Samuel Gordon
| Born: 17 Apr 1855 | Died: 1 Jan 1925 | Married: Janet Balfour | Mother: | Father: Joseph Gordon | Descendant: Eugenie Gordon |
| Census | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 |
Samuel Gordon was born on the 17th April 1855 at either 11 Plough Alley, or 11 Great Hermitage Street, Wapping, London (the docks).
He was baptised on the 13th May 1855 at St. George in the East, Stepney, Cannon Street Road.
His father was Joseph Gordon a labourer and his mother was Mary Healey.
His parents are currently unknown! I haven't found Samuel in the 1861 census, and he is not living at Hermitage Street.
The address for his birth comes from the 1871 census where a Samuel Gordon of the correct age, 15, is living as a lodger with his sister 13 year old Hanna Gordon at 25&27 Rood Lane, St Gabriel Fenchurch, London. He is a clerk, and she is a scholar, and under "Where Born" the address of "11 Gt. Hermitage St. Wapping" is given.
On the 9th April 1876 he married Janet Hunter Balfour, from Fife in Scotland, at the Regent Square Church, St Pancras, London.
By 1881 they are living together at 84 Marchmont Street, St Pancras, London with their first three children, Mary, Helen and David. Samuel is a fishmonger, and they have both a servant girl, and a nurse. On the opposite side of the street, in number 77, is a household with James and Mary Balfour (42 and 43) which (if they are relatives) may possibly explain how he came to meet Janet. The family says that he had a fish and game shop on Marchmont street.
By 1891 they have moved to 60 Compton Street, St Pancras where they have had six more children, twins Hannah and Jane Garvie, Isabella, Alice, Eugenie and Samuel J. Gordon. At this time Samuel is still a Fishmonger, but his place of birth is given as Wapping in London (rather than St Pancras). Even with this number of children they can still afford a servant!
This picture taken in 1977 shows the fishmonger's shop on Marchmont street. The tiles on the wall behind the unfortunately placed Jaguar car still spell out the name "Gordon", although it is unknown if a Gordon still ran the shop at this time.
The tiles are no longer there (replaced by a window), and the shop is now the "Moreish Deli".
There is a separate page for the Marchmont St. fishmonger's shop, as given it was established in 1803 (according to the adverts) then it predates Samuel's birth!
They are still at 60 Compton Street for the 1901 census, where they have gained three more children, John, George, and Eva, although sadly we appear to have lost young Samuel, whose death (Samuel James Gordon) was registered in the September quarter of 1891 in St Pancras at the age of 2 (Pancras, 1b, 49).
Birth
His birth certificate stated he was born at 11 Plough Alley in Saint John (Wapping). Plough Alley, despite being immortalised in a song, no longer exists, but in today's map it would be in Wapping between Hellings Street and Lilley Close, just off Great Hermitage street (which is where later census entries said he was born).
| REGISTRATION DISTRICT Saint George (in the East) | |||||||
| 1855 BIRTH in the Sub-district of Saint John in the County of Middlesex | |||||||
| When and where born | Name, if any | Sex | Name and surname of father | Name, surname, and maiden name of mother | Occupation of father | Signature, description and residence of informant | When Registered |
| Seventeenth April 1855 11 Plough Alley |
Samuel | Boy | Joseph Gordon | Mary Gordon formerly Healey | General Labourer | Joseph Gordon, Father 11 Plough Alley |
Nineteenth April 1855 |
Marriage
On the 9th April 1876 Samuel married Janet Hunter Balfour, from Fife in Scotland, at the Regent Square Church, St Pancras, London.
Children
Here is the list of their children:
- Mary Gordon (~1877)
- Helen Gordon (~1879)
- David Gordon (~1881)
- Jane/Jean/Jeanie Garvie Gordon (~1883)
- Hannah I. Gordon (~1883)
- Isabella Gordon (~1885)
- Alice Gordon (31st October 1885 at 84 Marchmont St., baptised 14th Febuary 1886 at the parish of St Pancras.)
- Eugenie Gordon (~1888)
- Samuel J. Gordon (~1889-1891)
- John Gordon (~1892)
- George Gordon (~1894)
- Eva Gordon (~1896)
BMD: George Donald Gordon, 1894,Apr-May-Jun, Pancras, London, Volume:1b, Page:56
BMD: George Gordon, Jul-Aug-Sep,1893, Pancras, London, Volume: 1B, Page: 52, Line Number: 343
On the night of 2 April 1911, the family are living at 76 Marchmont Street, London. There are six children still with them, including Eugenie Gordon, plus a servant Evelyn Marsh.
Death
Probate
GORDON, Samuel of 148 Castelnau Barnes Surrey died 1 January 1925. Probate London 24 February to Janet Hunter Gordon widow. Effects £21067 6s. 10d.
Note: the amount of £21067 in 1925, would be worth around £1.1M in 2017.
Samuel and Janet were buried in the Christian portion of the Jewish Cemetery at Golders Green (Hoop Lane?).
Other References
Telephone Directory His entry in the telephone book in 1941-56 read:
"Gordon, Samuel Fishmonger, 76 Mrchmnt st W.C.1 *EUSton 2271"
Those for 1951-1963 had a top of the page advertisement as well (as shown above).
By 1984 the advertisement had gone, and the entry said:
"Gordon Samuel Ltd. Fishmgr, 76 Marchmont St W.C.1 01-387-2271 & 01-387-0089"
Currently 76 Marchmont street contains something called "Bar-B-Lo"...
In 2001 a planning application was granted to add some signage to the basement entrance for "Bloom's Bar" The main shop has a sign entitled "1 HOUR PHOTOS".
The main shop is currently "Snappy Snaps".
Next door, 77 Marchmont Street is now "La Bardigiana", an Italian restaurant.
Other unconnected information: BMD: Samuel Gordon died aged 1, SeptemberQ 1892 Whitechapel Vol 1c Page 203
BMD: Samuel Gordon died aged 1, JuneQ 1901, St.Geo.East, Vol 1c, Page 209
BMD: Samuel Gordon died aged 81, MarchQ 1909, Lambeth, Vol 1d, Page 242
BMD: Samuel Gordon died aged 57, MarchQ 1903, Prestwich (Lancs) Vol 8d, Page 306
BMD: Hannah Gordon died aged 47, DecemberQ 1904, Elham (Kent) Vol 2a, Page 665
BMD: Hannah J. Gordon died aged 53, September 1910, Ashton (Chesh/Lancs) Vol 8d, Page 307
BMD: Isabella Mary A. Gordon married either William Robert C. Luckhurst or Henry Augustus Brown (Minnie Johnson other female) in SeptQ 1904, Holborn, 1b, 1367
BMD: Isabella Gordon married either Walter Archer or Edward Robert West (Charlotte Rackstraw) in MarQ 1902, Camberwell, 1d, 1037
BMD: Jean Garvie Gordon, Marriage, Jun 1908, St. Giles, Volume 1b, Page 1059 (males on that page transcribed so far are Thomas Bateman Bassham and William Chatwynd Gardiner). Images confirm that there is no Robert Watson on that page.
Descendent of Samuel Gordon:
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/Middlesex_County_UK/2005-02/1108425941
From: "Wayne & Lyn" < angel777@optusnet.com.au> Subject: Surnames BALFOUR GORDON RITCHIE HUNTER Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2005 11:06:41 +1100
Hello to the list,
I am researching my family from Torryburn Fife Scotland. Some migrated to Middlesex so I am posting the surnames to see if any other researcher is about linking to these families.
Janet Hunter BALFOUR born 1853 Torryburn married Samuel GORDON born 1855 Middlesex Eng in 1876 Saint Pancras London. They appear on the 1881 Census living at 84 Marchmont Street London with their children Mary, Helen and David. Janet's parents were David BALFOUR and Janet HUNTER. Samuel GORDON was a fishmonger by trade.
James BALFOUR born 1839 Torryburn Fife and his wife Mary are also on the 1881 Census living at 77 Marchmont Street London. James was a Baker by trade, his parents were James BALFOUR and Mary RITCHIE.
Kind regards
Lyn in Melbourne Aust