John and William Leach

[Neale1961]

Comparison of William Leach signatures
1/  Signature of William Leash, witness at George Leach’s marriage 21 July 1842 to Matilda Collings.
2/  Signature of the groom William Leach at his marriage 20 May 1839 to Eliza Kay.

Are they the same man? Just comparing the formation of letters in the surname, I suspect they are.

I have had no luck finding William and Eliza in the census.
When did William die?

William’s widow, Eliza Leach, 39 (Maiden name Kay) remarried on 6 Oct 1861 Bethnal Green to Richard Wood.  (Her age on her second marriage is totally fictitious, as she was baptised in 1811.)

[Neale1961]

I keep coming back to this census, which I find interesting.
1841 census William Leach (55) and Elizabeth Leach (45) at 14 Finsbury St, St Luke
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQVS-V43

William is recorded as having income from “independent” means. He has a wife named Elizabeth, and both are the right age for children born abt 1810-1820, and in an area very close to St Pancras.
I wonder if this is our William Leach senior, but by 1841 had stopped working, & had passed the business to his sons.

What makes it interesting is the very next abode,  which is full of single young men (apart from the head of house) there is a leather cutter, a bridle cutter, 2 saddlers and 2 curriers. Did they work for William Leach or have an association with him, or is it a coincidence?


Then is this the death of the same man?
Burial for a William Leach (age 57) on 24 May 1842, at Bunhill Fields Burial Grounds
Address Chiswell St Finsbury (Around the corner from Finsbury Street)

GRO death entry
LEACH, WILLIAM        Age 59 
GRO Reference: 1842  J Quarter in SAINT LUKE MIDDLESEX  Volume 02  Page 183