Laslett family history

Richard and Mary Laslett of London

Richard Laslett was born at Hoaden Farm, Ash and baptised at Ash on 29 July 1832. He was the second son of George Laslett, a farmer at Hoaden farm, Ash, and his wife Mary Ann Laslett née Hunt (page 70).

The 1851 census shows that Richard was a linendraper's assistant at Commerce House, 6 Kennington Cross, Kennington, Lambeth, Surrey.

Richard married his sister in law's sister Mary Ann Hart. Mary had been born in 1836 (1881 census says 1831) Woolwich.

Census records show that Richard was a Master Draper there and may have brought his brother George up to Brighton.

The 1861 census shows his business was at 20 Western Road, Brighton shows and that he appears to employ his brother in law John W. Hart then aged 20 (born Woolwich Kent) and unmarried as a Drapers Assistant. There was also a James Mason (unmarried, age 17, born Stalford (?) Essex) show as a Drapers Assistant and Mary Wichlershaw (unmarried, age 17, born Wales) shown as a House Servant. In addition Sarah Brazier and Mary Arnold together with Henrietta Laslett, the wife of Richard's brother Thomas, and her infant son Arthur were shown as visitors.

Various Folthorp's Directory (1862, 1865 & 1869) record R. Laslett, linendraper, hosier, etc at 20 Western Road and as the last child was born at Brigton in 1870 it appears Richard made the move up to London in the early 1870s.

He probably sold his business to C.A. Parker but appears to have helped set up his brother George who would have taken over Richard's customers. George is shown in the 1875 Folthorp's Directory as being a draper at 16 Edward St. The same directory records C.A. Parker as fancy draper & milliner at 20 Western Street. The 1881 census gives his address as 12 Clifton St., Brighton, Sussex and occupation as ‘shop walker (draper)’. By this stage he had only one child living there ‘Percy S.’ a 15 year old son who was a student teacher. Richard also had two older (50 & 65) woman lodgers living there plus a young female servant.

We have not traced Richard's later life in London but note that the 1881 Post Office London directory shows the firm of Laslett, Woodroffe & Co., Manufacturer's Agents at 38 Wood Street, Cheapside. This conflicts with the 1881 UK census which shows Richard and Mary as living at 12 Clifton Street, Brighton. Richard’s occupation is given as a Shopwalker (Drapers). It would be posssible that Richard worked for his brother George who at this time was running and owning a very successful drapers at 74 Blatchington Road, Hove, employing, so it states, his family. A Percy Saville age 16 was the only other person listed as living in Brighton with Richard and Mary in the 1881 census.

Family of Richard and Mary Laslett

Sons

WILLIAM HENRY - borm 10 March 1858 at 24 Western Road, Brighton Sussex. Married Laura Watson Renney on 3 February 1904. William worked in the Baltic timber trade until his death in June 1917 at Riga in Russia.

See chapter William and Laura Laslett of Riga on page 130.

ARCHIBOLD CHARLES - born 1860 at Brighton Sussex. Died at Brighton in 1871 aged 11.
ERNEST RICHARD - born 1862 at Brighton Sussex. In the 1881 census was listed as a servant at North Street, Portslade, where the head of house was John Lewry a draper.
SIDNEY HERBERT – born 1864 at Brighton, Sussex. Died at Lewis in 1921.
BERTRAM - born 1866 at Brighton Sussex. Died Brighton in 1886.
JOHN HART - born 1867 at Brighton Sussex. In the 1881 census was listed at school in Gillingham, Dorset as a border. Died at the Isle of Wight in 1893 aged 26.
EDWARD – born 1868 at Brighton. In the 1881 census was at 130 Kings Street, Ramsgate. Head of house was James Laslett who was a shop owner.

Daughter

FLORENCE EMILY - born 1870 at Brighton Sussex. In the 1881 census living at 12 Goldstone Villas, Hove. This was presumably a school as head of house was Mr Simmons (invalided) and his wife was a school mistress and there were several other scholars there.
EDITH ELLEN – born 1872. In the 1881 census was at same school as Florence.


Hello Patrick,

Re. Richard and Mary Laslett of London

I have a few disagreements with the account given on this page above:

1. Concerning their sons
2. Concerning the birth date of Mary Ann Hart
3. The London connection [possibly].

First here is what I have found:

1857 Richard Laslett 24 married Mary Ann Hart 26 at Lewisham
Richard’s parents: George and Mary Ann Laslett of Ash
Mary Ann’s parents: Henry and Mary Hart of Woolwich
Mary Ann Hart was the older [not the younger] sister of Henrietta Hart who married Richard’s brother Thomas Hunt Laslett.
In 1851 I think possibly that Mary Ann [21] was a teacher in Woodford Essex

Richard and Mary Ann had seven sons:

1858 William Henry Laslett Brighton
1860 Archibald Charles Laslett Brighton
1862 Ernest Richard Laslett Brighton
1864 Sydney Herbert Laslett Brighton
1865 Percy Saville Laslett Brighton
1866 Bertram Laslett Brighton
1867 John Hart Laslett Brighton
1891 Richard Laslett died aged 59 at Brighton Sussex.

Percy Saville was omitted from your list and Edward [b. 1868] was included but I don’t think Edward was their son. I think he was one of twin sons [Ernest and Edward] of James Laslett of Ramsgate [see 1871 Census]

I have found Richard in Brighton in 1861,1871,1881. All his sons were born in Brighton from 1858 to 1867 and he died in Brighton in 1891.

So far I have found no evidence of a London connection - but it might turn up!

Donald