Gillett Rods

[Tonkin Wand]

The Fishing Gazette cites the family of Gillette being 200 yrs in trade via an ancestor at Bell Yard, Temple Bar. Some research shows Onesimus Ustoson 1760 at no 48, Samual Chevaliar 1737,at no 12, W Peters 1847 at no 48, and James Dicks 1826 at no 10.All these Fishing retailers are a log way short of a double century back in 1890 ! Victorian "spin" being rife, I'll stick with.!!!

[Tonkin Wand]

Phil Wallers' book...."Fishing Reels...Collecting for all" lists a guide of makers and retailers.....1657 being the earliest...one John Hobb.....Only two others are 17 century and both in the city of London.Identified only by signage. Two more are at Bell Yard... John Herro 1734 and Robert Hopkins 1700........So know doubt Bell Yard was a tackle making quarter of the city and the F.G. article gains creediance. How ever it is beyond my research skills to associate Gillett with his predecessors and ecclesiastical records as one searches backwards are sketchy in my experience!!!!!!

[2wood]

Tony (Tonkin Wand) has most of the story about the Holmes/Gillett connection. When John Gillett was living next door to the Holmes family in 1851, he was a widower. Evidently, he married Sarah Holmes, who in 1841 was married to Henry Holmes, the heir to the tackle business. He must have died between 1841 and 1851 as she is listed as a daughter-in-law in 1851. In the 1861 census, he has a wife Sarah of the correct age, and the Holmes children were listed as step-children. One of them, Anne, took the Gillett name. Evidently, Rebecca, Charles' wife also died between 1851 and 1861 and John took over the tackle business.

[Dave F]

Lovely bit of history...

[2wood]

Latest information on the Gillette Company, gleaned mostly from Ancestry and Find My Past census records:

In 1841, 60-year-old Charles Holmes, his wife, Rebecca, his son, Henry, and his wife, Sarah, and their family were living at 123 Fetter Lane in London. He made fishing tackle. In that same year, 25-year-old John Fetter, his wife, Jane and their family were living at Red Lion Court in London. He was a cabinet maker.

In 1851, Charles and his family, Sarah now a widow, lived at 115 Fetter Lane, and John, now a widower, and his family at 116 Fetter Lane.

Before 1861, Charles and his wife had died and in 1861, John, now married to Sarah, Charles' daughter-in-law, were living at 115 Fetter Lane. John was now a fishing rod maker as was Anne, one of the Holmes' daughters. The Gillette and Holmes children also lived there.

In 1871, the Gilletts still live at 115 Fetter Lane, but the family now includes a son, James, born about 1854. James is listed as a sorter at the general post office.

In 1881, John and his family were living at 40 Fetter Lane, he was a fishing rod maker. James and his family are living at 1 Eastbourne Road. He is listed as a fishing tackle maker.

By 1891, John and his wife have died. In 1891, James and his family are living at 40 Fetter Lane. He is listed as a fishing rod manufacturer.

In 1901, James and his family were at 40 Fetter Lane. He and his son, George James are listed as fishing tackle manufacturers.

In 1911, James is a widower, living at 40 Fetter Lane with George James still assisting him in fishing tackle manufacturing.

By 1916, when George James is married, James has died.

In 1817, James is granted " Freedom of the City of London" basically, the right to do business as a Fishing Tackle Manufacturer/Seller at 40 Fetter Lane.

In 1921, the business closed, as George James is now living in the Ward of Farringdon Without, the most westerly ward of London and he is Beadle of the Ward, working for the London government.

[2wood]

I continued to research Charles Holmes and found that in 1803, he was making fishing rods at Fetter Lane. The document shows he, like James Gillett, was granted "Freedom of the City of London". His father is listed as James Holmes and his birth as 1781. His father was a cordwainer or shoemaker.