William Freeman (c1785-1877) & Elizabeth Barnes (1790-1850)
William Freeman was the son[i] of Jeremiah Freeman and Sarah Argar. Later census records give his place of birth as Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London where his father was then working as a carver and gilder before returning to Norwich in the late 1780s where his sister Maria was born and baptised in May 1785.
William was apprenticed as a carver to his father in 1799 and again in 1801 and joined him in business when freed from the apprenticeship in 1808. He became a freeman of Norwich in 1811 as a licensed cabinet maker; “Freeman & Son, Carvers & Gilders, London Lane” were listed in the 1811 Norwich Directory.
Elizabeth Barnes, daughter of “Philip Barnes and Elizabeth his wife (late Elizabeth De Carle Spinster)” was privately baptised 7 June 1790.
On Tuesday 23 October 1810 William Freeman, carver and gilder, married Elizabeth Barnes at All Saints in Norwich.
William and Elizabeth had a large family: Sarah Barnes was born on 3 February 1812, William Philip Barnes on 13 March 1813, Charles Jeremiah on 10 September 1814, Henry on 6 December 1815 (who died aged two weeks), Henry on 8 June 1817, Elizabeth Barnes on 10 November 1818, Anne Maria on 1 June 1820, Alfred on 2 September 1821, David Garthon on 6 December 1822, Frederic 30 October 1824 (who died aged three weeks), Phoebe Charlotte 31 October 1825, Felicia Catherine on 13 December 1828, James Edward 15 April 1829, and Ellen in 1833. The children were baptised at St Andrew’s in Norwich, and it is likely that the family lived at 2 London Lane in that parish, near or above the business premises.
The J & W Freeman “Carver, Gilder & Looking Glass Manufacturer, wholesale, retail” enterprise at No 2 London Lane stocked a wide range of items and became one the leading Norwich furniture businesses. The address of London and Swan Lane suggests the address was on the corner of these two roads.
The Freemans also showed a willingness to use any opportunity to expand into other sales – they advertised themselves as stockist of “fine prepared lead pencils” (Norfolk Chronicle 1813) and sellers of books (1809), a practice William continued as the sole Norwich agent for busts and prints of public figures.
During this time William, like his father and brother-in-law Philip Barnes, was active in the Norwich Society of Artists, exhibiting 1805–17, and was President of the Society in 1820. In 1814 the artist (and leading light of the Norwich School) John Crome travelled to Paris and was accompanied by William Freeman and the artist Daniel Coppin, principally to see the art collected in Paris by Napoleon but also with the aim to purchase artwork.
Following the death of his father, William took on the sole running of his business: “Looking glass manufactory, carving, gilding &c: William Freeman respectfully informs the public that the above manufactory carried on by his late father and himself, will be conducted for the future by him alone, at No. 2 London Lane, where all orders will be thankfully received and executed with strict economy.” (Norfolk Chronicle 19 April 1823).
William and Elizabeth’s eldest son, William Philip Barnes Freeman, was educated at Norwich Grammar School and studied water colouring under John Sell Cotman and oils under John Berney Ladbroke. Reportedly able to read Greek fluently, his father initially intended William junior to be a clergyman before deciding he should join him in business as an apprentice. Freed from his apprenticeship in 1835, William Freeman junior took over the business of Henry Wellsman “carver in general & designer” of Pottergate in Norwich (Norwich Mercury 1838) – hence subsequent references to both streets as their business premises. Charles Jeremiah and Albert also joined the family business.
In 1838 William junior married Katherine Muskett, the daughter of a farmer from Haveringland in Norfolk, and sister of Charles Muskett, print publisher, bookseller and amateur artist.
In 1837 William and Elizabeth’s eldest daughter married a Birmingham jeweller at St Andrew’s church – her husband Edward Dinwoody Wilmot would go on to play a significant part in the family’s lives.
In 1838, their second son, Charles Jeremiah married his cousin Elizabeth Sarah, elder daughter of the late Joseph Samuel Parkinson, a Norwich solicitor, and Sarah Charlotte Barnes.
In 1839 their second daughter, Elizabeth Barnes, married Adolphus Ackermann of London. This wedding also took place at St Andrew’s. Adolphus was the son of Rudolph Ackermann (1764-1834), originally from Saxony, who was a leading publisher of books, prints and periodicals and whose “Repository of Arts” at 101 Strand was a feature of fashionable life at the turn of the 19th century (National Portrait Gallery). J & W Freeman had sold Ackermann prints in Norwich since the 1800s
By 1841 William and Elizabeth moved to Heigham Grove, an area of early 19th century development with large detached houses in spacious grounds just outside the former city gate of St Giles, and were living at “Heigham Villa”. References to William for the remainder of his life generally stated he was “of Heigham Grove” and occasionally “of Heigham Grove House”. In both 1841 and 1851 census returns, Heigham Grove House was occupied by Joseph Gray, with the Freemans as an immediate neighbour. [Heigham Grove House, the other houses and building around it, later became the Norwich Maternity Hospital, which was destroyed in a fire raid in June 1942. The area was then developed for flats.]
At the time of the 1841 census, their youngest son James Edward – then aged 12 – was at Mr Carr’s boarding school in Fakenham, and their five youngest daughters were living with them, as were Alfred (who was to join his father’s business) and David Garthon (who went on to train as an auctioneer). Their son Henry was living in London where he worked as a timber broker, and by the late 1840s was operating from 3 St Michael’s Alley, Cornhill, London.
In 1845, their third daughter, Anne Maria, married Richard White, a successful dental-surgeon of St Giles, at Heigham church.
William was active in Norwich civic matters. In 1842-3 he was sheriff of Norwich, and then Mayor of Norwich in 1843-4. In 1847 he qualified as a magistrate.
In 1849 he described himself as chairman of the vestry, churchwarden of this hamlet [of Heigham] and Justice of the Peace for this City and County.
Whilst mayor he was active in supporting the extension of the railways as a means to promote prosperity for both the city and county. He held shares in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Leicester, Peterborough, Norwich and Great Yarmouth junction railway and in the Norwich Cemetery Company.
In 1846 William announced “his most grateful thanks to the nobility, gentry, clergy, and inhabitants of Norfolk and Suffolk, for the extensive and liberal patronage he has received during a period of more than thirty years, and begs respectfully to inform them that he proposes retiring from business at the end of the present year, in favour of his sons, who have for some time past assisted him in the management of the same” (Norwich Mercury August 1846). The sons involved in the business at this stage were William (junior), Charles Jeremiah, and Alfred.
He then sold a large portion of his stock by auction “having retired from business in favour of his sons” and asking that the “attention of the nobility and gentry is particularly invited to this extensive sale of most valuable property, the style and quality of which is fully guaranteed by Mr Freeman’s well-known taste, his great care in the selection of the very best materials, and in the employment of none but the first workmen” (Norfolk News).
Elizabeth died on 15 February 1850: “Yesterday (Friday), at Heigham Grove, Elizabeth, the beloved wife of William Freeman Esq, aged 60” (Norfolk Chronicle Saturday 16 February 1860). She was buried at the Rosary cemetery in Norwich.
Following Elizabeth’s death, the family seemed to disperse.
Alfred Freeman, an upholster, married Hannah Johnson at St Mary’s Islington in September 1850. Hannah was the daughter of a cordwainer (shoemaker) who had been living in Heigham when she was baptised (at the Wesleyan chapel on Calvert Street, Norwich) in 1828. Alfred announced in the Norwich newspapers that he would retire from the Freeman brothers business at the end of 1850 and in 1851 he was living with Hannah’s grandmother (Ann, a “proprietor of cottages”) in Victoria Road, Lakenham, Norwich; the occupation for both Hannah and Alfred was given in the census return as “nil, bound for Australia”.
William made the decision to leave Norwich and in 1851, there was an auction sale of the extensive and “splendid collection of ancient furniture, marqueterie [sic] tables, commodes, and cabinets, china, paintings, and other property, at the residence of Wm Freeman, Esq, Heigham Grove, St Giles Road, Norwich, who is about to leave the county”. (Norfolk Chronicle, 13 September 1851). The auctioneers described the articles being in “the most beautiful condition” and “a sale of such an assemblage of property rarely occurs outside of the Metropolis”. The articles included an Elizabethan drawing room suite (and carved oak chimney piece); “a matchless tea service of fine old oriental ware”; old masters “purchased on the continent by Mr Freeman” by Rubens, Durer, Claude Lorraine, Zeeman, Gainsborough, Palma Vecchio; and, “pictures of the modern school”.
At this time, the partnership between William junior and Charles Jeremiah Freeman was dissolved and their businesses separated. In October 1851 Charles moved his “upholder, cabinet, chair & sofa manufacturer, general decorator, and undertaker” business from No 2 to No 10 London Street.
The Norfolk Chronicle announced the death (caused by “aneurism”, according to the burial records) on 17 November 1852 of “Sarah, the wife of Edward D Wilmot Esq, of Harbourne Hall, near Birmingham, and eldest daughter of Wm Freeman Esq of Twickenham and late of Heigham Grove”. Within two years, Edward Wilmot married Felicia Catherine Freeman, fifth daughter of William and Elizabeth Freeman, and younger sister of his late wife. The marriage took place at Duisburg, sometimes called the “New Gretna on the Rhine” due to “its approachableness from England…and the only place in the Rhine provinces where the Code Napoleon is not still in force, which required a six month domicile previous to the celebration of the ceremony” (Kendal Mercury 1854). This meant a couple (who were able to afford to do so) could circumvent the probation of a widower marrying his deceased wife’s sister that had become law with the Marriages Act of 1835[ii].
David Garthon Freeman became an auctioneer, who worked as an agent and valuer at Post Office Street in Norwich. Aged 32, he emigrated to Australia, sailing from London on the Countess of Elgin in September 1852. He later wrote about meeting his future wife, Rosa: “I never engaged myself until I saw her in London just before I sailed”. She followed him out to Australia and David wrote “I am glad to say that Rosa had never to experience any of the rough colonial hardships. I have had my share.”
He was followed by the youngest of the Freeman children, Ellen, who also emigrated to Australia where she married Edward Bryant at St Stephen’s church, Richmond, Victoria on 9 April 1856.
Back in England, shortly after the birth of her third child[iii] , Felicia Catherine died of rheumatic fever: “Felicia, wife of E D Wilmot Esq of Kaye Hill House, Birmingham, and daughter of Wm Freeman Esq formerly of Heigham Grove-house” (Norwich Mercury December 1858). However, Edward Wilmot did not remain unmarried – in June 1859 Aris’s Birmingham Gazette announced the marriage “at Neuchatel, Switzerland [of] Mr Edward D Wilmot, of this town, to Phoebe Charlotte, fourth daughter of William Freeman Esq, of Richmond Surrey”[iv].
Adolphus Ackerman – the husband of Elizabeth Barnes Freeman – along with several of his brothers had carried on their father’s businesses. In the case of Adolphus this was unsuccessful and in 1859, when faced with bankruptcy proceeding, he committed suicide by drinking prussic acid (London Gazette). Elizabeth and Adolphus had eight sons and five daughters and were living in St John’s Wood.
It is possible that the reference to William living at Richmond at the time of Phoebe’s marriage meant he was living with his son Henry who was working as a timber merchant – Henry Freeman & Co of 3 Crooked Lane in the city of London – and was described in the 1861 census as a City wood broker living at 1 Belle Vue, Richmond. In the early 1860s, Henry appeared to be successful – “other leading auctioneer-brokers included…Henry Freeman & Co of Crooked Lane, near London Bridge” (The City of London Vol 1, D Kynaston).
William had moved on and was living in Dawlish with one “servant of all works” at the time of the 1861 census, in which he was described as Justice of the Peace for City & County of Norwich, Norfolk). In 1871 William (described as a JP and magistrate of Norfolk) was lodging in the house of Samuel Thorpe, a upholster master employing 3 men, and his wife Charlotte, a lodging housekeeper, at 78 High Street, St Clements, in Hastings. He was described as deaf.
William’s eldest son, William P B Freeman had continued to run the Norwich business but was also a keen artist, friends with a range of other painters, and exhibited at the Royal Academy and regional societies. He was active in early photography and the inaugural meeting of the Norwich Photographic Society was held at his house, 2 London Street, on 23 June 1854. Following the death of his first wife in 1849 (with whom he had seven children) he then married Mary Hogarth with whom he had another eleven children. The Freeman business was eventually taken over by one of William’s former apprentices, William Boswell, in 1870[v].
His daughter Anne Maria White’s family were prospering, and Phoebe’s family also continued to grow in size and prosperity – she and Edward Wilmot had five daughters and five sons – and were living at Lea Hall, a sizable mansion in Handsworth near Birmingham.
Charles Jeremiah’s upholstery business had become bankrupt by 1867 and in 1871 he was working as a commission agent and living in the hamlet of Thorpe with his second wife, Emma Fowell.
In March 1872 the death was announced in the Norwich Mercury: “in December last, at Castlemaine, Victoria, in her 39th year, deeply regretted, Ellen, wife of James Edward Bryant of that place, and youngest daughter of William Freeman Esq, of Hastings, formerly of this city. Friends will kindly accept this intimation.”
Henry Freeman’s timber brokerage had also been unsuccessful (by 1871 he was lodging in Richmond, then in Canning place in Kensington), as he wrote in 1874 in letters to his sister-in-law Mary, wife of William P B Freeman: “I am quite ruined and as business holds out no improvement for me, I have made application to be admitted to Morden College, Blackheath, a nice retreat for broken down merchants…not the finish to a long career of hard work I might have expected, but far better than the work-house”. Henry also noted that the Whites (the family of his sister Anne Maria) had “cut him entirely since his calamities”, and also in a letter to his father congratulating him on his 90th birthday he mentioned family disputes.
This family correspondence (Norfolk archives) over 1873-5 also indicated that William also was short of money. Writing in a letter to a Mr Bridger requesting money, he also noted his pecuniary dealings with his son-in-law, Edward Wilmot, on whom William appeared to be dependent. Henry also wrote to his father urging him to accept whatever Wilmot was offering, and mentioning the sale of his pictures in Birmingham, saying “you are in fact a pauper so I beg of you to rest and be thankful that you have £3 a week you can depend on”. Wilmot wrote to his father-in-law threatening him with the work-house on further misbehaviour and offering to sell his remaining pictures, saying “you far overvalue your works of art”. This was followed by Phoebe writing to her father depreciating “senseless appeals” to her husband.
In 1875, Charles Jeremiah died suddenly of apoplexy, on 18 March, aged 59 at his home in Upper Rupert Street in South Heigham. This was followed on 7 April by the death of Henry at his lodgings at Canning Place in London.
William died on 2 December 1877, aged 94, of “decay of nature and bronchitis 15 days” at Hindringham, Norfolk. Present at his death was Clarissa Daplyn; she, her husband Robert, and their family lived at Church Farm in Hindringham and also provided board and lodging to gentlemen.
He was buried at the Rosary cemetery in Norwich.
An obituary in The Norwich Mercury noted he was “the oldest magistrate” and “only officer remaining of the First Norwich Rifle Corps, in which he was a Lieutenant”. Also: “He was a gentleman of very fine taste and a judge of art; was a member of the Society of Artists, and was himself no mean artist. When he was in his 81st year he sent a friend in Norwich a landscape in watercolour of considerable talent”.
Sacred to the memory of WILLIAM FREEMAN JP, Formerly of London Street & Heigham Grove, Sheriff of this city 1842 and Mayor 1843. Died December 2 1877, Aged 94 years
ELIZABETH, Wife of William Freeman Esq, Died February 15 1850, Aged 60 years
Footnotes
[i] Notes made by the sons of Richard White when they were exploring their ancestry suggest they knew little about William Freeman, although he was their maternal grandfather which might suggest William had little direct contact with his White grandchildren after he left Norwich. A note added by Richard Hubert White, dated 24 May 1943 says: “My aunt Ethel [Alexander Page], wife of Harry [Henry Freeman] White, says that Anne Maria Freeman was the daughter of a William Freeman one time mayor of Norwich, who was generally believed to be the child of a morganatic marriage of the Duke of Kent [and Strathearn] (father of Queen Victoria) and a Miss Bligh of ? Hall near to Norwich who was a lady in waiting at court”.
[ii] The law did not annul previous marriages but was controversial – it came up for repeal in 1856, 1858, 1859, 1870 and 1871. This on-going campaign was referenced in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe (1882) in the line sung by the Queen of the Fairies “He shall prick that annual blister, marriage with deceased wife’s sister”. The prohibition was removed in the Deceased Wife’s Sister Act 1907 – which still allowed individual clergy to refuse to conduct these marriages. Needless to say, the Victorians viewed this through a male optic rather than from the perspective of “marrying with deceased sister’s husband”.
[iii] This son, Thomas Slaney, committed suicide by shooting himself in his bedroom, aged 23.
[iv] Neuchatêl in Switzerland was also where the artist Holman Hunt went to marry his deceased wife’s sister in 1875.
[v] William Boswell was apprenticed to William Freeman until 1831. He took over the carving, gilding and looking-glass manufacturing business of John Thirtle, perhaps the Freeman’s biggest competitor in Norwich; Thirtle was also a celebrated watercolour artist and leading member of the Norwich School of Painters.