Martin, Marc Joseph

e-mail to Richard Angus Whitehead, assistant professor at National Institute of Education, Singapore

hello, I am Edward Pope, an independent historian, see my website edpopehistory.co.uk

I refer to your article "Mark and Eleanor Martin, the Blakes' French Fellow Inhabitants at 17 South Molton Street, 1805-1821" which I read online at Blake, An Illustrated Quarterly, volume 43 issue 3, page 84

When you wrote this you had presumably not seen the will proved Canterbury 31.8.1831 of Marc Joseph Martin of No 17 South Molton Street, which makes it clear that the Mark Anthony Martin who married Eleanor Larche was not the Mark Martin, Blake's landlord. All I could discover about Mark Anthony Martin was that he was buried at St Marylebone 28.5.1832 abode East Street age 77, while Marc Joseph Martin was buried at St George Hanover Square 24.8.1831 abode South Molton Street age 73. Mark Anthony Martin's age at death fits well with the apprenticeship record of Mark Anthony Martin from 23.7.1767 for 7 years to Wm Carrier coachmaker of Drury Lane. I only found one appearance of Mark Anthony Martin in ratebooks, that was Land Tax at Mollineaux Street, St Marylebone in 1804, shortly before his marriage, so I suspect he worked mostly as a journeyman or foreman. There are three baptisms of his children with his wife Eleanor at St George Hanover Square for a few years after their marriage, and these further distinguish him from Marc Joseph Martin who named three different daughters in his will.

The three daughters he named were Therese Pate, whom he cut off with a shilling, Paulinam Margarettam Ludovicam now the wife of John Franklin, and his natural daughter Sophie Helen Baumaison. Therese was very likely the Theresa Martin spinster who married Robert James bachelor by license at St George Hanover Square on 5.5.1811, chiefly because one of the witnesses was Paulenar Martin. I could find no record of Robert James' death or Theresa James' remarriage, but she may have married against her father's wishes or otherwise displeased him. Paulina Margaretta Louisa Martin married John Franklin by banns 26.5.1816 at St Martin in the Fields, witnesses Marc Joseph Martin, Eliza Hall and Sophie Helen Martin. In the 1841 census at Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire, John Franklin age 45 was a schoolmaster living with Paulina age 45 and Marc E age 20. John Franklin was buries at Stow on 23.2.1847 age 54. In the 1851 census at Sheep St, Stow on the Wold was Paulina Franklin age 50 unmarried (sic) Lady born London, and Pauline Louisa Margueretta Franklin was buried there 13.3.1860 age 68 (dying on 8.3 according to the National Probate Index). Sophy Hellen of Mark & Mary Martin was born 21.4.1802 and baptised 13.6.1802 at St George Hanover Square, there was also a daughter Elizabeth Sarah of Mark and Mary Martin born and baptised in 1805. No clue to whom their mother was. Joseph Petit Boimaison married by banns 28.12.1825 Sophy Hellen Martin both of this parish, witnesses Marc Joseph Martin, Eliza Tenniel and John Tenniel. (John Baptist Tenniel was the father of the artist Sir John Tenniel (Dict Nat Biog 1820-1914) and had married Eliza Foster at St Marylebone 7.4.1816 and at St Mary Portsea 18.4.1816. He was one of the executors of Marc Joseph Martin's will). Sophy Hellen Boimaison was buried at Chichester, Sussex 9.12.1839. J P Boimaison was a dancing master at Portsmouth in 1830 and at Chichester in 1840, he married again and was living in Portsea in the 1871 census, dancing master age 69 born Portsea.

The other main beneficiary of M J Martin's will was his housekeeper Charlotte Lo Hay, to whom he left his business and some money, free from the control of her husband Ambrose Lo Hay "if living". John Ambrose Lohay bachelor had married by banns at St Marylebone 30.11.1807 Jane Russell spinster, witness Anne Catherine Lohay. In Holden's Directory for 1811 A Lohay of 20 North St, Manchester Sq, was listed as a painter in imitation of marble. Jane Lohay was buried St Marylebone 21.11.1818 age 32, and Louis Ambroise Lohay widower married at St Margaret's Westminster 5.1.1820 Charlotte Ellis spinster, both of this parish. What became of Ambrose Lohay I couldn't discover, but Charlotte Lohay was buried at St Marylebone 14.3.1844 age 52 from the Workhouse. She had been admitted to the Infirmary from 20 Upper Boston Place on 21.6.1843, discharged 18.7.1843 "cured", admitted to the workhouse on 28.7.1843 until she died on 8.3.1844.

Other facts gleaned from M J Martin's will were the other executor, John Broadbank Rose, auctioneer and landlord of the Grapes, 23 South Molton Street, and Martin's nephew Thomason at 7 Rue Thebaitode Paris. Maybe I read that wrong as I could find no reference to such a road on Google. A Mark Martin was also the ratepayer for 54 South Molton Street from 1797 to 1799.

A few facts on some of the other inhabitants of 17 South Molton Street. William Enoch was very likely brought up as a Quaker. His birth was recorded in the London and Middlesex meeting on 9.4.1780 at Carnaby Market, St James parish, as William, son of Richard Enoch, taylor, and Mary his wife. Richard Enoch bachelor of this parish had married by license at St Mary le Strand 12.5.1776 Mary Hardyman spinster of St Ann, Soho. Richard Enoch of Market Row voted 1780, draper of 4 Carnaby Market directory 1785, of Oxford Street tailor voted 1788 and 1790, of 281 Oxford Street taylor directory 1790. A William Enoch was admitted to the Marshalsea prison on 23.7.1812 at the suit of William Wigzell for a debt of £200, and discharged by the Insolvent Debtors Act on 20.1.1814. The best identity I found for Wigzell was William Wigzell a grocer of 5 Upper Marylebone St whose son William by his wife Mary was baptised 27.4.1815 at Endell St Lying-In Hospital. A Mary Enoch buried St George Hanover Square 21.12.1818 age 72 abode Norfolk St was probably William Enoch's mother and he was probably the William Enoch buried there 31.5.1825 age 45 abode St George's Row. A William Enock servant of John Fisher Esq of 3 Dorset Sq, Marylebone testified at the Old Bailey on 28.10.1824 (this could have been him or his son William - or neither). His wife Mary Enoch was left £20 a year for life in the will of her brother Joseph Naylor dated 23.7.1821 and proved Canterbury 23.7.1823. George, the son of William and Mary Enoch born 4.6.1804 and baptised 17.4.1805 at St George Hanover Square (so born while the Blakes were at no 17 and baptised after his father's bankruptcy) became an architect and surveyor. He married by banns at St Martin in the Fields 20.9.1826 Elizabeth Clark. They can be found in the 1841 census at 12 Park Pl, St Marylebone, in the 1851 census at 10 Windsor Terrace, Cheltenham, and in the 1861 census at 7 Albert Terr, Camberwell, and his death was noticed in the Standard of 30.10.1862.

There was an ad in the Morning Post of 27.5.1830 "Une dame demande une femme de chambre francaise, qui connait parfaitement son etat, et qui a servit dans une Famille Anglaise. Il faut s'informer de midi a deux heurs, a No 17 South Molton-street, Oxford-street" This may have some relevance to the Blakes' fellow lodger and Frenchwoman. The only clue I could find to Stockham was the apprenticeship from 25.12.1788 for 7 yrs of William Stockham to Thos Reed of St Marylebone staymaker. He could have been Martin's foreman.

I hope you'll find this informatio helpful and I'd be grateful if you'd credit me and my website if you use it in a publication or pass it on to other Blake scholars

yours sincerely, Edward Pope