In attempting to unravel this maker's history, it soon appeared that there were quite a lot of cutlers in that part of the world, a bit like the disproportionate amount of cutlers working at Thaxted, Suffolk. Thaxtead was an established cutlery base from the 13th to 16th centuries, but why? No local materials or other inducements to establish the trade - the only thing in its favour was the rent was cheap. Maybe the same holds true for Lewes?
One of the difficulties in researching William English is that he came from a town near Lewes variously called Cliff, Cliffe, Cliffe-by-Lewes, or St. Thomas-in-the-Cliffe.
Here is a listing corroberating the parish of Cliffe dated 1755:
Attachment 203121
In the ancestry databases there are two more William English entries dated 1741 and 1752 - they might well be typos as to the dates and refer to the same man, but these are birth records. Our William English was already established as a cutler in 1755, so he may have had a son called William.
We have a later clip of an advert posted by a William English in 1763, but the location is given as Brighthelmstone. Brighthelmstone or Brighthelmston was used as a name for Brighton in the 1700s and Earlier. Brighton is only about 9 miles from Lewes, so it may refer to our William English:
Attachment 203122
In the Universal British Directory of 1791 we have a Thomas English and a Joseph English recorded - sons of William or siblings?
The following clipping covers the years 1743 - 1807, but we cannot date it precisely. It does however add a bit to William's lineage.
Attachment 203113
This clipping which covers the year 1808 mentions William English:
Attachment 203111
An 1811 trades journal mentions William English and the fact that he also had the Union Coach Company. Sometime between 1811 and 1820 (probably 1815) he was declared bankrupt.
Curiously in 1820 we have a recording of a right-of-way being bought by Joseph English, Cutler of Cliffe, for seven years.
In 1823 William was still going strong, though:
Attachment 203114
It also might provide more family members. Sarah is possibly the wife of William English or of Joseph English, but what is the relationship between William and Joseph?
A National Trust document provides another insight:
Attachment 203120
but also adds to the confusion, for if William died prior to 1784 (takes a while to gain probate) then are we talking about William senior, husband of Anne? If so, why is William junior not mentioned?
The only thing we can surmise from the above is that the company was still going in 1823 and there must have been a younger William as well as Benjamin, Thomas and Joseph English, and that the firm carried on at least up to the Coronation of King William IV (the 'Sailor King'), June 1830
Regards,
Neil
