Pearson

GODWIN DIARY: 14.10.1791 Pearson and his character talked of at J Hollis', with Dr Lister and Barry. Up to this point no Pearson had appeared in the diary, nor did any Pearson ever appear in the 1796 list. Most likely to have been George Pearson DNB 1751-1828 lecturer at St George's Hospital, as a public character and of special interest to Dr Lister. The next Pearson was 4.2.1793 at tea at Godwin's with Jardine, Fenwick and Symonds. If this was Thomas Symonds the barrister who proposed Fenwick as a member of the Constitutional Society on 5.10.1792 then this may have been John Pearson (1772-1841, witness at Tooke's trial 1794) a law student who was proposed as a member of SCI on 8.2.1793 (four days after meeting Godwin) by Lord Edward Fitzgerald and William Sharp. (Another very active member of the Society was Michael Pearson apothecary of Spital Square will PCC 1806 and another less active member was James Pearson attorney of Basinghall St will PCC 1803. There was also George Pearson attorney of Essex St, a member of the Whig Club and the Unitarian Society.) Next was 20.10.1793 Dr Pearson at Tooke's. After that was just Pearson again, at Tooke's 9.3.1794, at Tooke's trial 22.11.1794, adv. at Inchbald's 28.11.1796; then Pearsons plural at Tooke's on 21.5.1797, 29.7.1798, 16.6.1799, 20.9.1801 and 15.4.1804. Pearson singular adv. at Reveley's 1.3.1799, at Carlisle's 22.11.1800, at Tooke's 29.11.1801 and at the theatre 21.3.1803. Meanwhile John Pearson at Tooke's 28.2.1802 and J Pearson there 20.6.1802. Then Dr Pearson & fils at Tooke's 23.9.1804, and Dr Pearson adv at J Taylor's 30.11.1811. There was another Dr Pearson (Richard DNB 1764-1836) but he was probably busy in Birmingham, and there was a surgeon, John Pearson of the Lock hospital DNB 1758-1826, and surgeons did sometimes get called Dr. But if only to keep things simple we should maybe assume that only Dr George, his son, and John the lawyer, appeared in the diary, though the plural Pearsons at Tooke's could cover unrelated Pearsons.

SOCIETY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION:

Michael Pearson of Spital Sq proposed member 20.12.1782 by John Horne Tooke 2nded William Tooke. On Revolution Society committee 1788. Of the 32 stewards for a dinner to celabrate the 1st anniversary of Burdett's return for Middlesex (Morning Post 21.7.1803) 4 had been SCI members, Knight, Miller, and John & Michael Pearson. For a similar event (Morning Post 30.7.`804) 2 out of 25, Jennings & Michael Pearson. Michael Pearson bach = Spitalfields 4.2.1758 Sarah Williams sp. Michael Pearson will PCC 1806 apothecary of Spital Square mentioned Joseph Benwell of Battersea distiller (QV* in this dataset), his son John and John's present wife Maria, his dau Sarah wife of John Fellows of Nottingham merchant, his late partner John Balmanno (for whose son John Balmanno QV* in this dataset), his brother James, his sister Ann Allen, his servant Martha Stubbins and his coachman Thomas Tarbox. He was buried at Bunhill Fields 31.7.1806 age 76 from Spital Sq. John Fellows jr bach of Nottingham = Spitalfields 7.4.1784 Sarah Pearson sp & minor with consent of Michael Pearson father, Michael Pearson's son James bapt 4.1.1774 Stepney of Michael & Sarah, married 29.4.1797 Nottingham St Mary Maria dau of John Fellowes, buried Bunhill Fields 5.2.1820 age 46 of Rutland Place, his will PCC 1820 coal merchant of Rutland Place Wharf, Thames St. He seems to have carried on the business there that had belonged to William and John Hurford Stone until they were charged with treason in 1796

James Pearson of Basinghall St proposed member 14.3.1783 by John Baynes 2nded Henry Amory. SunFire 1786 & Law List 1787 James Pearson attorney Basinghall St. His father James Pearson was probably apprenticed in 1746 as son of Nicholas Pearson to James Kirkpatrick mercer of the Isle of Wight. Rev Nicholas Pearson son of James Pearson Congregational minister at Lymington, Hants 1700-1727 (who "fell down dead one evening on leaving a card party") succeeded his father as minister of Lymington 1727 to 1766, then at Lyme Regis 1766-1774 (he supposedly "forfeited his character", retired and died at Lyndhurst - J Cliffe, History of Congregational Chapel, Lymington 1901). James Pearson bach of St Vedast Foster La = St Benet Gracechurch 26.8.1755 Mary Sharp sp of St leonard Eastcheap. At the same church on the same day Richard Sharp of Romsey, Hants bach = Elizabeth Sharp sp of St Leonard Eastcheap. They were both daughters of Richard Sharp hatter of Fish St Hill will PCC 1775. James Pearson (the SCI member) was bapt 21.8.1758 and was articled, as son of James Pearson of Cheapside linen draper, to Ambrose Weston attorney of Grays Inn (brother of James Weston QV* in this dataset). James Pearson senior linendraper of 106 Cheapside went bankrupt in 1779. James Pearson junior married 1st as bach of St Gabriel Fenchurch at St Margaret Pattens on 12.12.1782 Margaret Hackman sp of Godalming Surrey (dau of Caleb Hackman draper & mercer of Godalming will PCC 1784). Their son James Hackman Pearson was born 30.12.1787. James Pearson married 2nd at Gosport, Hants 5.6.1794 Sarah Pearson (dau of his uncle Hugh Pearson surgeon of Lymington, Hants will PCC 1792 which made his nephew James guardian of his younger children). Their son Hugh was born 25.4.1795 and their son Richard Sharp was born 6.8.1797. The will PCC 1803 of James Pearson of Basinghall St gent mentioned his friends Robert Barclay of Lombard St banker, Thomas Loggen of Basinghall St (his partner), Richard Sharp of Fish St Hill hatter (DNB 1759-1835 his first wife's nephew), his sons James Hackman and Hugh, and his brother Hugh Nicholas Pearson (DNB 1776-1856 in fact his cousin and his second wife's brother). James Pearson was buried at St Michael Bassishaw on 6.5.1803 age 45.

John Pearson of Lincolns Inn proposed member 8.2.1793 by Lord Edward Fitzgerald 2nded William Sharp. John Pearson admitted to Lincolns Inn 28.10.1790 of Christ Church Oxford matric 24.10.1789 age 17 1st son of Thomas Pearson (will PCC 1797 mentioned wife Elizabeth, sons John & Edward daus Elizabeth, Ann and Penelope) of Tettenhall, Staffs. John Pearson was interviewed by the Privy Council on 23.5.1794 before the treason trials (Nat Arch TS 11/963/3509 f297). Thomas Thompson (QV*) on 22.5.1794 had told the Privy Council "Mr Pearson and I decidedly and loudly opposed the resolution" (whether to send a delegate to the convention in Edinburgh). Morning Post 29.12.1802 John Pearson Esq of Tettenhall = Barwell Leics 22.12.1802 to eldest dau of the late George Philip Hooke Lt Col 17th foot. John Pearson was advocate general of the East India Company 1824-40 and died 16.4.1841 in his 70th year (Morning Post 20.4.1841). His will PCC 1841 of Tettenhall mentioned a portrait of his wife by Hoppner, a miniature of Dr Parr, his brother Rev Thomas Pearson, his nephew Edward Johnstone barrister, his sons Capt Thomas Hooke, John, Hugh & Rev Charles James, his daus Elizabeth Mary Greville widow and Jane Frances Matilda wife of George William Key of 15th Hussars, and Miss Jane Susan Parry "who has resided in my family many years" and who got an equal share with his children