WILLIAM GISCARD CLOCKMAKER (1749 ‚ 1812) and DESCENDANTS

 

GISCARD appears to have been a very uncommon name, with searches in IGIs,  censuses 1841 onwards, etc, returning very few results, almost all in Cambs & Norfolk, and of this same family. Variations in spelling have returned few other results (these inc. Gizzard, a handful in London, and  Gasgarth, almost entirely in Cumberland and Northumberland). Information given about William Giscard jr[1], suggests the family are of Huguenot descent.

 

 

William GISCARD (1749 ‚ 1812)

 

William b.1749, died 1812 Ely, Holy Trinity.  William is listed in ìClockmakers of Great Britainî and ìBaillies Clockmakers of the Worldî.  Married Elizabeth ----  (b.  ‚   , died 1836, Wisbech.  Will proved at London 2 Nov 1836. The chapel recording her death was  the Particular Baptist Chapel in Upper Hill St. Wisbech. They were more specifically Johnsonian Baptists.)    Elizabethís will written 1829 mentions all the following children, still living then, and confirms Sarahís death prior to 1829. (see appendix I).

Cambs indexes show (Occupations to be checked):

1784 William GISCARD master to apprentice, Ely.  (PRO IR1/63/057)

1806 William GISCARD master to apprentice John GISCARD, Ely  (PRO IR1/72/063). His son?

 

William and Elizabeth had the following children:

  1. William b. 1785 Ely[2]
  2. Elisabeth b. 1787 (International Genealogical Index  shows Elisabeth GISCARD of William & Elisabeth:  Christening: 28 DEC 1787 Trinity, Ely, Cambridge, England)
  3. Frances b.1788 Ely 2
  4. John b. 1789 Ely2
  5. Jeremiah b. 1793 Ely2
  6. Sarah b. ca 1795[3]

Cambs Indexes (1801 ‚ 1837) also show records of children of a William & Elizabeth:

  1. Richard (b.1799 according to age at death) died 1808 Ely, Holy Trinity, age 9;
  2. Mary (b. 1801 according to age at death) died 1820 Wisbech, age 19 (Hill St Baptist Chapel);
  3. Susanna bp. 1804 Ely, Holy Trinity; (and died 1804 Ely, Holy Trinity, age 1 month)

 

 

1.              William b. 1785; died 1871 Downham (June quarter 4b 2375). Married Elizabeth HALL[4] (b. ca1790 Downham, died 1866 June quarter 4b 272[5]) at Downham Mkt, 1808. 1841 Wm & Eliz. at High St, Downham Market with Elizabeth jr and James. William listed in Cambs 1851 History Gazeteer & Directory as a watchmaker and upholsterer; Kellyís Directory 1854 as furniture broker, Regent St; furniture maker and furniture dealer in the 1861 and 1871 censuses.  1871 living at 62 High St. Ely.                                                                                                                            ìWilliam Giscard was of Hugenot (sic) descent and is known to have been working at 22, Regent Street, Downham Market, Norfolk by 1822 before moving to the High Street where he is recorded as still working in 1865. It is known that he voted Whig[6] in elections between 1847 and 1865. A notice in the Norfolk Chronicle, dated 11th April 1829, states 'Yesterday se'nnight aged 18 died William, eldest son of Mr. Giscard, watchmaker of Downham Market'. His younger son James continued the business in the High Street.î1                                                                                                                                                  William & Elizabethís children included:

                          i.     William (b. 1811) d.10 April 1829 age 185

                           ii.     Elizabeth b. ca.1816, Norfolk

                             iii.     Frances b. ca.1818 (a Frances died 1879 age 59, Newmarket5)

                             iv.     James b. ca1821, Norfolk (Kellyís Directory 1854: watchmaker, Regent St, Downham Mkt.)  (a James died 1882 age 62, Downham5)

 

2.     Elisabeth b. 1787 married Thomas BURROWS 1829 at Wisbech (Thomas b. 1790 March.  1861 they are at Wisbech. Thomas is a farmer. (There is a link to Elizabeth BURROWSí ancestry on Ancestry.co.uk but I suspect she is the only Giscard included)  Children to be checkedÖ..

 

3.              Frances b. 1788 Ely married John HEADING in 1816, Ely. They had the following childrenÖ (To be followed up);

 

4.              John b. 1789;  John married:                                                                                                               I. Susanna COOPER 1809, Ely (Susanna b. ?? d. ?<1816).  Their children include  the following:

                                   i.     John b. ca1810 Soham3  Married at Kings Lynn 1853 (probably Ann GISCORD below); Possibly died 1855 Kings Lynn5

                                    ii.     Susan F. b. ca. 1812 Ely3

II. Jane BAYES 11 Nov 1816 All Saints, Norwich (IGIs). (Jane b. c1783) In 1841 they are at Clough Fleet Terrace, Paradise, Kings Lynn. Check occupationÖ.   1861 at KL. Children not yet checked.

 

5.              Jeremiah b ca1793, married Elizabeth ------- .    In1841 Jeremiah, a watchmaker (age 45), is at High St, Ely Trinity. 1861 Jerimiah (sic) is at Soham age 64[7]. Their children included:

                              i.     William B. b. 1818 Ely3 (1841 at High St, Ely Trinity same household as Frances, below)

                                ii.     Uriah b. 1819 Ely3 . 1841 at Norfolk St, Kettlewell, Kings Lynn

                                 iii.     Frances b. 1821 (b. Cambs according to 1841 census)

 

6.              Sarah b. ca1795; died sometime after birth of son Thomas in 1825.  Married John COCKETT 1823 Wisbech.  They had the following child:

                              i.     Thomas b. 1825, baptised 1828 age 3 at Particular Baptist Chapel, Wisbech.

(John COCKETT remarried 1828 to Kerenhappuch WALTON and they had several other children.)

 

 

OTHER GISCARDS

 

Note

1861 and 1871 census searches only return GISCARDS at Downham Market.  Others may be present but  mispelt, though various misspellings have been tried unsuccessfully.

 

Ann GISCORD (sic. but looks like GISCARD). 1861  at 12 London Road, Kings Lynn; age 52, head,  (unreadable) proprietor of houses, widowed, b. Kings Lynn, Norfolk. Died 18665 Kings Lynn.

 

1765 John GISCARD: For sale at www.antiquewatchstore.co.uk: ca. 1765 John GISCARD (town not known) Watch movement, very rare, possibly uniqueÖ.

 

Anna GISCARD, Spinster of London, died 1762. Will written 15/5/1762 and proved 2/10/1762. see appendix II

 

1763 Susanah GISCARD m William SHERMAN, 5 Nov 1763 Winwick, Huntingdon  (IGIs)

 

ca 1780 G. GISCARD, Thrapston Grandfather clock (on Markplaats website Holland).

(NB Thrapston is 5M from Winwick and a few miles from Wellingborough.)

 

A label on a clock made by E. N. Welch reads ìWARRANTED / Sold by / J. GISCARD, / WATCH AND CLOCKMAKER/ JEWELLER, &c / High St, Downham / England / 1846 ‚ 1858îWhich J? and which Downham?!

 

W. Giscard, Ely

Peter G. Parsons Gibsons, B.C. Canada. Enquiry (26 Aug 1997) re history of ìvery old clockî grandfather clock made by W. Giscard, Ely.  (pparsons@younglife.ca - email address no longer active)

 

http://www.clockswatches.com/tradedirslist.htm

Giscard, John (w,c, clothes & Toy dealer) of Chatteris (10M from Ely)

Giscard, William of Soham (6m from Ely)

  (Dates not available without subscribing)

 

Appendix II

 

Anna GISCARDís will 1762  

Will written 15/5/1762 and proved 2/10/1762.

 ìIn the name of God Amen I Anna Giscard Spinster of London daughter of John Giscard late of Wellingborough Northamptonshire Hosier deceased being well in Health and of perfect mind and memory do make this my last will and testament in  manner following first I commend my soul into the Hands of almighty God my Creator hoping for everlasting salvation through Jesus Christ my Redeemer and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executrix hereafter named and as to my Worldly estate I dispose thereof as follows ffirst I will that all my just debts be paid and discharged then I give and bequeath unto my brother John Giscard one shillingÖ.. î:

To brother John GISCARD one shilling;

To sister Margaret REYNOLDS the interest of two hundred and fifty pounds Old South Sea Annuities for her own use separate from her husband to be paid to her during her natural life and after her decease to go to and be parted between her sons James BOYER and William BOYER;

To my sister Ann OVERALL twenty pounds;

To my sister Mary CAGEBY five pounds;

To my nephew Ffrancis OVERALL ten pounds to my nephews John OVERALL James OVERALL Henry OVERALL and Joseph OVERALL five pounds each;

To my neices Elizabeth WILLIAMS Mary POWELL Ann OVERALL Sophia OVERALL five pounds each;

To my ffriend Isabella  PARKER  two guineas and I do hereby make and ordain my said ffriend Isabella  PARKER sole executrix to this my willÖ.

 

Notes

Anna has several sisters who already have children in 1762, one of whom is old enough to be an executor of her will (should Isabella Parker die).  None of the nieces or nephews are referred to as possibly being under 21 at her death, suggesting all over 21years so mothers must have been born 1720 or earlier.  Anna (& siblings) could be one generation older than our William, b. 1749.   Therefore, her brother John GISCARD could be Williamís father (Williams first son was called William and the second called John) ‚ BUT she doesnít name a William as a nephew and he is not a beneficiary.

 

We know from Annaís will:

John GISCARD, Wellingborough (died prior to 1762) had the following children:

            Anna d. 1762,  John, Margaret, Ann, Mary;

 

Due to geographical proximity, I cautiously speculate: Annaís brother John was the father of:

G (of the grandfather clock at Thrapston);

William (1749 ‚ 1812), Ely/Downham;

Susanah (m. at Winwick 1763).

 


[1] Hampton & Littlewood, Auctioneers http://www.hamptonandlittlewood.co.uk/

[2] According to census records 1851 onwards

[3] Births and deaths in Cambs 1801 ‚ 1837 are indexed and accessible via Cambs FHS http://www.cfhs.org.uk/Search.html.  As there is no record of Sarahís baptism it looks likely she was born before 1801. A date between 1794 and 1798 fills a gap between other births.

[4] Norfolk Index of Marriages (www.contueor.com/wisbech/indexes/twi/)

[5] FreeBMD  http://www.freebmd.org.uk/

[6] Whig ‚ Predecessor of the Liberal Party, wanting social reform.  Mostly dissenters.

[7] Cambs FHS online censuses  http://www.cfhs.org.uk/Search.html