John and William Leach

[peakoverload]

Having just broken through a wall with this branch of my tree thanks to the amazing help of these forums, I'm hoping someone might be able to help with this wall.

Thanks to the help received in my recent post, I now have the correct information for my 3xGG John Leach. Unfortunately I had the wrong baptism for him and therefore the wrong father and this meant I had to chop out 3 further generations.

I now know that John Leach was a harness maker born c1815 probably in Middlesex (the 1851 census says this and the 1841 census just says of this county and he's missing from the 1861 census). He is married twice. His first marriage was in 1834 to a Louisa Spencer in Shoreditch. The marriage banns I have found don't mention the fathers name or occupation. The second marriage was to Elizabeth Nuttall in 1866 in Islington and the marriage banns say that his father was William Leach who was also a Harness Maker. So far this is the only information I have on this father. John dies in 1867 and is buried in an unmarked grave in Highgate Cemetery. He appears to have lived his whole life around the St.Pancras/Islington area but maybe the fact his first marriage was in Shoreditch means he lived there before?

William Leach is, so far a mystery. There is a William Warren Leach also buried in Highgate Cemetery not too far from John, also in an unmarked grave who appears to be of the right age. He was buried 1865 at the age of 76 and so would have been born c1789. However, whilst this William appears to have lived in the same areas, he was a tailor and not a harness maker and had a son named William Henry Leach.

I cannot find a baptism for John Leach with the fathers name of William Leach around 1815 anywhere that seems likely. Nor can I find any other documents for John that mention his father or mothers name. I cannot find John on the 1861 census and I've search for William on the 1841, 1851, 1861 and 1871 Census pretty much all over London looking for one that gives his occupation as Harness Maker or Saddler etc but have drawn blanks.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Dave Francis]

Holden's Annual Directory 1811 records that a William Leach was living at 130 Shoreditch but this chap was a cheesemonger. Hmm.

[Neale1961]

Born 1815 and married 1834, means he was underage. Was there a parents permission on the marriage?
I would look at births a little earlier than 1815.

[peakoverload]

Yes I've found various William Leach's that vaguely match for either expected age or location but have occupations like Butcher, Omnibus Driver etc but nothing for a Harness Maker or similar.

The 1834 marriage banns doesn't even mention the fathers name. It's only the marriage in 1866 that does.

[rosie99]

There is always the chance that he was illegitimate and just invented a father with the same occupation as his 

[jonwarrn]

Possibly connected?
Marriage at St. Leonard Shoreditch, 20 May 1839
William Leach, Of full age, Bachelor, Harness Maker, residence Charles Street, father Wm Leach, Harness Maker
+
Eliza Kay, Of full age, Spinster, Servant, residence Cromer Street, father Thos Kay, Carver
After Banns
William signed, Eliza marked.
Witnesses George Leach, Caroline Kay

[jonwarrn]

There is a birth reg in St. Pancras
LEACH, ELIZA       
Mother's Maiden Surname: KAY 
GRO Reference: 1840  S Quarter in SAINT PANCRAS  Volume 01  Page 245

I can't see a baptism, nor can I find them in the 1841 census.

A death in Pancras, hope it isn't Eliza's husband
LEACH, WILLIAM       
Age at Death (in years): 30 
GRO Reference: 1841  S Quarter in SAINT PANCRAS  Volume 01  Page 200

Burial at Spa Fields, 31 August 1841
William Leech
St Pancras
Age 29

[jonwarrn]

Eliza's residence on the marriage is Cromer Street, which seems to be in St. Pancras.
And in Cromer Street in 1841
Thos Kay, 50, Carver (plus something else, sometimes it's & gilder, but the image is too poor for me)
Charlotte Kay, 50
and younger Kays, including Caroline, 15.

Could that be Eliza's family?
Thomas is transcribed as 30 on FS
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQJ1-9T9

Weirdly, down the same street is a John Leach, 30, Sadler, and family
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQJ1-S4Z

[jonwarrn]

Baptism of Louisa Ann, 30 July 1840, St Pancras
Parents John & Louisa Leach
John a Harness Maker
Abode Charles St

There must have been a lot of Charles Streets in London in 1841, but it is a coincidence as William Leach gave Charles Street as his residence in 1839.
Were both their addresses on that marriage St Pancras ones? How would that work?