Samuel Pittard

Samuel Pittard

c 21 November 1745 Kingsbury Episcopi

c21 December 1749 South Petherton Meeting House

m Jane Lovell 24 September 1774,

St. Swithin London Stone

bu 30 May 1794, St. James' Clerkenwell

Children

Jane 1775-1840

Elizabeth 1776-1813

Susanna 1778-1857

Documentation

Parish records for one baptism, marriage and burial

Parish records for children’s baptisms and burials

Apprenticeship records

Land tax records

Samuel

origins

Hebrew meaning ‘asked of God’ and the name of the prophet who anointed Saul king of Israel. There were quite a few Samuel Pittard's in the area where Samuel grew up in Somerset. I am not sure which one he would have been named for.

variations

Samel, Shmul and various other Jewish sounding variations

abbreviations

Sam, Sammy, Sammo

I thought I had found the perfect portrait of an eighteenth century man to represent my idea of Samuel but then remembered that Samuel was only 45 years old when he died, and my portrait was of a much older man. But then I found this rather lovely drawing. I see the signature says Wicar and therefore I assume it is by Jean-Baptiste Wicar, and so our portrait subject is likely to be French. But then, maybe the Pittards are from France, and anyway the French and English are a mix anyway.

When it comes to Samuel Pittard I have to confess that I am not 100% certain that the story I am about to tell is based on the right facts, but I am now about 90% certain that this is the right man.

He is of the generation that moved from the provinces - in this case Somerset - to the city of London, where if he did not make a fortune, at least he prospered enough to have lived a seemingly comfortable life.

A carver and gilder of furniture and what we would now call homewares, he would have had skills that gave him a steady income.

As I said, he died young. I do not know why.