John Davis and Sarah Biddle

John Davis was born in 1737 in Aldgate, London. He was baptised on 21 March 1737 at St Botolph’s Aldgate in London, the son of John and Mary Davis of East (Smithfield).

He married Sarah Biddle on 13 November 1768 at St Botolph Aldgate, London. Banns were called on 30 October, 6th and 13th of November.

Both parties state they were from this parish, and were a bachelor and spinster.

John didn’t sign, but made his mark on the marriage register entry, while Sarah signed her name. Elizabeth Charlton, Sarah Charlton, John Biddle and Henry Baldwin were the witnesses.

Sarah Biddle was born on 30 December 1736 in Westminster, London to parents William Biddle (1708-1779) and Mary Fellows (1708-1789). She was baptised on 27 Jan 1737 at St Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London.

Straddling the eastern boundary between the City of London and Middlesex, St Botolph Aldgate was a large and heavily populated parish. The parish suffered considerable poverty, disease and poor housing, but there was also a large minority of wealthier inhabitants, considerable poor relief and a high level of charitable giving.

John and Sarah had six children (match colors to see links) –

1. Dinah born 1768 Westminster, died 1838 Bethnal Green, London. (can’t find baptism) Dinah married Samuel Renshaw in 1788 at St Mary Whitechapel. 6 children.
   1. Dinah’s parents (John and Sarah Davis) are confirmed by the mention of them on her children’s non conformists births which list their grandparents as John & Sarah Davis.
   2. Dinah’s daughter Eliza Renshaw b 1793 was a witness to the marriage of Samuel’s sister Ann Davis who married James Keech in 1823 in St Dunstans Stepney.
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2. John born 1776 bap 8 May 1776 Black Lyon Yard Whitechapel, died Nov 1792 New Sun Ct, Nightingale Lane, a child. Buried St Botolph Aldgate.
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3. Edward born 1777 Vine Court, Red Cross Street, Lower East Smithfield,, baptised 24 Jan 1777 St Botolph Aldgate, died 1816 Windmill St,Westminster. Buried St James Piccadilly, Middlesex (3 miles from East Smithfield). Married Ann Chappin 1791 St Anne Soho, Westminister. 3 children born in Upper East Smithfield.
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4. Samuel Samson born 1778, baptised 17 May 1778 St Leonards, Shoreditch, died 1832 4 Upper East Smithfield in the Cholera epidemic. Buried St Botolph Aldgate. (St Leonards is only 1 mile from Aldgate). Married Betty Holbrook St James, Paddington, Westminster 1803. 9 children.
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5. Sarah born 1779 Vine Court, Red Cross St, Lower East Smithfield, baptised Nov 1779 St Botolph Aldgate, died 1796 of Nightingale Lane, a child (aged 16).
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6. Ann born 1783, baptised 1783 St Botolph Without Aldergate, died 1840. (not sure if this is the correct baptism). Ann married James Keech (chemist of Deptford, Kent) on24 July 1823 at St Dunstans Stepney. The witness to their marriage is Eliza Renshaw mentioned above). Ann died May 1840 at 4 New King St, Deptford, Kent, aged 57. She was made guardian to her brother Samuel’s children in his 1832 will.

Two years after their marriage in 1770, John and Sarah were residing in Vine Court, St Boltolph Aldgate according to the London Tax records.

From 1777 to 1779 John and family were living at Vine Court Lower and Red Cross Street, according to their children’s baptisms.

Other records that may relate to this John Davis –

• East Smithfield directories
  1795 grocer in East Smithfield (directory)
  1796 blacksmith in East Smithfield (livery list)
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• London Tax Records – manor of East Smithfield
  1794-1796 – near Cartwright Street
  1799 – 1807 – Darby Street / later known as Cartright St
  1810 – 1811 – Burr Street 1826 – Upper East Smithfield Tea dealer and Grocer
  1824-1827 Upper East Smithfield

In 1792, a John Davis, gun chaser of St Botolph’s, wrote his will. He mentions his property in Red Lion Court and Alley, and his wife Anne, and his trustees Robert and Henry Jones of 7 Mansion House St, London.

Two years later in 1794 John Davis, Gunchaser of St Botolphs, gave a witness statement in the trial of Robert Bird who was tried for grand larceny of his muskets that he supplied to the East India Company. (Old Bailey Online).

John Davis died in 1801 at Red Lion Alley, Minories, London, according to his will which was proven on 15 December 1801. His burial has not been confirmed but there is a burial of a John Davis of Pye Street, who was buried at St James, Westminster, London on 4 November 1801. (His son Samuel would be married at this church two years later in 1803).

Sarah Davis, nee Biddle, died in July 1816 in Butlers Buildings, Upper East Smithfield, Aldgate, London aged 80 years. This is the residence of her son Samuel Samson Davis. (Several of his children were baptised with the address Butlers Buildings between 1807- 1814). She was buried on 7 July 1816 at St Botolph Aldgate (where her son Samuel and wife Betty would be buried in 1832).

Later in 1836, George Lacey, and wife Matilda, gentleman of Great St Helens, Bishopsgate Street within, held a Sun Fire Insurance policy which mentions other property –1 Red Lion Alley, Minories.  George Lacey and John’s son Samuel Samson Davis patented a gunlock mechanism together in 1824.

John’s son Samuel Samson Davis was granted English Patents No 4648 in 1822 (Combined Flint and Percussion Lock), No 5055 (Safety Gun) in 1824 with G Lacey, and No 6046 (Two Improved Locks) in 1830.