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Hugo’s Toy Theatre
John Kilby Green - Family History
(UNDER
CONSTRUCTION)
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Sarah Day |
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(Sarah Halliday?) |
= 25 Aug 1815 |
John Kilby Green |
= ?? ??? 18?? |
Susannah Dimmock |
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John Green? |
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Susannah Green? |
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BIRTH OF THE INVENTOR
John Kilby Green was baptised on
2nd May 1790 at Ayot St Peter in rural Hertfordshire, the son of
James Green and his wife Sarah.
His name was spelt with an “e”
in Kilb(e)y, but this was the only time this spelling was used.
It is believed his birthday was
15th April 1790.
(Source
Ayot St Peter Herts DP/11)
No other records have been found for James and Sarah Green, other than a possible marriage in Ayot St Peter in October 1785, between James Green and Sarah Day.
(Ayot St Peter, as engraved by JK Green)
ARRIVAL IN LONDON
In his interview with Henry
Mayhew in 1850, William West stated that “a Prentice of the name of Green, who worked at Mr.
Simkin's, an engraver in Denmark-court” had engraved for him. It is highly possible
that Green was either apprenticed to West at some stage or worked for him. The
fact that Green managed to produce the same works as West, but with an earlier
date suggests that he had access to West’s drawings and engravings. When Green
later claimed to be the “Original Inventor” he declared that he had established
his business in 1808. Was this when he was with Mr Simkin’s or was this when he
may have been with West. An apprenticeship usually lasted for 6 years and it
would have been highly likely that Green commenced his apprenticeship at the
age of 13 or 14, so if he really started his own business in 1808 he would only
have been 18 and still in his apprenticeship period. I suspect that Green’s
claim to have started in 1808 was a slight exaggeration and he more likely
commenced business nearer 1810 or even 1811. Green’s first known works appear
with an imprint date of 1811.
Green
continued printing in London until 1814, with his last product “Tiger Horde”,
but soon afterwards he disappeared. Until very recently it had only been
conjecture as to what happened in the “missing” years, but it now appears
highly likely that Green joined the army and at some point was stationed near
Rutland.
1st
MARRIAGE
On the 25th August
1815 there was an entry for a marriage between John Kilby Green and Sarah
Halliday at Oakham in Rutland. The coincidence is too much to be considered as
any other John Kilby Green. The signature, although no comparison exists, is
that of an educated man with a degree of flamboyance that stands out in the
letter “K” (see above). Just the sort of person who could be an engraver.
Follow this with the birth a
possible son, John Green, baptised at the same church and described as the son
of John Green (a soldier) & wife Sarah. The fact that this John Green was a
soldier adds credence to the joining the army theory.
(Source Oakham DE2694/4)
After 1818 the trail for John
Kilby Green runs cold. Nothing more is know of him until his re-appearance at 3
George Street in Walworth in 1832. (The search continues…)
What happened to wife Sarah and
his son John is not known? Perhaps JK Green returned from overseas postings to
find that his wife had possibly died and his son flown the nest. Perhaps he
didn’t return to them at all and left them ignorant of his fate.
2nd
MARRIAGE
In 1832 we find John Kilby Green
back in London and printing again. He was living at 3 George Street in
Walworth, with his young bride Susannah Green, nee Dimmock, this assumes that
he in fact married her. So far no marriage has been located. From the 1841
Census, Susannah was born outside of Surrey and the 1851 Census shown her to be
born in Ipswich in Essex.
THE CHILDREN OF THE INVENTOR
Newington, Walworth & Lambeth
On 13 May 1835 John Kilvy Green and Sarah Green were baptised at St Mary, Newington, Southwark. Their birth dates were given as 10th March 1835 & 19th October 1833 respectively. The parents were listed as John Kilvy & Susanna Green.
(Source – IGI Batch C055632)
On 30th
June 1837 John Kilby Green was baptised at St
Peter, Walworth, Southwark. His birth date was given as 22nd
September 1836. The parents were listed as John Kilby & Susanna Green.
Father’s occupation was “Engraver”. Their abode was given as Salisbury Place.
(Source - St Peter, Walworth Baptisms - LMA X014/119A-Page 93)
(This would indicate that the first John Kilvy Green should have died. As yet no burial has been found.)
1841 Census
1841 Census Extract
HO107-1061-6 Folio 55
Lambeth
Square, St Mary, Lambeth, Surrey
Names
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Age
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Occupation
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Born in Surrey
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John Green |
50 |
Engraver |
No |
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John Green |
4 |
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Yes |
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George Green |
2 |
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Yes |
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Susannah Green |
25 |
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No |
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Susannah Green |
11 |
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No |
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Sarah Green |
7 |
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Yes |
This shows that there is a Susannah Green aged 11, therefore born about 1830. Because JK Green’s wife Susannah Green was only 25 in 1841 and even allowing for the rounding which took place in the 1841 Census (down to the nearest 5 years over the age of 15) Susannah must have been younger than 30. It is possible that this Susannah was their first child or maybe she was the child from his first marriage. Until we find the marriage of JK Green and Susannah we can’t be sure.
On 10th April 1845 Clara Green was born at 16
Park Place, East Street, Walworth.
Father = John Kilby Green – Printer
Mother = Susannah Green formerly Dimmock
Informant was John Kilby Green – Father – 16 Park Place,
East Street, Walworth
(Source Birth Certificate)
On 15th November 1848 Ellen Green was baptised
at St Peter, Walworth
Date of birth was given as 17th September 1848
Abode given as Thurlow Place
Father = John Kilby Green – Engraver
Mother = Susannah
(Source - St Peter, Walworth Baptisms - LMA X087/179-Page 194)
1851 Census
1851 Census Extract
HO107-1567 Folio 619 Page 12
9 Thurlow
Place, Walworth, Surrey
Names
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RtoH
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Age
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Occupation
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Place of Birth
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John Kilbey Green |
Head |
61 |
Historical Engraver |
Ayot-St-Peter, Hertfordshire |
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Susanna Green |
Wife |
40 |
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Ipswich, Suffolk |
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Sarah Green |
Daur |
12 |
Scholar at home |
Walworth |
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John Green |
Son |
10 |
Scholar at home |
Walworth |
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George Green |
Son |
8 |
Scholar at home |
Walworth |
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Clara Green |
Daur |
4 |
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Walworth |
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Ellen Green |
Daur |
2 |
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Walworth |
(All the children seem to have lost a few years, as their ages shown do not tally with dates of birth or the 1841 census. It is suspected that either this is a transcription error or JK Green was a little unclear when filling in the Census Return.)
Death
On 21st August 1857 Susannah Green died aged
45, of 9 Thurlow Place.
Her occupation was given as “Wife of John Green – Copper
Plate Engraver”
The Cause of death was given as Bronchitis (3 months).
Informant to the Death was “John Green, present at the death of 8 Thurlow Place, Walworth”
(It appears odd that the address given by John Green was 8 Thurlow Place, perhaps this was John K Green junior?)
(Source – Susannah Green - Death
Certificate)
She was buried at St Mary, Newington, on 26th
August 1857.
(Source - St Mary, Newington Burials - LMA X099/064-Page 64-Entry No.509)
On 29th February 1860 John Kilby Green died at
29 Thurlow Place, Walworth Common. He was 70 years old.
Cause of death was Natural Paralysis & General Decay
There was a coroner’s inquest (held on 6th
March 1860), which was surprising for such an ordinary death of a 70 year old.
(Source – John Kilby Green - Death
Certificate)
The children of John Kilby Green
John Green baptised 1818 (died before 1833?)
Susannah Green born about 1830
John Kilvy Green born 1833 (died before 1835?)
Sarah Green born 1835
John Kilby Green born 22nd September 1836
George James Green born about 1838
Clara Green born 16th April 1846
Ellen Green born 17th September 1848
End