Lepard

Submitted by edpope on

10.8.1807 call, w. (Marshall) on Lepard / 12.8.1807 call on Lepard & (w.him) Barber : Bow Street, Lep(ar)d, Humphrys, H(odgkins)s, Corbet, M(arshall) & T(homas) T(urner) / 18.8.1807 Lepard & Hodgkins call / 25.8.1807 call on Lepard (w. M(arshall)) / 8.10.1807 call on Lepard / 26.1.1808 Lepard calls / 27.1.1808 call on Lepard / 1.7.1808 call on Lepard (w. M(ary) J(ane))

William Lepard bookseller Tooley-st, Southwark 1757, stationer Newgate-st SunFire 1780 his will PCC 21.2.1805. He was a Baptist and member of the congregation of John Rippon (DNB 1751-1836). His father, also William, was Warden of the Joiner's Company. His brother John, a bricklayer, was father to John Pelly Lepard admitted Stationers Co 1788 married 18.12.1788 St Saviour Southwark Mary dau of Joseph Cowper, their children registered at Dr Williams' 4.5.1802 were Mary Ann born 23.12.1789, John born 21.12.1790 (apprenticed to Samuel Bagster bookseller 1805) and Samuel born 15.10.1795 (articled to John Sheppard attorney 1811). John Pelly Lepard was buried at Bunhill Fields 30.3.1796 aged 38, his will PCC 9.4.1796 stationer of Chester-pl Lambeth mentioned wife Mary brother Benjamin brother in law Edward Cowper of Enfield (will PCC 24.5.1804) partner John James Smith of Newgate-st (his will PCC 7.4.1821 papermaker of Watford, married to William Lepard's daughter Elizabeth). In 1807 Benjamin Lepard was insured as bookseller 81 Strand (with Samuel Bagster) and as stationer 32 James-st Covent-gdn (with Augustus Applegarth, his son-in-law). By 1827 he was insured at Mount-st Birmingham, his will PCC 13.4.1844.of that address, still clearly a Baptist. I couldn't find a Lepard active in the law in 1807, so Benjamin seems the best bet for the 1807 Lepard. Exactly what his role was at Bow-street isn't clear to me.

25.5.1812 dine at S(arah) E(lwes)'s w. Leopard / 3.1.1818 funeral of S(arah) E(lwes), w. Oak, Lepard & Egerton; adv. Leserve / 8.1.1818 Oak & Lepard call / 23.1.1818 call on Leopard

Probably not the same as the Lepard of 1807 and 1808. Sarah Elwes in her will PCC 5.1.1818 mentioned Mr John and Mrs Amelia Leopard of High Row Knightsbridge. making him an executor and leaving her a diamond star of the head. This John Leopard was bapt 9.9.1759 at St Clement Danes son of William Leopard (a prosperous shoemaker of Clare-market and Clements-inn, will PCC 29.7.1785) and his wife Isabella née Cowly. John Leopard was perhaps still married to a first wife when his child by Amelia Ayliffe (about 30 years his junior) was baptised, John George born 1810 bapt 1813 Newington of Cross-st of John & Amelia Leopard, probably the same child re-baptised as John Charles 2.1814 St Geo Han Sq of John & Amelia Leopard, agent, Kings Row, John Charles Leopard buried 1.11.1816 age 6 at St John's Margate, from Thanet-house.  W.E.Cooke & I.Leopard navy agents, 1, James-st, Adelphi (Holdens directory 1805). Mr J Lepard Kings Row Pimlico (Holdens 1811 court). John Leopard married at St Geo Han Sq 2.5.1818 Amelia Ayliffe botp banns sigs wits John Crosdell, Ann Cummins. The will PCC 13.3.1823 of John Leopard gent of Knightsbridge left all but a few legacies to his wife Amelia. He was buried 5.3.1823 at St John's Margate. If Amelia was a spinster when married to John Lepard (St Geo Han Sq marriages didn't give marital status), she was probably the Amelia Ayliffe born 2.5.1791 and bapt 29.5.1791 at Kingston-on-Thames, dau of Thomas Ayliffe pastrycook and his wife Sarah. She remarried 4.5.1824 to a 60-year old widower, Major General John Frederick Sigismund Smith of Royal Artillery, knighted 1832. His will PCC 20.8.1834 stated that his property and his wife Amelia's were about equal. On his death she became entitled to £160 per annum military pension. She married again 6.9.1838 Henry Pounsett. In 1841 census they were both at High Row, Knightsbridge, she was listed as Lady Smith, age 40. She was buried 24.5.1861 at St John's, Margate, her will proved under £15,000. Henry Pounsett died in 1865, his will proved under £1500. If John Leopard was a widower when he married in 1818 they may have waited to marry until his wife had died, but it's interesting that they didn't marry till after Sarah Elwes' death. There was a Sarah Leopard buried aged 39 from Friar-street at St George Southwark on 20.5.1818, eighteen days after the wedding, which would be a longish interval before burial plus the wedding banns would have had to be called six weeks earlier, so probably no connection.