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Messages - robinrainford

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London & Middlesex Lookup Requests / Origins of Charles George Strickland, Broma and Chocolate manufacturer
« on: Friday 14 June 13 03:11 BST (UK)  »
We have a brick wall and plan to visit London in August for research.  Where would you suggest we should go or what archives should we visit to look for Charles' parents or other family?  Here's what I know:
-death cert shows he was born about 1788
-1812 22 Dec, Catherine Strickland, age 23 spinster, married Charles Strickland, bachelor at St Margaret Lothbury and St Christopher.
-insured property 14 January 1822 Charles Strickland 4 Penlington Place Lambeth chocolate and broma manufacturer/15 Gibson St, Lambeth, Surrey
-possibly his brother, Henry Strickland, traveler and assistant to chocolate manufacturer at 15 Gibson, listed in Court for Relief of Insolvent Debtors 25 Nov 1834
-burial date: 03 Dec 1840  age: 52 birth date: 1788.  His wife died a few days prior, so possibly both died of cholera
The will was proved 14th of Jan 1841 giving the chocolate business in partnership to his two sons, Richard and Charles, and their partnership dissolved 28 Jan,1847.
-5 children died in infancy.  Dau Eliz married John Hutchins Baylis, surgeon to the Royal Dispensary, on 27 Aug 1836, Saint Mark,Kennington.  No offspring. In 1849, dau Harriet and son Richard  emigrated to Joliet, Illinois with their families. In 1951 census, son and heir Charles is visiting a family in Soho, occupation is chocolate manufacturer.  Then disappears.

Harriet's husband--my ancestor George Rainford b 1810 in London--is undocumented so the Stricklands are our tenuous connection to England.

Many thanks for suggestions,
Robin Rainford



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Kent Lookup Requests / Re: Paul Edward Rainford 1825-1890 British Vice Consul
« on: Saturday 08 October 11 21:40 BST (UK)  »
My goodness!  You have all done in moments what I've struggled with for months--found poor Harriet and linked Paul Edward Rainford, the vice consul, to an earlier identity as Edward Rainford, noted historical artist of the pre-Raphaelite genre.

I'm an American and I was doing some simple research on my English ancestor George Rainford when I became distracted by Edward Rainford's brilliant but short career.  I did see that in 1851 he is in St Pancras married to Elizabeth Nickholds,  has a toddler dau named Elizabeth and shortly after a dau Harriet b 1852.  He is offered an opportunity to go to Sicily in 1858, exhibits some work in 1864 at major London exhibits and then disappears.  His daughters are staying with maternal relatives. Even the recent Cristy's auction writeup had no folowup info about what became of him.  And I lost his dau Harriet completely.

Many thanks for your skillful research and prompt replies.

I hope that the Edward and Maria brother and sister at St Andrew Holborne turn out to be another family I'm looking for--Maria Rainford b 1821 is the grandniece of actor and theatre owner William Evans Burton (her mother is Maria Burton, father Edward Rainford).  Maria Rainford married William Shakespeare Burton--the son of William Evans Burton by his first wife.  I suspect that her brother Edward took Milton as a stage name and moved to the US, where he was mentored by WE Burton and became a successful  comedic actor.  But I haven't proved that yet.

Robin Rainford

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Kent Lookup Requests / Paul Edward Rainford 1825-1890 British Vice Consul
« on: Saturday 08 October 11 19:02 BST (UK)  »
During which years did Paul Edward Rainford, native of Kent, serve as British Vice Consul in Messina, Sicily, Italy?

-The probate document proved 26 Nov 1890 at Principal Registry said he was formerly of 1 Burnt-Ash-Lane Lee in Kent but late of Messina in Sicily.

-The listing at the English Cemetery in Messina said he served 10 years as British Vice Consul, died 14 Sep 1890 in Messina at age 65 and was buried there by his only son.

-There is a reference to meeting 'English Consul Mr Rainford' in Messina by Lord Ronald Sutherland Gower in his book "Old Diaries 1881-1901"  The excerpt confirms that Rainford lived in Messina and his son (unnamed) runs a hotel with his wife in nearby Taormina called Casa Ingles.  Gower mentions that Mr Rainford is 'a bit of an artist' and a dealer in old paintings and had lived in India and other places.

-An oil painting auctioned last year was signed by Paul Edward Rainford of Messina.

I would like to know Paul Edward Rainford's parentage but barring that, the term of his service would help me work backward.

Many thanks for any ideas, Robin Rainford


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