Yeovil people

George Eason

Glove Manufacturer

 

George Eason was born in Yeovil, the bastard son of Elinor (also Eloner) Eason (b1745) and an unknown father. He was baptised at St John's church on 7 August 1782. Having said that, it transpires that his father may not have been as unknown as the records would suggest, since in his will of 1817 Richard Taylor wrote "... unto my illegitimate Son George Taylor otherwise Eason Son of Eleanor Eason Spinster dec[eas]ed...".

George was a glove manufacturer in partnership with, it transpires, his father Richard Taylor. In January 1810 they were paid £5 per head for binding Matthew Andrews, Samuel Hammond and John Hammond to apprenticeships. The three lads were from the Yeovil Charity School, and they were funded by the John Nowes Charity. The father and son partnership ended when Richard Taylor died in 1817.

on 15 January 1821, at St John's church, George married Rebecca Tucker by license. She was the daughter of Charles Tucker (1761-1798) of Chard and Nancy née Horsley. George and Rebecca were to have four children, all born in Yeovil; George (bap 4 November 1821-1880), Charles (bap 11 May 1823), Mary (bap 16 March 1826) and Emma Lance (bap 14 January 1828-1861). The two daughters are not mentioned in George's will, since both were born between his writing the will in February 1825 and his death on 31 August 1828.

George was recorded as living at Townsend in Pigot's Directory of 1824.

George Eason died, after a short illness, on 31 August 1828. He was aged 46. Although George had provided well for his family in his will, Rebecca was left to bring up 6-year-old George, 5-year-old Charles, 2-year-old Mary and 7-month-old Emma on her own. Rebecca initially moved back to her home town of Chard and then to Banbury, Oxfordshire. In the 1851 census she was recorded as a 56-year-old school mistress, as were her daughters Mary and Emma - all living at 19 Crouch Street, Banbury - where Rebecca ran her own school with 15 boarding pupils at the time of the census..

 

Map

 

A sketch map based on Edward Bullock Watts' 1827 map of Yeovil. George Eason's houses and garden are seen to the left - what is today the row of shops in Lower Middle Street running to what would become Wyndham Street. Townsend Close, owned by George, is seen at the right.

 

Gallery

 

The entry of George's baptism of 7 August 1782 in St John's parish register. The 'B' to the left of his name indicates his bastardy.

 

The entry of George and Rebecca's 15 January 1821 marriage in St John's parish register.

 

The notice of George and Rebecca's marriage from the 25 January 1821 edition of the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette.

 

The notice of George's death at the age of 49 from the 10 September 1828 edition of the Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser.

 

The 1825 will of george eason

 

This is the last Will and Testament of me George Eason of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Glove Manufacturer I give and devise all that my close of land at the eastern end of the Town of Yeovil called Townsend Close and also my garden at the eastern end of the orchard adjoining my dwelling house formerly a nursery called [Smoak?] Acre including a small part of the said Orchard now enclosed with the said garden unto my dear wife Rebecca Eason her heirs and assigns for ever I give and devise my dwelling house and all other my lands hereditaments and real estate in the parish of Yeovil aforesaid unto my friends William Hooper Masters of Yeovil aforesaid Glove manufacturer Thomas Fooks of the same place Glove Manufacturer and John Toms of Chard in the said County Grocer their heirs and assigns Upon the trusts hereinafter expressed and declared concerning the same that is to say As to for and concerning my dwelling house in my own occupation situate at the eastern end of the Town of Yeovil heretofore called the Punch bowl and the little garden behind the same with the orchard adjoining (except such part thereof as is enclosed with the said garden hereinbefore devised to my said wife and inclosing a small part of the said Nursery heretobefore called [Smoak?] Acre as the same is now fenced and divided with the stable leather dressing yard pits buildings and workshops adjoining and belonging to such dwelling house and now used by me for the purposes of my said business as far as the boundary wall which divided the same from my premises adjoining in the occupation of Messieurs William and Elias Whitby And also my dwelling house and back kitchen adjoining in the occupation of Mr Samuel Cayme with the little garden immediately behind the same In trust for and for the only benefit and advantage of my eldest son George Eason his heirs and assigns for ever but in case my said son shall happen to die under the age of twenty one years without lawful issue then In Trust for my second son Charles Eason his heirs and assigns for ever and in case my said son Charles Eason shall happen to die under the age of twenty one years without lawful issue then In Trust for my third son William Tucker Eason his heirs and assigns for ever And as to for and concerning all that my dwelling house and garden late Genge's adjoining the last mentioned premises and now in the occupation of Mr Elias Whitby with the Leather dressing yard workshops and buildings thereunto belonging now in the occupation of the said William and Elias Whitby In trust for my said second son Charles Eason his heirs and assigns for ever but in case my said son Charles Eason shall happen to die under the age of twenty one years without lawful issue then In Trust for my said eldest son George Eason his heirs and assigns for ever And in case my said son George Eason shall happen to die under the age of twenty one years without lawful issue then In Trust for my third son William Tucker Eason his heirs and assigns for ever And as to for and concerning All that my piece of Arable land in Penfield in the Parish of Yeovil aforesaid and my dwelling house in Reckleford in Yeovil aforesaid divided into three tenements In Trust for my youngest son William Tucker Eason his heirs and assigns for ever but in case my said son William Tucker Eason shall happen to die under the age of twenty one years without lawful issue then In Trust for my said eldest son George Eason his heirs and assigns for ever in case my said son George Eason shall happen to die under the age of twenty one years without lawful issue then In Trust for my second son Charles Eason his heirs and assigns for ever And in case all my said children shall happen to die under the age of twenty one years without lawful issue then as to all and singular the before mentioned dwellinghouses and premises so devised to my said Trustees upon the trusts aforesaid In trust for my said wife Rebecca Eason and her assigns for and during the term of her natural life & from and after her death in case of such failure of my issue as aforesaid then as for my said dwelling house leather dressing yard and premises late Genges in the occupation of the said William and Elias Whitby And also that part of the yard workshops and buildings in my own occupation which formerly belonged to and was purchased with such dwelling house bounded partly by Mr Isaacs orchard and partly by the [rivulet?] In trust for my kinsman the said Elias Whitby his heirs and assigns for ever And as to my said dwelling house in Reckleford with the appurt[enance]s In trust for Elias Helliar of Yeovil aforesaid Glove Cutter his heirs and assigns for ever And as to all other the beforementioned dwellinghouses and premises so devised to my said Trustees (from and after the death of my said wife and such failure of my issue as aforesaid) In trust for such person and for such estate and estates uses trusts [word illegible] intents and purposes as my said wife Rebecca Eason by her Will and Testament in writing or Codicil thereto duly executed and attested shall give devise direct or appoint And in default of such gift devise direction or appointment In trust for the right heirs of my said wife for ever I give and bequeath all my household goods and furniture liquor casks and [vessels?] plate linen and china my stock in trade whether manufactured or unmanufactured [book?] and other debts money and securities for money and all other my personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever (subject to the payment of my debts and my funeral and testamentary charges) unto my said wife Rebecca Eason her executors and administrators for her and their own proper use and benefit And I hereby declare that the provision hereby made for my said wife shall be taken and accepted by her in lieu and in satisfaction of all [word illegible] or thirds which she may be entitled to in or out of any messuages lands or real estate of which I may die seized I make and appoint the said William Hooper Masters Thomas Fooks and John Toms joint Executors In trust of this my Will And I hereby authorize and empower my said Trustees and the survivor of them and his heirs during the respective minorities of my said children to devise and let the said respective dwelling houses and premises so devised In trust for them as aforesaid to any person or persons for the best and most improved rent that can be reasonably had for the same And I direct that a sufficient part of the rent of the said premises respectively shall be from time to time applied by my said Trustees in repairing and keeping in repair the said buildings and premises and in insuring the same from loss or damage by fire And upon trust that they my said Trustees do and shall during the minority of any or other of my said children pay the remainder of the rents and profits of the said premises respectively which shall presumptively belong to such child or children under the trusts aforesaid unto my said wife and her assigns in case she shall so long remain my Widow but in case of the death or marriage again of my said wife during the minority of any or either of my said children I hereby further authorize and empower my Trustees for the time being to apply all or part of the rents of the premises so devised to or In trust for my said children respectively as aforesaid for his and their support maintenance and education or for establishing him or them respectively in any trade profession or business or otherwise for his or their benefit or advancement in life during their respective minorities And I hereby direct and declare that my said Trustees and their respective heirs executors and administrators shall be chargeable only for such monies and effects as they shall respectively actually receive by virtue of the trusts hereby in them reposed and that no one or more of them shall be answerable or accountable for the others or other of them nor for the acts or defaults of the other or others of them nor for any involuntary losses And that they and each of them shall and lawfully by virtue of the trusts aforesaid retain and reimburse and allow to each other all loss costs charges damages and expences which they or either of them shall or may sustain expend or be put unto in or about the execution or defence of the trusts hereby in them reposed In Witness whereof I the said George Eason have to this my last Will and Testament contained in four sheets of paper to the first three sheets thereof set my hand and to this fourth and last sheet thereof my hand and seal this eighteenth day of February One thousand eight hundred and twenty five

George Eason

Signed sealed published and declared by the said George Eason the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testator and of each other

Jno Batten     Jno Warden     John Gould Smith

 

Proved at London 8th Nov[embe]r 1828 before the Judge by the oaths of William Hooper Masters Thomas Fooks & John Toms the Executors to whom Adm[inistrati]on was granted having been first sworn by Com[missi]on duly to administer

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn