Jacob Henry Jeanneret and his brothers Jean Frederic and Jonas Claude migrated from Switzerland to England before 1760. An account of the family written in 1782 by Jonas Claude Jeanneret named Jacob Henry as the head of the family that then lived in Meards Street, Parish of St. Anne, Soho, London. Soho was and is one of the city’s most cosmopolitan quarters. Between 1660 and 1685 many French Huguenots fled the persecution of Louis XIV and settled in Soho. Subsequently, many French, Swiss and Italians followed and congregated there.
Survey of London: Volumes 33 and 34, St Anne Soho. Edited by F H W Sheppard.These volumes describe Soho, the most famous of London's cosmopolitan quarters. Thearea covered is defined largely by Wardour Street, Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road,and includes Soho Square, Leicester Square, and part of Cambridge Circus. Many of thestreets here were first built up in the late 17th century under the building speculatorsDr Nicholas Barbon and Richard Frith. Some fine Georgian houses are described andillustrated, for example No. 1 Greek Street and 76 Dean Street. Many well-known WestEnd theatres are also found here.
Rental records still on file in London show that Henry Jeanneret (who evidently did not use the name Jacob) was a tenant at No. 14 Meards Street, North from 1760 to 1774. He then moved across the street and is listed at No. 5 Meards Street, South from 1774 to 1782. Henry probably died there in 1782 as from that year until 1799 No. 5 Meards Street was rented to Elizabeth Jeanneret (nee Perrett), Henry’s second wife. Three of their sons were living at the same address and the eldest son was in the East Indies where he died.
On the 28 September 1756, Jacob Henry Jeanneret married Suzane Chatelain at Saint Anne Soho,
Westminster, London, England. Suzane was born at Tramelan, Bern, Switzerland on 8 July 1731. Her
family has been traced back to 1632 with many generations of her family living at Tremelan, Bern,
Switzerland.
Jacob Henry Jeanneret and Suzane Chatelain had the following children:
1. Samuel Henri Jeanneret was born on 04 May 1758. He died about 1782 in East Indies, Surat.
2. Henry James Jeanneret. He died on 01 Nov 1783 in Meards Street, Soho, London, England.
The date of Suzane’s death has not been discovered.
Jacob Henry Jeanneret then married Elizabeth Perret at Saint Anne Soho, Westminster, London,
England on 16 April 1763.
Elizabeth Perret’s family has been traced back to 1472 with all her direct ancestors being from
Erlestoke, Wiltshire, England. Coincidentally, ‘Perret’ is also a Swiss name with a number of
individuals appearing in our records from the Neuchatel region.
Jacob Henry Jeanneret and Elizabeth Perret had the following children:
3. Abraham Henry Jeanneret was born on 19 Apr 1764. He died about 1826 (Age: 62). He married
Ann Sheppard, daughter of William Sheppard and Mary Sheppard on 17 Sep 1812 in Saint Anne
Soho, Westminster, London, England. She was born about 1790 in England.
4. Francis David Jeanneret was born on 17 May 1767 in Westminster, London, England.
5. Lewis Francis James Jeanneret was born on 03 May 1772 in Westminster, London, England.
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He died on 01 Jun 1848 in Newington, London, England. He married (1) Mary Anne Pryce,
daughter of Elijah Pryce and Elizabeth Moorhouse on 04 Mar 1798 in St Matthew Friday Street
and St Peter Westcheap (St Mathew, Friday Street). She was born on 12 Jun 1773 in England.
She died about 1800 (Dropsy). He married (2) Sarah Johnson Warren, daughter of John Warren
Archdeacon of Worcester and Mary Noye on 09 May 1801 in Greenstead By Chipping Ongar,
Essex, England. She was born on 09 Jan 1775 in England. She died on 04 Mar 1844 in Tolpuddle,
Dorset, England.
6. Theodore Jeanneret. He died on 06 Apr 1799 in Meards Street, Soho, London, England.
Jacob Henry Jeanneret died at London, England in 1782. In his will, apart from all of his goods and chattels plus three rooms, Jacob bequeathed 78 pounds per annum to his wife Elizabeth. In today’s terms (2018) that equates to approximately $40,000/annum.
Excerpt from the Will of Elizabeth Jeanneret (nee Perret) naming her sons.
Excerpt from the Will of Jacob “Henry” Jeanneret naming his sons.
Abraham Henry Jeanneret and Ann Sheppard had the following children:
1. Edward John Jeanneret was born on 03 Apr 1808. He married (1) Emma Low on 29 Dec 1874
in St Paul, Deptford, England. She was born about 1819. He married (2) Ann Ellis, daughter of
Reuben William Ellis and Ann Ashley Talbot on 28 Jun 1846 in St Giles, Camberwell, England.
She was born on 09 Aug 1813 in Deptford St Paul, Kent, England. She died in Jul 1872 in
Greenwich, Kent, England (Age: 58).
2. Henry George Jeanneret was born on 02 Aug 1809. He died on 14 Jul 1866 in Surrey, England.
He married Mary Wayth, daughter of Samuel Wayth and Elizabeth Archer on 18 Jun 1835 in St.
Mary's, Lambeth, Surrey, England. She was born on 03 Apr 1805 in Southwold, Suffolk, England.
She died after 1891.
3. Robert James Jeanneret was born on 19 Mar 1811 in London, London, England. He died on
27 Jun 1888 in Ligonier, Noble, Indiana, USA. He married Amelia Allworth on 10 Mar 1835 in
Westbury, Wiltshire, England. She was born on 29 Nov 1803 in Westbury, Wiltshire, England. She
died on 08 Jun 1886 in Ligonier, Noble, Indiana, USA.
4. William David Jeanneret was born on 17 Jan 1813 in Pentonville, Middlesex, England. He died
in 1854 (Age: 42). He married (1) Jane Harvey, child of William Harvey on 04 Aug 1839 in St
Bride Fleet Street, London, England. Jane was born in 1816 in London, England. He married (2)
Ann Ireland Whittaker, daughter of William Brace Girdle Whittaker on 18 Oct 1851 in St Giles,
Camberwell, England. She was born about 1821. She died about 1854.
5. Frederick Hewett Jeanneret was born on 24 Apr 1824 in Bermondsey, Surrey, England. He died
on 25 May 1870 in London, England. He married Charlotte Cozens Edwards on 28 Dec 1850 in
Parish Chapel, St Pancras, England. She was born in 1825 in Shalford, Essex, England. She died on
10 Dec 1868 in Green, Kentucky, USA (2 New Terrace).
6. George Samuel Jeanneret was born in 1814.
7. Mary Ann Jeanneret was born on 10 Dec 1815 in Islington, London, England (St James,
Clerkenwell).
8. Elizabeth Jeanneret was born in 1818. She died in 1894 in Dorking, Surrey, England.
9. L M D Jeanneret (While there is nothing known about L M D Jeanneret it is recorded that he
made additions to the family history which was originally written in French by Claudius Jonas
Jeanneret in 1782)
10. Henry Edward Jeanneret was born on 07 Oct 1806.
According to Abraham’s granddaughter, Annie Crosby (nee Jeanneret) he was said to be an
accomplished violinist who, when invited to play one night at the London Music Hall for the
equivalent of $500, was reportedly quite insulted and rejected the offer. His old violin has been kept
in the Jeanneret family and handed down through four generations to the writer, Kenneth Jeanneret
Reeve 1910-2012. He was also said to have a different pair of shoes for each day of the month.
In 1841, Abraham’s third son Robert James Jeanneret made a deposition in New York to become a
citizen of the United States of America, however Robert and Amelia immigrated to Canada in 1841. They settled first in London, Middlesex, Ontario until 1856; there, Robert established a jewellery
business.
Robert and Amelia are recorded on the 1880 census at Perry, Noble, Indiana.
Robert succeeded in earning the admiration and confidence of all with whom he held any business
relations because of his accuracy and fairness. He retained the perfect use of his mental powers and
attended to business up to his last days.
For the past three generations, Lewis Francis James Jeanneret’s parentage was lost in the mists of
time.
As the internet has gained momentum more and more records have been digitised and made readily
available, and evidence of Lewis’s existence in London began to become clearer.
In 1782 when Lewis was age ten his eldest brother Samuel drowned in the East Indies. Around the
same time his two elder brothers, Abraham and Henry, became solicitors.
At age sixteen in 1798
Lewis was granted Freedom of the City and apprenticed as a Stationer.
Perhaps not suited to life as a stationer Lewis changed professions and became an Ironmonger. Land
tax records indicate that he carried on his business at various addresses.
Charles Dickens’ describes the Stationer’s art his novel, Bleak House, Chapter 10:
“On the eastern borders of Chancery Lane, that is to say, more particularly in Cook’s Court, Cursitor Street, Mr. Snagsby, law-stationer, pursues his lawful calling. In the shade of Cook’s Court, at most times a shady place, Mr. Snagsby has dealt in all sorts of blank forms of legal process; in skins and rolls of parchment; in paper — foolscap, brief, draft, brown, white, whitey-brown, and blotting; in stamps; in office-quills, pens, ink, India- rubber, pounce, pins, pencils, sealing-wax, and wafers; in red tape and green ferret; in pocketbooks, almanacs, diaries, and law lists; in string boxes, rulers, inkstands — glass and leaden — pen-knives, scissors, bodkins, and other small office-cutlery; in short, in articles too numerous to mention, ever since he was out of his time and went into partnership with Peffer.”
Lewis’s mother Elizabeth died in 1791 when he was nineteen. His father had died nine years earlier. Elizabeth’s will provided the clue to discovering his parentage and the thread back to Switzerland.
This is the Last Will and Testament of me Elizabeth Jeanneret of the parish of SaintAnne Westminster in the county of Middlesex widow first I desire to be decently buriedin the same vault with my late husband in the parish church of Saint Ann aforesaid andthat my debts and financial expenses be paid and satisfied I give to my sons SamuelJeanneret and Theodore Jeanneret the sum of five pounds each for Mourning I giveto my son Lewis Jeanneret the sum of thirty pounds of lawful money of Great Britainto be paid him at the time and in manner hereinafter mentioned I give to my sisterMarianne Perret residing at Switzerland the sum of three guineas I give to my dearfriend Miss Moser a ring of a guinea value which I beg she will accept as a small token ofmy love and friendship forever I give to Mr Simon Mattery of Basinghall Street LondonGentleman and my son Henry Jeanneret my executors hereinafter named the sum ofseven pounds each for their trouble in the execution of this my will and direct that allmy household goods and furniture plate silver and wearing apparel shall be sold as soonas conveniently after my decease and as to the money arising by sale thereof and as toall rest residue and remainder of my estate and effects whatsoever and whosesoever Igive and bequeath one moiety or half part thereof to my said son Henry Jeanneret forhis own use and benefit and I will direct that the other monies or half part thereof andalso the said sum of thirty pounds hereinbefore given to my said son Lewis Jeanneret belaid out by my executors in the purchase of percent consolidated Bank Annuities in trustfor the benefit of my said son Lewis Jeanneret and to be paid or transferred to him uponattaining the age of twenty two years and I direct that the interest or dividends of suchbank annuities shall in the meantime be paid to my said son Lewis Jeanneret as andwhen the same shall become due and payable but if my said son Lewis Jeanneret shallhappen to die without having attained the age of twenty two years and without having awidow or any lawful issue alive surviving then I give and bequeath such monies or halfpart of the money arising by sale of my said household goods furniture plate linen andwearing apparel and of the residue of my estate and effects and the said sum of thirtypounds or the Bank Annuities which shall have been purchased therewith unto my saidson Henry Jeanneret for his own use and benefit and I do hereby nominate and appointthe said Mr Simon Mattery and my said son Henry Jeanneret executors of this my lastwill and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the Twelfthday of May One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Eight. Eliz. Jeanneret
On 4th March 1798, Lewis married Mary Anne Pryce who was the daughter of Elijah Pryce and
Elizabeth Moorhouse. Elijah was the son of Edward the Elder Burgeddin Pryce. The family are
described for many generations as ‘gentleman’. Mary Ann died in 1800 and Lewis married his second
wife Sarah Johnson Warren. Her father was Archdeacon of Worcester descended from a long line
of clergyman and solicitors. He fathered eighteen children by two wives and died when Sarah was
twelve years of age.
Lewis Francis James Jeanneret and Mary Anne Pryce had the following children:
1. Edward Pryce Jeanneret was born on 02 Dec 1798 in London, England. He died on 05 Aug
1882 at 19 Barnsbury Park, Islington, London, England. He married Mary Harman, daughter of
Richard Harman and Elizabeth Bevan on 22 Aug 1822 in St. Albans, Hertford, England. She was
born on 31 Jul 1801 in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, England.
Mary Anne Pryce died in 1800 and Lewis married his second wife, Sarah Johnson Warren, daughter
of John Warren Archdeacon of Worcester and Mary Noye on 09 May 1801 in Greenstead By Chipping
Ongar, Essex, England.
Lewis Francis James Jeanneret and Sarah Johnson Warren had the following children:
1. Henry Jeanneret was born on 31 Dec 1802 in The Poultry, St Mary Colechurch, London,
England. He died on 12 Jun 1886 at 2 Eldon Villas, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. He
married (1) Harriet Merrett, daughter of William Merrett and Elizabeth Beard on 11 Dec 1832
in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (St James). She was born about 1807 in England. She died in Apr 1873 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. He married (2) Frances Ann Barnett,
daughter of William Barnett and Ann Matthews in 1874 in Great Malvern, Worcestershire,
England. She was born on 23 Aug 1826 in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, England. She
died on 02 Nov 1901 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.
2. Charlotte Warren Jeanneret was born on 31 Jan 1805 in Nelson Terr, City Rd, St Mary, Islington,
London, England. She died on 04 Jun 1870 in Brighton, Sussex, England. She married an
unknown spouse on 31 Jan 1826 in St Alphage Church, Greenwich, Kent, England. She married
(2) William Reynolds Foskett, son of Joseph Foskett on 31 Jan 1826 in St Alphage, Greenwich,
Kent, England. He was born on 31 Mar 1803 in Combe Hatch, Surrey, England. He died on 24
Apr 1842 in Secunderabad, Madras, India.
3. Mary Ann Jeanneret was born on 09 Mar 1807 in Nelsons Terrace, City Road, St Mary, Islington,
Middlesex, England. She died on 15 Feb 1845 in St Mary, Newington, Surrey, England.
4. Jane Powell Jeanneret was born on 30 Jan 1810 in St Leonard, Shoreditch, Middlesex, England.
She died on 28 Jan 1892 in Gloucestershire, England.
5. John Powell Jeanneret was born on 30 Jan 1810 in Cripplegate, Middlesex, England. He married
Emma Weldon. She was born on 1804c in Newington St Mary, London, England.
6. Charles Warren Jeanneret was born on 16 Dec 1811 in Westmoreland Place, City Road,
Shoreditch, Middlesex, England. He died on 23 Mar 1843 in Norwood Cemetery, Norwood Road,
Lambeth, Surrey, England. He married (1) Margaret Isabella Randolph, daughter of Dr. John
Randolph and Wilhemina Mary Wilson on 27 May 1837 in All Souls, St Marylebone, Middlesex,
England. She was born on 15 Jul 1822 in New Romney, Kent, England. She died on 27 Jun 1838 in
Lambeth, Surrey, England. He married (2) Emma Wilton, daughter of Rev. William Wilton on 19
Dec 1839 in Newington St Mary, Southwark, Surrey, England.
The London Standard 20 Mar 1843 has a death notice. Mar 17, Charles Warren Jeanneret Esq, of
the Journal Office, House of Commons, aged 31. Charles’ occupation is given as clerk in House of
Commons.
7. Sarah Noye Jeanneret was born on 04 Oct 1814 in Westmorland Place, City Road, St Leonard,
Shoreditch, Middlesex, England. She died on 25 Nov 1875 in Heath Cottage, Oxford Road,
Southampton, Hampshire, England.
8. John Warren Jeanneret was born on 22 Jan 1818 in The Strand, St.Martins in the Fields,
Middlesex. He died on 26 Nov 1841 in Guildford, Surrey, England. He married an unknown
spouse on 19 Dec 1839.
On 5th August 1827, Lewis was sent to Fleet Prison by the Court for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors.
Fleet Prison is described by Wikipedia as follows:
During the 18th century, Fleet Prison was mainly used for debtors and bankrupts. It usually contained about 300 prisoners and their families. Like the Marshalsea prison, it was divided into a restrictive and arduous Common Side and a more open Master’s Side, where rent had to be paid. At that time prisons were profit-making enterprises. Prisoners had to pay for food and lodging. There were fees for turning keys or for taking irons off, and Fleet Prison had the highest fees in England. There was even a grille built into the Farringdon Street prison wall, so that prisoners might beg alms from passers-by. But prisoners did not necessarily have to live within Fleet Prison itself; as long as they paid the keeper to compensate him for loss of earnings, they could take lodgings within a particular area outside the prison walls called the “Liberty of the Fleet” or the “Rules of the Fleet”.
The raquet ground of the Fleet Prison as drawn by Augustus Pugin and Thomas Rowlandson for Ackermann's Microcosm of London (1808-11). Wikipedia, Public Domain
Born 2nd Dec 1798 to Lewis Jeanneret and Mary Ann Pryce, Edward was baptized at the Independent
Congregational chapel, St Luke’s in Finsbury, London on the 30th December 1798. He did not see
much of his mother as she died in March 1800, of dropsy, and was buried at St Luke’s.
Edward Pryce Jeanneret was apprenticed to John Munro Berry, Citizen and Stationer to learn his art
on 7 December 1813.
On 21 August 1822 he married Mary Harman in St Peter’s in St Albans. Mary was stepdaughter of
William Harris, a rich farmer from St Albans. In 1824 Edward insured the premises at 60 Aldersgate
Street, London where he was in business as a cotton merchant. In 1830 he was working in partnership
with his father-in-law as cotton merchants at 44 Basinghall Street, London. However this venture
went wrong. In his will, Harris bemoans the fact that he wasn’t leaving much to his heirs on his death
in 1841 because of the failure of the partnership which was dissolved on 17 Oct 1834.
In 1841 Edward and Mary are living in Finsbury where he is working as a clerk. In 1851 he is working
as an actuary for a Savings Bank in Moorfields (close to Finsbury) and by 1856 he has been made
a partner in the Union Bank of London. He has also moved to a new house in the suburbs newly
created to provide accommodation for those working in London – 19, Barnsbury Park. From 1865
to 1871 he is a partner in the Albion Bank. He appears to have retired around then. In 1881 he gives
his occupation as Retired Savings Bank Officer. He died on 5 August 1882.
Edward and Mary had no children but they seemed to have been very hospitable to members of
Mary’s Harris family who were recorded as staying at 19 Barnsbury Park in various census returns.
Perhaps as recognition of their help, Mary’s stepbrother Bevan Harris christened his youngest son
Albert Jeanneret Harris in 1871.
Mary lived on until 1895, first in Brighton, and later with her step-niece Rose Harris in Nottingham.
Indenture for apprenticeship as Stationer for Edward Pryce Jeanneret
To Australia