Charles Freeth (1797-1869)

Son of Thomas Freeth (1758-1826) and Mary Ann Durant (1764-1839)

Born	23 Mar 1797 at London
Baptised	25 Apr 1797 at St Pauls Church, Covent Garden, London
Married	Ann Gaby about 1815. (unable to find record of marriage)
Died	26 Jan 1869 at 12 Alpha Road, St Johns Wood

Family

We do not know details of Charles Freeth’s marriage to Ann Gaby. It possibly occurred in about 1815, based on the fact that Charles would have been around 18 at the time, and his eldest son was born in 1816. It is possible that Ann Gaby was born in 1793 and baptised on 8 September 1793, at the Bromham Parish Church, Wiltshire, daughter of Jacob and Mary Gaby (nee Bayly). Jacob and Mary were tenant farmers at Bencroft Farm, Bremhill, Wiltshire until around 1797 when they moved to Rathbone Place, London. The family remained at this address until shortly after 1817, when Jacob became a grocer in Lisson Grove, North Marylebone. Later they settled in Praed Street, Paddington.

Children from marriage between Charles Freeth and Ann Gaby:

1. Charles Freeth, born 17 Sep 1816 christened 4 Oct 1816 at St Marys Church, St Marylebone, London. Died 2 Apr 1884 at Hampstead, Middlesex buried 5 Apr 1884 at Highgate Cemetery
    
2. Ann Emma Freeth, born 6 Mar 1818 at Marylebone, London christened 16 Oct 1818 at St Mary, Marylebone. Died 6 Feb 1869 at Marylebone, London buried at Family Vault, Highgate Cemetery. She was always known as Emma (or Emmy). Never married.
    
3. Thomas Jacob Freeth, born 11 Oct 1819, christened 7 Nov 1819 at St Mary, Marylebone. Died 7 Nov 1904 at Fotherby, Louth
    
4. Maria Harriet Jane Freeth, born Abt 1827. Married Alfred Frederick Eden 10th February 1847 at the Parish Church, St Marylebone, Middlesex. Children include Alfred Charles Eden (25 Jan 1848), Edward Frederick Eden (9 Aug 1849), and Francis Ernest Eden (6 Sep 1852). In 1851 they lived at Owens Cottage, Blue Anchor Road, Southwark.
    
5. Ann Freeth, born Abt 1831. Married Edward Loysel in 1849. Edward Loysel is credited with inventing in 1843 the commercial version of the modern espresso coffee machine seen in many modern cafes. He presented it to the Paris Exposition in 1855. They had one surviving son, Paul Freeth Loysel, christened 16 Mar 1864. Ann, aged 69, was living with her nephew Reginald Freeth at Latimer Villa, 152 Hammersmith Road in the 1901 Census.
    
6. Mary Annette Freeth, born Abt 1832. Died 21 May 1914 at Bearsted, Kent. She was known as Annette.
    

Timeline

Date	Event
8 Sep 1793	Ann Gaby baptised
23 Mar 1797	Charles Freeth (elder) born 23 March 1797; christened 25 April 1797 at St Pauls Church, Covent Lane, London
1815?	Charles and Ann married (no record)
17 Sep 1816	Eldest son: Charles (younger) born 17 September 1816; christened 4 Oct 1816 St Marys Church, St Marylebone, London
6 Mar 1818	Ann Emma Freeth (“Emma”) born 6 March 1818; christened 16 Oct 1818 St Marys Church, St Marylebone, Middlesex
11 Oct 1819	Second Son: Rev Thomas Jacob Freeth born 11 October 1819; christened 7 Nov 1819, St Marys Church , St Marylebone, Middlesex
12 Feb 1824	Charles Freeth (elder), appointed agent of Sun Fire Office in Lisson Grove 12 Feb 1824 (must have been the elder Charles, aged 27; the younger was then aged only 8!)
1826	Pigots London Directory 1826/7 shows Freeth & Co haberdashers at 55 Lisson Grove, N. and also Chas Freeth Agent to the Sun Fire Office, 55 Lisson Grove, North, Marylebone
4 Feb 1826	Thomas Freeth (father) died; of 9 Queen Street, Islington
1827/8	Maria Harriet Jane Freeth born (no record)
1831	Ann Freeth born about 1831, according to 1841 census (no record). Later married Edward Loysel
1832/3	Mary Annette Freeth born (no record)
1835	Robson’s Directory 1835 shows Chas Freeth, Haberdasher, 55 Lisson Grove North
1838	Robson’s Directory 1838 shows C Freeth, Agent to Sun Fire & Life Office, 65 Welbeck Street
14 May 1839	Mary Ann Freeth (nee Durant, mother) died at No 9 Upper Queen Street, Islington
1840	Post Office Directory 1840 (and 1841) shows Chas Freeth jun, agent to Sun Fire & Life Office, 65 Welbeck Street
1841 Census	At St Anns Villas, St John’s Wood: Charles Freeth Snr aged 44 (Law Clerk), Ann aged 44 (wife), Charles Jnr aged 24 (agent Sun Fire Office), Thomas aged 21 (Student of Law), Emma aged 23, Ann aged 10, Mary aged 9
23 Nov 1841	Charles (younger) and Anna Elizabeth Turner married Witnessed by Emma A Turner, Maria Freeth
1847	Maria Harriet Jane Freeth married Alfred Frederick Eden
Q3 1849	Ann Freeth marries Edward Loysel in the parish of Marylebone
3 Aug 1850	Edward John Charles Loysel born 3 Aug 1850, christened 12 Feb 1851 St Marys, St Marylebone Rd, St Marylebone – son of Edward Loysel and Ann Freeth
1851 Census	At 5 Acacia Road, St Johns Wood, Middlesex: Charles Freeth (elder) aged 54 (Proprietor of houses), Ann Freeth aged 56, Ann E Freeth aged 33 (unmarried), Mary A Freeth aged 18 (unmarried). Ann Loysel (nee Freeth) and Edward Loysel living at 50 Acacia Road, St Johns Wood with son Edward J.C. (7mo) At Southwood Lane, Hamlet Highgate, Hornsey, London: Charles Freeth (younger) aged 34, Agent for the Sun Fire & Life Office, 65 Welbeck St Cavendish Square; Ann E Freeth, wife aged 32, Reginald Freeth, son aged 6 (scholar), Evelyn Freeth (4), Alice Ann Freeth (2), Harold Freeth (3mo) At Wolverhampton, Saint Peters Parish Thomas Jacob Freeth was a lodger at 15 Darlington Street, Wolverhampton, and shown as Curate of the Collegiate Rectorial and Parish Church of Saint Peters.
Q3 1854	Edward John Charles Loysel died, St Pancras, Middlesex
13 Nov 1860	Ann Freeth (Gaby) died 13 November 1860, aged 67
1861 Census	At 56 Acacia Road, St Johns Wood, Middlesex: Charles Freeth (elder) aged 64 (widower, House Proprietor), Ann E Freeth aged 43 (daughter, unmarried), Mary A Freeth aged 28 (daughter, unmarried), Alfred C Eden aged 13 (grandson, scholar), Francis E Eden aged 8 (grandson, scholar) At 89 High Street, Eton, Buckinghamshire: Charles Freeth (younger) aged 44, Agent for Sun Insurance Company, Ann Elizabeth, wife aged 42, Reginald aged 16 (scholar), Evelyn (14, scholar), Harold (10, scholar), Walter (7, scholar), Causton (6, scholar), Frank (4, scholar), Elizabeth Jane (daughter, 2), Mary Ellen (11mo)
14 Jan 1864	Paul Freeth Loysel born 14 Jan 1864, christened 16 March 1864, Holy Trinity, Clapham, Surrey (son of Ann Freeth and Edward Loysel) Ann Freeth would have been about 33 years old.
25 Aug 1868	Charles (elder) wrote will – Charles (younger), Mary, Ann Loysel, Thomas Jacob, Emma all alive. Charles (elder) living at The Willows, 12A Alpha Road, St John’s Wood, Marylebone 56 Acacia Road St Johns Wood left to Mary Annette Freeth – Emma residing there Grandsons Alfred Eden, Francis Eden, and Paul Freeth Loysel mentioned Also mentioned: Mrs Elizabeth Clifton & her four children Henry Charles Clifton, Edward Clifton, Elizabeth Carline Clifton, Maria Noel Clifton)
26 Jan 1869	Charles (elder) died 26 January 1869 (aged 71) – The Willows 12 Alpha Road, Middlesex
6 Feb 1869	Eldest Daughter: Ann Emma Freeth died 6 Feb 1869 at Marylebone, aged 51 (b c1818)
1871 Census	At 66 Maitland park Road, St Pancras, Marylebone: Charles Freeth (younger) aged 54, Insurance Agent, Anna Elizabeth, wife aged 52, Alice Ann aged 22, Harold (20, Undergraduate Oxford), Walter (17, Insurance Clerk), Causton (16, scholar), Frank (14, scholar), Edith J.A. (12, scholar), Mary E (10, scholar) At 5 Acacia Place, St John’s Wood: Evelyn Freeth aged 24, Clerk Legacy Duty Office, Florence T Freeth aged 20 (born Pimlico) At Mill Hall Road, Acton, Middlesex: Ann Loysel (widower, 39), Paul Freeth Loysel(son, 7, scholar), Reginald Freeth (nephew,27, Clerk War Office)
1878	Harold Freeth died
1881 Census	At 4 Buckland Crescent, Belsize, Hampstead: Charles Freeth (widower) aged 64, Insurance Agent, Alice A Freeth (daughter, unmarried aged 32), Causton (26, Insurance Clerk), Edith J A (22), Mary E (20), Catherine Turner (daughter-in-law, visitor, 54, born Withyham, Sussex) At 56 Acacia Road, St Johns Wood: Mary A Freeth aged 48 (head of household, unmarried, Annuitant), shown as having been born at Finchley, Middlesex, London At The Grove, 1 Sandringham Villas, Ealing: Ann Loysel (aged 45) and her son Paul are living with Reginald Freeth (aged 35) At 14 Belsize Road, London Middlesex: Walter Freeth (27, Clerk in Insurance Office), Elizabeth M Freeth (wife, 28, born Barnstaple, Devon)
1882	Post Office London Directory shows Charles Freeth, 1 Vere Street, Cavendish Square W, and 4 Buckland Cres, Belsize Park NW
2 Apr 1882	Charles (younger) died 2 April 1882, aged 67, was Manager of Sun Fire Office, Vere Street, London. Address: 4 Buckland Crescent, Hampstead (street renumbered later; house became number 49)
2 Jun 1884	Walter Freeth died at Funchal, Madeira
1884	Marylebone Directory shows Mary Annette Freeth living at 56 Acacia Road
Q3 1888	Causton Freeth marries Laura Sargeant, at Stoke Damerel, Devon
Q4 1888	Paul Freeth Loysel married at Barnstaple, Devon (marriage index 1888 Q4 Oct-Nov-Dec, vol 5b p 925) possibly to Ellen Colley
1889	Paul Freeth Loysel dies, Fulham, Gt London, Middlesex
21 May 1914	Mary Annette Freeth died 21st May 1914 at Bearstead, Kent, aged 82

Notes

See also the Family Vault, Highgate.

See also notes on St Johns Wood.

Charles Freeth was appointed Agent to Sun Fire Office in Lisson Grove 12 Feb 1824[Source: Sun Alliance Archives]. Pigots London Directory of 1827 also shows Freeth & Co Haberdashers at 55 Lisson Grove North, and also Chas Freeth Agent to Sun Fire Office at the same address. The same information appears in Robson's directory of 1835 and 1838, although in 1838 the Sun Fire Office was located at 65 Welbeck Street, London. The 1841 Census shows him living at St Anne's Villas, St Johns Wood, and his son Charles now an agent in the Sun Fire Office. By 1851, Charles is shown as a Proprieter of Houses.

He is listed as a Creditor in William Marsh's notebook, of the Bank Crash in 1824 of 'Marsh, Sibbald & Co' for £40.5s.0d, residing at 55 Lisson Grove North http://www.jjhc.info/marshwilliam1846creditors.htm

He was Agent for the EYRE Estate, Marylebone, and personally owned land in St John's Wood, London, and elsewhere. Many of these properties were passed on to Charles, his eldest son, and became part of the Freeth Trust left in Charles the Younger's Will.

When Charles died, he was living at The Willows, 12A Alpha Road, St John's Wood. The property had a coach house, stables, offices, and gardens. He also left his property at 56 Acacia Road to his sons Charles and Thomas Jacob, in trust for his daughter Mary Annette Freeth. Alpha Road was consumed by the Great Central Railway, and was abolished in 1937. A good account is given in A.M. Eyre's St John's Wood.

Family lore notes that Charles, of all the family, never used the FREETH crest. From various letters and previous research it is understood that his birth was in some way unusual - and 'his siblings objected to his right to the family crest'. It is also said that for this reason his son, Charles Freeth the Younger (1816-1884) went to live in Windsor, so that his sons could go to Eton.

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