yeovil people

charles Greenham

Glove Manufacturer

 

Charles Greenham was born 19 July 1797 in Yeovil, the second son of wealthy glove manufacturer John Greenham and Elizabeth née Parsons. He lived in Hendford House (now the Manor Hotel) in Hendford with his brother Frederick Greenham.

Pigot's Directory of 1824 listed the company of Greenham & Edwards as Glove Manufacturers of Vicarage Street, and Pigot's Directory of 1830 listed the company as Greenham, Sons & Edwards, Glove Manufacturers of Vicarage Street indicating that Charles and his brother Frederick had joined their father's glove manufacturing business by this time.

In 1829 Charles married Frances James, daughter of John and Elizabeth James at Lydney, Gloucestershire.

In 1830 Charles Greenham was a Churchwarden at St John's church, a member of the Vestry and also became a Town Commissioner. In the Poll Books of 1832 and 1834 he was listed as living in Hendford and also as an occupier of lands in Hendford.

In 1837 Charles Greenham, Glove Manufacturer, was listed in a House of Commons Private Bill concerning Railway Subscription Projects, as an investor in the 'South Western, or Kingsworthy & West Monkton Railway', subscribing £500 (about £54,000 at today's value using the 'historic opportunity cost' of an investment project).

The Somerset Gazette Directory of 1840 listed Charles as a glove manufacturer of Hendford. The 1841 census listed Charles as a glove manufacturer living in Hendford with his wife Frances, eight-year-old son Henry, five-year-old daughter Lucy, one-year-old daughter Agnes and two servants. Pigot's Directory of 1842 listed him as a glove manufacturer of Vicarage Street - the only Greenham still to be listed as such. It would seem that his brother Frederick had left the family gloving business on the death of their father in 1838 and his marriage certificate of 1840 described him as a merchant.

Charles was a Custos of Woborn Almshouse in 1843 and 1844 and served as Warden of the almshouse in 1845 and 1846. He was a committee member of the new Huish School in 1845. In the Poll Book of 1846 Charles was listed as living in Vicarage Street but also owned freehold land in Reckleford occupied by JW Bowring Jnr.

By 1851 Charles and Frances, with their family, had left Yeovil and moved to her hometown of Lydney in Gloucestershire. The census recorded Charles as an Iron Master but it is not known in what capacity he was there. The Lydney ironworks had been leased to John James in 1814 and the lease was surrendered in 1847. This may have been when Charles moved to Lydney. A new lease for the ironworks was granted to the Allaway family but it is not known if there was a family connection between the Greenhams and the Allaways. The census listed Frances as a 'Lady' so I'm assuming Charles wasn't banging steel in the forge with a hammer!

In the 1861 census Charles, Frances and their family were living in Highfield House, Lydney, with three servants. Charles was again listed as 'Iron Master' as was his son Henry.

Charles Greenham died at Lydney on 7 January 1866, aged 69

 

Charles Greenham's signature against the Vestry minutes of 3 March 1831. 

 

See Family Tree