John Irwin, Hatter, 81 Oxford St, London, before 1803

[Pastmagic]

Lookiing for info on this chap and his family. He is mentioned in two wills. One dated 1790, when his mother-in-law. Mary Tarrant of Idstone, leaves £400 - or the interest on it, more exactly, to his wife Mary, who is the daughter of her son Charles, to be passed on to Mary's two daughters. Son Charles also leaves money to Mary, also to be passed on to her daughters, named as Charlotte and Catherine, in his will which was executed in 1819. (National Archive Documents)
I have found him at 81 Oxford St here:
http://www.georgianindex.net/London/oxfordStreet.html
but not in the British Library newspapers.
Any help most appreciated
PM

[chasbaz]

I have searched The Times archive and Newspaper Archive.
What little I found was:
1. May 13 1789 he was mentioned in The World as a ticket seller at No 81, for a comedy at Covent Garden
2. He or his son was still at Oxford St in a January 1820 report of a fire in a building where his porter Mr Bannister lodged
3. The Times Friday May 7 1819 reported that he died in Brighton on the 3rd, having lived there for a short time for his health, at the age of 61

HTH

[Pastmagic]

Many thanks! All info helps, I will check them all out, much appreciated,
PM

[jennifer c]

John  is in the 1811 Holden's Directory at 81 Oxford Street

Jennifer

[Pastmagic]

Thank you, again a useful piece of info. I did pop down Oxford St a couple of years ago, but it looks like redevelopment took place, and No 81 is long gone, unless the numbers changed. I have a sneaking wish to see those hats! John Irwin himself is not an ancestor - its his wife's father, Charles Tarrant, who is.

Thanks again.
PM

[chasbaz]

Have a look at Horwood's map here:
http://www.oldlondonmaps.com/horwoodpages/horwood10501.html
Irwin's shop is even marked on the map at No 81!
You can see the location then - 2 doors west of Winsley Street.
A lot of development took place in Oxford street so the house is probably not there.
You can always check on Google Streetview - saves going there...

[Pastmagic]

Thank you very much, that solves where it was - lovely map, too. I am lucky that they chose his shop as a marker. From my - not very expert - look at google Maps- I do think it has sadly gone. However, as it was opposite the Pantheon according to Horwood's map, I was able to find this -
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41521
- the year before that death in Brighton,
and also this:
http://www.mediastorehouse.com/pantheon_oxford_street_london_early_19th_century/print/3299049.html
which shows the opposite side of the street early 19th C.
Thanks again for the help and interest,

PM

added later:

Just found this one, from a bit later, but as I have never been able to find out what happened to the daughters Charlotte and Catherine Irwin, I am not sure they would have been there then. But wonderful shots of the street before the damage was done...putting it up here in case anyone else has Oxford St London ancestors.
http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Princess.htm
PM

[chasbaz]

81 has certainly been replaced - now a clothing shop is in that location.