques" below it.

Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: CaroleW on Thursday 11 April 19 18:05 BST (UK)
An obvious place to start would be the 1901 census which will give you his age and birthplace.  Use that info to track him backwards through the censuses which are free on FamilySearch

Using freebmd will get you his birth, marriage and year of death. 

If you want to find his parentage - use his birth reg on GRO online to find his mothers maiden name

www.familysearch.org
www.freebmd.org.uk
Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: avm228 on Thursday 11 April 19 18:21 BST (UK)
In 1901 this may be him at a property named “Albans” in Pembury nr Tunbridge Wells.

Horace Leather Head S 27 Farmer b Camberwell
Victor L. do Brother S 14 Camberwell

Edit: perhaps not; I think this chap was actually Horace Linsey Teather.
Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: CaroleW on Thursday 11 April 19 18:28 BST (UK)
If you check freebmd - there is no death pre 1908 for that name and no birth or marriage reg either

According to a later directory entry he was still alive in 1913 address 53 London Rd

Suspect it may have been a trade name - not his real name

Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: avm228 on Thursday 11 April 19 18:29 BST (UK)
If you check freebmd - there is no death pre 1908 for that name and no birth reg either

According to a later directory entry he was still alive in 1913 address 53 London Rd

I wondered whether the shop was perhaps still in his name.
Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: avm228 on Thursday 11 April 19 18:34 BST (UK)
From the last census it appears his name was actually Horace V.C.J. Lulham, trading at 43 Vale Rd as H.A. Leather.
Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: CaroleW on Thursday 11 April 19 18:36 BST (UK)
So it was a trade name as I mentioned above.  Thought it was odd that there wasn’t a single census or BMD entry
Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: avm228 on Thursday 11 April 19 18:36 BST (UK)
Horace Vernon Clair Jermain Lulham, mmn Burrell, birth reg Dec qtr 1871 Brighton.

Married Jun qtr 1893 Portsea to Frances Hayler.

Died Sep qtr 1950 Lewes, aged 78.
Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: avm228 on Thursday 11 April 19 18:44 BST (UK)
Children:

Olive Jermain Lulham, mmn Hayler, Sep qtr 1893 Oswestry
George Bertram Jermain Lulham, mmn Hayler, Jun qtr 1894 Oswestry
Hazel Jermain Lulham, Sep qtr 1895 Oswestry
Frederick Jermain Lulham, mmn Hayler, Sep qtr 1897 Oswestry (died Dec qtr 1897 Oswestry)
Gerald Francis Jermain-Lulham, mmn Hayler, Sep qtr 1900 Tonbridge
Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: avm228 on Thursday 11 April 19 18:56 BST (UK)
They are at 1 Revesby Place, Vale Rd, Tunbridge Wells in 1901: RG13/752/190/9.

Transcribed as “Lucham” on Anc.
Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: avm228 on Thursday 11 April 19 21:37 BST (UK)
It looks as though he was sometimes known as Clair (perhaps because his father was also a Horace):

Clair Lulham aged 8 in Brighton in 1881, with parents Horace & Elizabeth.

Clare Lulham aged 19 (auctioneer’s pupil) in Brighton in 1891.

As Clair Lulham he gave his sister Mabel in marriage to Percy Whitton at All Saints’, Brighton, 16 Feb 1909.
Title: Re: Horace Arthur Leather of Tunbridge Wells
Post by: Smokey807 on Friday 12 April 19 11:35 BST (UK)
Thank you all for solving this mystery.  How strange it seems to me that the name on the shop owning and in directories and in newspaper articles always refer to the shop as "H.A. Leather". You would think that Horace would use his own name. It is perhaps interesting to note that his father Horace in the 1881 census was a leather merchant. May be just a coincidence but nonetheless an interesting one.

I obtained the article from the library that I referred to in my inquiry ( Courier of Aug 14,1908) and it refers to a mail van's brakes failing and crashing into the shop of H.A. Leather. I though initially from an extract that it referred to the "widow" of H.a. Leather but it actually said (window).

Based on the information you provided I was able to find a family tree for the Lulham clan. Horace born 1871 Brighton died Lewes Sussex in 1950 and his wife Frances (1868-1942). It gave his parents and children and the census records gave Horace's siblings. So with your great assistance I now have everything I wanted to find out.

Thanks again for all your help---great work on your part!!!