Eliot , family , of the City of London Howard , family , chemists

Eliot , family , of the City of London Howard , family , chemists

John Eliot senior (1683-1762) was born at St Austell, Cornwall, and was a successful merchant in Falmouth for some years before he moved to London, where he prospered with homes in Croydon and Bartholomew Lane, City of London. His son John (1707-1735) married Mariabella, the daughter of a wealthy tobacco merchant Peter Briggins, from whom he inherited property on which several houses were built in Bartholomew Close in the City. This became the Eliot family home, for it was a quiet and pleasant district, although in 1802 Bartholomew Fair was "Attended with unusual violence" (number 1371).

John Eliot inherited other property, including The King's Head Inn, Southwark, and property in Threadneedle Street and Mile End. The family appear to have retained the Falmouth House, and appear to have had an agent there to look after the business and estate interests. Eliot several times sent his grandson John (1735-1813) to attend to business and the West country Estates in or near Liskeard, Cornwall-Gormellick, Landazzard and Treworgey (see Nos. 116-156)-Topsham, Devon, and Ashmore Farm, Dorset, purchased by John Eliot in 1765 (see Nos. 157-3725).

A near neighbour of the Eliots was Robert Howard, metal and tin-plate worker of Old Street. The son of a brazier of Folkestone, he set up in London, and was one of many business and scientific men who borrowed money from John Eliot (III) the underwriter (see Number 929). His place of business was a large works, employing many local workmen, in Old Street on the site of the present Howard buildings; his daughter when an old woman wrote down her recollections of the works (Number 1709).

Robert Howard associated with A. Argand, the Swiss inventor of the standard oil lamp. The eldest son Robert spent some time at the Argand works near Geneva in 1788-9 and in his letters home he describes the lamps and the improvements, including the addition of the familiar double glass chimney, which it appears Howard effected on his own lamps (See Numbers 1297-1311). In later years the Howards paid an allowance to Argand and his daughter in their old age (see Numbers 1493-1513).

A daughter of the third John Eliot, Mariabella (1769-1852) married a son of Robert Howard, Luke (1772.-1864), who eventually inherited most of the Eliot property and was also a scientist of some note. Luke Howard served his apprenticeship with a chemist, Olive Sims, in Cheshire (see Nos. 1372-1377) and later founded a chemical manufacturing business at Plaistow (later moved to Stratford) in Essex, at first in conjunction with William Allen and then for a few years with Joseph Jewell. There are occasional references to the laboratory and to chemical experiments in Luke's letters and diaries.

Luke Howard, a member of the Askesian Society and elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1821, was especially known for his work in meteorology and for formulating the nomenclature of the clouds ( the familiar "cirrus", "nimbus", etc. ) Amongst other works he published in 1818 The Climate Of London (a copy of the enlarged 2nd. edition, 1833, is in the LMA library). He often noted weather conditions and barometer readings in his pocket diaries (see Nos. 1397-1406). This practice was also done regularly by an Eliot ancestor, Peter Briggins, in his diaries (see No. 2). Luke and Mariabella Howard lived at Plaistow near the laboratory when their children were young. Mariabella kept meticulous household accounts (Nos. 1394-1396) and also wrote charming letters to her husband and brother, mainly about the children. The eldest son was lively and needed a strict hand. At seven years old he helped his mother to bottle a cask of sweet wine, but "he tasted a little more wine...[and] a good deal of sugar off Mary's pies...and poor fellow he has smarted for his naughty tricks" (no. 1431). Mother was indulgent, but father recommended a rhubarb pill daily to cure his sweet tooth, and his grandfather insisted that he should not be allowed near the fishponds when visiting the cousins at Aspley.

Two of the sons followed early in their father's footsteps (Robert carried on the business, John became F.R.S) and as children on their seaside holidays at Folkestone they collected fossils, and seaweed to use as a hygrometer, while their sisters enjoyed bathing. While on such a holiday at Folkestone in 1812, Luke himself was questioned by armed men who were searching for a French General thought to be hiding in the neighbourhood (No. 1643). The daughters attended Quaker schools in Isleworth and Tottenham. There is no mention of the sons' schooling, but they may have attended the Quaker public school at Ackworth near Pontefract, Yorkshire, a school in which John Eliot (who lent money to the trustees) and Luke Howard were interested. Pontefract was the home of Luke Howards maternal relations, the Leathams. Later Luke purchased "The Villa" at Ackworth, which became his chief home (although there are no deeds of this property amongst his collection). Before moving to Ackworth, Luke Howard lived for a short time at Tottenham, Middlesex, and his son Robert lived there after his marriage to Rachel Lloyd, daughter of the Birmingham banker.

The Howards and Eliots and Peter Briggins were members of the Society of Friends. They normally attended the "Peel" meeting, which was handy for Bartholomew Close, but also went to Croydon and other places. John Eliot (III) and Luke Howard, in particular, attended meetings in various parts of Britain and sometimes abroad. They corresponded regularly with other friends, chiefly on religious matters, and also kept memoranda of meetings and matters of faith; many of the family papers consist of this type of material. A memorandum of John Eliot (III) describes his attendance before the Lord Mayor of London to answer his refusal as a Quaker to pay "Steeple house" rates; and the churchwardens of St. Bartholomew several times distrained upon his pewter-although apologetically, as Eliot and his family were good to the poor of the parish. Luke Howard was also afraid of destraint upon the laboratory. Church tithes, too, were refused on religious grounds and the "priest" personally attended the sheep shearing on the Eliot's Dorset estate, but "was uneasy at having to take it from a person who refused on religious grounds paying." Amongst essays on matters of faith is an article by Robert Howard senior refuting rumours that Quakers were hoarding corn during the shortage at the time of the French Wars. Luke Howard served on many Friends philanthropic committees.