Hello Stella
Richard Phillips is not listed in the trade directories for Wood Street. He is listed between 1767-1775 as a silk broker operating out of Mason's Court, Spitalfields, to the east of Brick Lane, (now part of Chicksand Street). He was married St Mary and St Stephen, Spitalfields 22 May 1765 to Magdalene Fremont, by license, which stated he was at the time of St Mary Whitechapel, over 25 years of age and she was of Christchurch, Spitalfields and over 21 years of age. The witness were John Fremont and Eleanor Phillips.
She was almost certainly then Madeleine Fremont, daughter of Jean/John Fremont and Susanne Le Maistre, baptised 30th March 1742 at La Patente, Spitalfields. John Fremont was a successful silk manufacturer, and at the time Samuel Beach was apprenticed was operating (with his sons) out of Wood Street at No.8. They have since changed the numbering, and this is today no.14, and in fact the same building pictured in my earlier link to John.
I think it is fairly likely then Richard Phillips at least was from an English background, and his marriage to Madeleine gave him an in to this lucrative family business, first as a broker, but later a weaver himself if he was sufficiently expert to train apprentices at Wood Street. This seems especially likely if he himself had originally been apprenticed into the fishmongers company.
On the other subject, no photos unearthed of the Saunders family in Great Bardfield to date unfortunately. Have a very weathered and damaged tin plate of my 3 x great grandfather Charles Saunders b.1849 Great Bardfield, with my 4xgreat grandmother Ann b.1817 Finchingfield, taken with my g-g grandfather in 1881 West Ham Park. Greatful and lucky to have that much I think. Maybe one day some more will turn up, we live in hope!
