The Diary of Nathaniel Bryceson (Part 7)

[deb usa]

Nottinghamshire, England, Extracted Parish Records:
George Bunyan, p. St. Mary =  Mary Haywood, this p.
lic. 9 May 1754

deb

[HeatherLynne]

Imperial - whiskers growing from both the upper lip and cheeks, curled upward (distinct from the royale, or impériale).  - taken from 'The Order of The Moustache On Men Under 30 | Facebook' 

However on most images of John Bunyan he seems to have only a moustache.  It seems Napoleon III had an imperial which in his case was a tiny pointed beard which conflicts with the definition given above. 

I've now found another description of an imperial:  A large mustache growing from both the upper lip and cheeks, whiskers from the cheeks are styled pointing upward.

So take yer pick from the above!

[Daisy Loo]

Cannot believe that you have found Mrs Skirriker!

WOO HOO WELL DONE!!!![/b][/glow]

Carol, you must be very very happy!

[avm228]

I've found a reference to a portrait of Bunyan (by Spilsbury) in which he is said to be sporting "mustache and imperial".

http://tinyurl.com/32obsd8

[Dinkydidy]

I notice several portraits of Bunyan show him wearing a small tuft below his lower lip. Perhaps that is the "imperial" referred to.

Congratulations, avm, for finding Mrs. S. Her identity has also been a continuing puzzle for me, and I would have been extremely frustrated if she had not been traced before the diary ended.

Didy

[Dinkydidy]

Nat's entry for 15th March was pretty accurate for Mrs. S's address according to the 1851 census.

"While there fell into conversation with an elderly lady who came on the same errand, and from her learnt that there is now living an old lady, a descendant and the last remaining of that great man, who is also a member of a dissenting chapel in King’s Head Court, Shoreditch, one end whereof leads to the High Street, and the other to Cumberland Street, Curtain Road, and she liveth somewhere in John’s Row, Clerkenwell or St Luke’s.  This same lady has had tea with her twice, and she the said descendent by name Skillicker has now in her possession a painting of him."

Perhaps the Barnsbury Park house to which Nat followed her was just a regular Sunday visit to someone on her way home. The entry also refers to the portrait to which Mrs. S liked to compare herself.

Didy

[Ruskie]

Nat's entry for 15th March was pretty accurate for Mrs. S's address according to the 1851 census.

"While there fell into conversation with an elderly lady who came on the same errand, and from her learnt that there is now living an old lady, a descendant and the last remaining of that great man, who is also a member of a dissenting chapel in King’s Head Court, Shoreditch, one end whereof leads to the High Street, and the other to Cumberland Street, Curtain Road, and she liveth somewhere in John’s Row, Clerkenwell or St Luke’s.  This same lady has had tea with her twice, and she the said descendent by name Skillicker has now in her possession a painting of him."

Perhaps the Barnsbury Park house to which Nat followed her was just a regular Sunday visit to someone on her way home. The entry also refers to the portrait to which Mrs. S liked to compare herself. My theory is that Mrs S knew she was being followed and ducked into a 'safe house'.   
Didy

It's absolutely brilliant that this is all coming together so well. It would have been SO frustrating for Mrs S not to have been identified before the end of the diary.

[Now all we need to do is ID Ann Fox!  Over to you avm - you're on a roll!  ]

[avm228]

[Now all we need to do is ID Ann Fox!  Over to you avm - you're on a roll!  ]

Ummm...yeah.  I'll let you know.  Don't hold your breath! I think Ann's deliberately a little mysterious

[Steven Bryceson]

Dear all, I have always loved Soho and have spent a lot of time there over the years. Whenever I have lived outside of London, I have always touched base by having a coffee there (normally in Bar Italia) a couple os streets away from where NB lived. Yesterday my wife and I had lunch there then I had tea in a great tea room and even had my haircut in a barbers there (for only £5)! We also wandered up Dean St and looked at Richmond Buildings which I haven't noticed before. I shall load some pics soon. A lot of the building are pre-1846 so one can get a feel of life in NB's time. My point it that it felt extra special to be there yesterday, hanging out for an afternoon where my 3x great grandfather lived! I thought you'd all be pleased at me sharing this. Peace and joy. Steven.