BROWN, William (1811-1900) — London
Wholesale & export stationer, bookseller, printer & engraver; letter copying machine manufacturers. As ‘William Brown & Co.’, produced & published London shewing the postal districts 1860.
Born in Pudding Lane in the City of London 2 Oct 1811, the son of Anthony Brown (1781-1853), a solicitor, and his second wife Sarah Curling (1795-1858), who married in 1806. Made free of the Fishmongers’ Company in 1833. Married Mary Freshfield King (1819-1891), the daughter of a City grocer, at St. George Bloomsbury 30 Apr 1840. Initially traded as ‘Royston & Brown’, with John Power Royston (1787-1872) and his son William Haylett Royston (1822-1871), the younger of whom was born at 40 Old Broad Street and was resident there in 1851. This partnership was formally dissolved as from 1 Jan 1858, with Brown continuing alone. By 1871, Brown’s sons Anthony Brown (1843-1902) and William Charles Brown (1850-1930) were both engaged in the business. Brown had retired by 1891, then living in Speldhurst with his wife, three unmarried daughters, a cook, a butler, two housemaids, and a kitchen-maid. He died at Tonbridge 29 May 1900. Probate on an estate of £95,600.12s.3d. was granted to his sons above on 28 Jul 1900. The business survives as ‘Brown, Knight & Truscott’, incorporating the businesses of Charles Knight and James Truscott.
40 Old Broad Street — 1835-1839
— 15 The Grove, Clapham Common (home) — 1851
40 & 41 Old Broad Street — 1846-1900
— Loats Road, Clapham (home) — 1859-1871
— and 40 St, Mary Axe — 1875-1883
— Quarry Hill House, Tonbridge (home) — 1881
— and 38-40 St. Mary Axe — 1884-1896
— and 36-42 St. Mary Axe — 1897-1900
— 4 Hungershall Park, Speldhurst (home) — 1891
BBTI. BNA. Brown. Census 1851, 1871-1891. Hyde. Tooley.