Tag: Flight

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Thomas Flight and the Royal Worcester China Factory

Thomas Flight was Thomas and Martha’s second and arguably the most successful son. He was born at Abingdon in Berkshire in 1726 and in 1751 he married Christian Trulock/Truelock. They had six children in all but this post is about his third and fourth sons, Joseph and John Flight.

Marriages 1750 at All Hallows London Wall

Thomas was a carpenter by trade and a very successful business man. In 1768 his place of abode was Monument Yard.

He was also the London agent for Worcester china. In 1783 he purchased the factory for £3000 and intended that his sons John and Joseph would run it. (In the same year Chamberlain opened a rival china factory in Worcester.)

The Universal British Directory 1791

In 1788, on the advice of George III, they opened a shop at 1 Coventry Street off Piccadilly Circus which was run by Joseph Flight. In 1789 the King awarded them their first Royal Warrant.

In 1789 Thomas was listed in Kent’s directory as a Worcester china man living at 22 Bread St, London.

John Flight kept a detailed diary about his time at the factory. It reveals how they got new ideas for their wares and resolved some of the problems they encountered; they spied on French potters! It was a dangerous time to be travelling to France which was in the midst of a bloody revolution.

The diary is in the Royal Worcester Porcelain Museum.

John kept the journal from 1785 until his death in 1791 aged just 25.

Worcester, Angel Street (Independent), Burial

John left a wife, Ann Gillam and a son also called John who was born after his death and died aged 1 year.

It now fell to his brother Joseph to run the factory with Martin Barr and later Martin’s son.

British Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

During this time the factory produced many fine pieces. In 1830 they made the Coronation dinner service for King William IV.

Wikimedia Commons

Joseph married Hephzibah Gill in 1790 and they had at least four sons, John, Josiah, Edward and Conrad.

In 1840 Chamberlain, Flight and Barr merged into one company and by 1862 it was called Royal Worcester.

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The Flight Family

Septima Flight married Lewis Lamotte and their daughter Catherine Septima Lamotte married Arthur Herbert Lanyon in 1899. The Flights are an interesting family and probably deserve their very own website.

Thomas Flight and Judith

Thomas Flight lived in Henley in Berkshire and the little we know about him comes from his wife’s will. We don’t know when he was born or when he married but presumably it was before 1691 when his eldest son Thomas was born. When Judith died in 1729 she was a widow and her will described Thomas as a baker. They had 5 daughters and 4 sons all named in Judith’s will.

Thomas Flight and Martha Fuller

Thomas and Judith’s eldest son Thomas Flight married Martha Fuller 1st Aug 1720 at St. Leonards, Wallingford, Berkshire. Thomas was buried on 8th Aug 1767 at Bunhill Fields in London. His burial record records that he was a dissenter. His will names his children: Joseph, Thomas, John, Ann, Mary, Elizabeth and Hanson, son in law Joseph Pattison and grandson Joseph Pattison. He left the sum of £1600 to his wife to be shared amongst his children. His eldest son Joseph inherited his lands in Farringdon and his youngest son, Hanson, inherited his lands at Abingdon. His sons Thomas and Joseph are his executors.

His daughter Martha Pattison died in 1766

His son Joseph was a turpentine merchant and wheelwright. He died in 1788.

His son John was a maltster and draper. He died in 1769.

His youngest son was Hanson.

Hanson Flight and Martha Underhill

In 1752 aged 15 Hanson was apprenticed to Francis Gawthern a citizen and farrier of London for seven years however three years later his apprenticeship was passed to Gurdolfston Rolfe a citizen and mercer of London.

Freedom of the City Admission Papers

Hanson Flight and Martha Underhill pledged to marry at Bermondsey, Surrey in Feb 1765 and married at St Anne, Soho two days later on the 24th.

London and Surrey, England, Marriage Bonds and Allegations

Hanson and Martha had at least two sons:

  • Joseph 1773 – 1811 married Jane Greenwood in 1801
  • Hanson 1776

Joseph was a miller and lived at the Abbey Mills at Barking. Joseph was attacked and murdered by footpads at Bow Bridge, River Lea at Stratford on 2nd Feb 1811. He left a wife and six children under the age of 10.

Bow Bridge at Stratford

The Abbey Mills no longer exist but on the site today is the Abbey Mills pumping station.

Joseph Flight’s son was also called Hanson and worked as a collector to a draper.

Joseph’s great great great great granddaughter also married a Lanyon!