John Dell x 2

[Asa]

Can anyone help me with these two?

Father and son both named John Dell. Father was baptised in 1739 in Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire where his father was a carpenter. Several of his siblings and maternal relations lived in Piccadilly and Marylebone. John was alive in 1763 (father's will) and dead by 1775 (mother's will) but his mother's will mentions his son John.

In her will of 1777, John senior's sister-in-law Elizabeth Dell of St James Westminster makes provision for the younger John, "an infant of about ten" to become an apprentice when he's older.

I think it's likely the younger John is John son of John and Mary Dell baptised in 1767 at St James Piccadilly, a church much used by the family. However, I can't find a marriage for a John Dell to a Mary which might be the parents.

It looks likely that John junior survived as there is a witness of the name to a family marriage in 1785 back in Little Marlow. John senior only had one brother who left no children so unless it's a coincidence or more distant relation...

Looking at the Apprentices Indentures, I don't think John junior is the one in Enfield because I think that's a different family altogether. The alternative is one being apprenticed to John Purdom of St Sepulchre a cabinet maker in 1786.

Two John Dells stand out for me. A John Dell of the right age marries a Sarah Phelps in Holborn in 1791 and becomes a papermaker in Great Marlow, leaving a will in 1820. There is a witness to the marriage, George Dell but I have no idea who he might be unless he was an unmentioned brother to John junior - I have nothing on the wife and mother of the two Johns.

There's also a John Dell who became a Freeman of London in 1818 by redemption joining the company of Pattenmakers. What interests me is that "coal dealer" is circled at the bottom of the page. Of the relations in the Westminster area of London, five were coal dealers/ merchants.

[kiterunner]

Found a Westminster marriage on FMP:
St Geo Han Sq, Westminster: John Dell otp, widower & Mary Floyd of St Margarets Westminster, spinster, married by licence 17 Jan 1765, witnesses Henry Floyd and Challis Mather (serial witness)

[Asa]

Thanks Kate - I think I dismissed that because he's a widower but he could well be at 26. There's a bit of a mystery about John, cut out of a will at 22 for his ill conduct. I'll look into it.

[Asa]

I think that marriage is probably him but I can't find anything to prove or disprove it :/