Mewburn: London Silversmiths

Abstract

Mewburn is a significant name in silversmithing, yet almost nothing has been written about those of them involved in the craft or their history. That leaves the question: who exactly were the silversmithing Mewburns and what were their origins and the ultimate fate of their line? Genealogical techniques have been used to fill the structural gaps and flesh out an understanding of the three generations in which there were members of the Goldsmiths" Company, and to trace their fortunes in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the eventual end of the line in the early twentieth century. The article also shows how records from the Goldsmiths" Company can provide insights into the lives of nineteenth-century craftsmen - individuals and their families. London birth, marriage and death records and wills have enabled a sound family tree to be developed, while property and tax records have provided locational data. Migrations have been traced and Australian records used to document the final decline of the silversmiths. Some speculation on the earlier origins of the line is offered.