A lucky find today added a second record of Samuel Clissett's (1737-c1805) occupation as chairmaker. It comes from the newspaper Berrow's Worcester Journal for 15th November 1770, and reads:
On the 20th of last Month a dreadful Fire broke out at the Dwelling-House of Samuel Clissett, of Longdon, Chair-maker and Victualler, which consumed the greatest Part of the Furniture, with all his Timber and Working Tools, to the entire Ruin of the poor Man, with a Wife and four Children. Some very worthy, humane Gentlemen have already contributed to the Relief of this distressed Family, whose Example, we hope, will be readily followed by many other well-disposed Persons.
Not only does this push back the earliest record of a Clissett chairmaker (though only by 7 years), it also tells us that Samuel was not surviving by chairmaking alone, but also as a victualler - i.e. a tavern keeper.
Having been made destitute by the fire in October, and apparently having lost his first wife sometime in the previous 12 months or so, Samuel married for the second time in December 1770. His new wife was Sarah Tayler, Philip Clissett's grandmother.
I would like to be able to say that I have carefully searched newspapers back to 1770, but the truth is that this was a chance Google find. This newspaper is not on the British Library database (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) but turned up on a site I've not seen before at www.lastchancetoread.com
On the 20th of last Month a dreadful Fire broke out at the Dwelling-House of Samuel Clissett, of Longdon, Chair-maker and Victualler, which consumed the greatest Part of the Furniture, with all his Timber and Working Tools, to the entire Ruin of the poor Man, with a Wife and four Children. Some very worthy, humane Gentlemen have already contributed to the Relief of this distressed Family, whose Example, we hope, will be readily followed by many other well-disposed Persons.
Not only does this push back the earliest record of a Clissett chairmaker (though only by 7 years), it also tells us that Samuel was not surviving by chairmaking alone, but also as a victualler - i.e. a tavern keeper.
Having been made destitute by the fire in October, and apparently having lost his first wife sometime in the previous 12 months or so, Samuel married for the second time in December 1770. His new wife was Sarah Tayler, Philip Clissett's grandmother.
I would like to be able to say that I have carefully searched newspapers back to 1770, but the truth is that this was a chance Google find. This newspaper is not on the British Library database (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) but turned up on a site I've not seen before at www.lastchancetoread.com
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