Pratt

Submitted by edpope on

Jas Pratt calls 25.1.1803 / 3.9.1804 Pratt (taylor) calls / 15.8.1813 call on Pratt, Islington

The two last entries above are coded in the GD website to Samuel Jackson Pratt DNB 1749-1814. There is nothing to suggest he was ever a tailor and he died in Birmingham in 1814, and there is nothing to suggest he was living in Islington in 1813.

The first entry was clearly the James Pratt who wrote to Godwin on 27.8.1804 from 10 Howard St ,Strand (Bodleian Abinger c8 f93) saying that he had called a year and a half ago. He had plans for a school and hospital in London for the benefit of people from Derby, Notts & Leics. It was probably just a coincidence that the Morning Post of 12.9.1804 reported on a swindler called James Pratt who appeared at Marlborough Street Magistrates Court, if it was him then Godwin had a lucky escape. There were plenty of James Pratts around however. In Holdens 1805 there were Mr James Pratt of 10 Cross Keys Sq Little Britain, of 1 Park Pl Lambeth, and of Stratford Green in the private residents section, and James Pratt shoemaker 24 Shoemaker Row Blackfriars, attorney 7 Grays Inn Sq, stationer & merchant 68 Old Gravel La, Ratcliff, and cheesemonger Lower Row, Lambeth. The London Gazette of 10.9.1805 reported the dissolution of the partnership of James Pratt and George Niblett merchants of London (George Niblett of Sherborne Lane broker went bankrupt 1812). The Morning Chronicle of 18.2.1807 listed James Pratt Esq as a steward of the dinner for the St Ann's Society Schools (a charity founded in the 17th century). In Holdens 1811 there was a James Pratt cotton manufacturer of 132 Bunhill Row, and a drysalter of 41 Crispin St Spitalfields (who was buried Bunhill Fields 12.7.1823 age 60 his will PCC 1823). Other PCC wills were those of James Pratt yeoman of Enfield 1805, gent of Kent Rd 1828, of Chaddesley Court, Worcs 1828, and of James Lewis Pratt engineer of Limehouse 1848. A Mr Pratt of Nottingham subscr 1822 to Turner (a Unitarian preacher).

For the tailor there was Anthony Pratt taylor of Craven Bldgs Drury La, Holdens 1811, will PCC 1813. A John Pratt taylor of Rotherhithe was buried 11.3.1804 (before this entry) and his will proved 6.10.1804. For Islington there was James Mantle Pratt merchant and his wife Ann who baptised a child at Islington 1815 of Stafford Place and another 1818 of Balls Pond. He can be found in the 1851 census and was born at Cambridge about 1792 and died 1853. There was also a John Pratt labourer of Welles Row whose daughter was baptised Islington 1817, and in Holdens 1811 Charles Pratt watch & clockmaker 4 High St Islington (perhaps the most likely?)