OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

JAMES ANDREW PAGE (1811-1898)

Plymouth history is dotted with the name of Messrs Page, Keen and Page Limited.  They provided the gold or silver keys for almost all of the official opening ceremonies that have taken place in Plymouth and countless formal gifts and were responsible for the maintenance of Derry's Clock.

The founder of the business was Mr James Andrew Page, the son of Mr Thomas Page and Miss Jane Smith, who were married at Stoke Damerel Parish Church on March 10th 1801.  James Andrew Page was born on March 4th 1811 and baptised at the Batter Street Presbyterian Chapel, Plymouth, on June 13th 1811.  At that time Mr Thomas Page was described as a "Landing Waiter" of James Street, Plymouth.

It will observed from the advert above that the date of foundation was shown as 1811.  Although it has always been claimed that it was Mr Page who started the business, as he was only born in 1811 then he must have taken over a previous business that is as yet unidentified.

On July 25th 1834 Mr James Andrew Page married Miss Anne Eliza Hearder at Charles' Church, Plymouth.   She was the daughter of Mr Jonathan and Mrs Mary Hannah Hearder and the sister of the Plymouth scientist and electrician, Doctor Jonathan Nash Hearder.

Although it is said that he moved the business to 17 George Street in 1838 he was certainly still living at 17 Whimple Street at the time of the census in 1841.  In addition to his wife, his younger brother, Mr George Page, born on January 9th 1808, an architect, was living with them along with James's three children: Francis Hearder Page, baptized on May 20th 1835 at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Plymouth; Annie Eliza Page, born December 2nd 1836; and James Hearder Page, born 1839.

In that same year, a Mr Henry Keen was a 19-years-old apprentice jeweller but there is no indication as to where he was doing his training.  The Keen family were living in James Street, Plymouth, so it is possible that he was apprenticed to Mr Page.  By 1851 Mr Page was living at Windsor Terrace, The Hoe, and Mr Keen was at 17 George Street, living over the shop.  However, the business was still listed only under the name of Mr J A Page.

The census taken on Sunday March 30th 1851 reveals that Mr and Mrs Page's family had grown but they had also lost Francis Hearder Page, who was buried in a Wesleyan Methodist cemetery on October 4th 1842, and Clement Hearder Page, born 1847 and who was buried on April 6th 1848.  The new members of the family were: Emily Hearder Page, born1843; Frederic Hearder Page (sic), born 1845; and Florence Page, born 1849.  Mrs Page now had a cook, a nurse and a housemaid to assist her.

When the census was taken on Sunday April 7th 1861 it recorded that Mr James Hearder Page was now a goldsmith like his father and that the family had moved to Mutley Villas, The Wilderness, Townsend Hill, Compton Gifford.  What's more, Mrs Anne Eliza Page had been still giving her husband children.  New arrivals were: Gertrude E Page, born 1854 and Arthur T Page, born 1858.

It was around this time that the business was advertising the "Drake Souvenir Spoon", with Plymouth engraved across the bowl and a miniature statue of Sir Francis himself making the handle.  Made of solid silver, it cost 7s 6d.

At some point between 1862 and 1864 the renumbering of George Street changed the business's addresses from number 17 to number 41 George Street.

Mr James Hearder Page married Miss Pauline Jane Stevens on October 6th 1863 at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Plymouth, and  by 1866 both Mr James Hearder Page and Mr Henry Keen had become full partners, the name then being Messrs Page, Keen and Page.

Mrs Anne Eliza Page died at number 10 Windsor Terrace, Citadel Road, Plymouth, and was buried at the Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Cemetery on December 23rd 1880.

It would appear that Mr James Andrew Page retired from the business soon afterwards because when Mr Henry Keen died suddenly on Friday November 26th 1886, he was stated to be the 'senior partner' in the business not Mr Page.  He was 64 years of age.  Presumably control of the business then fell entirely to Mr James Hearder Page.

Mr James Andrew Page, died in Plymouth on Friday October 14th 1898.