George David Myers
Born 12 May 1802 at Stamford, son of David Thompson Myers, and died 19 July 1869 at his residence, 36 Talbot Road, Bayswater, Middlesex. Started out as a draper in Spalding; the Gazette of 1 February 1834 advertises the dissolution of his partnership with John Mawer (formerly of Holbeach but now of Horncastle). The poll book of 1841 has him as a freeholder in Spalding, but a resident of Islington, and henceforth he was recorded in London in the censuses - as an engraver and printer of 4 Malvern Place, Islington in 1851, and a retired printer at 2 Talbot Villas in 1861. Owned a warehouse in Peterborough Court, in the City.
Desirable FREEHOLD PROPERTY in SPALDING. To DRAPERS, GROCERS, TALLOW- CHANDLERS, & Others. To be SOLD by AUCTION, At the White Hart Inn, Spalding, in the county of Lincoln, on Tuesday the 17th day of February, 1835, at 6 o'clock in the evening precisely, (unless sooner disposed of by private contract, of which due notice will be given,) and subject to such conditions as shall then be produced; ALL that old-established and commodious SHOP, MESSUAGE or TENEMENT, Garden, and Premises, situate in the centre of the Market-place, Spalding, now in the occupation of Mr. George David Myers (who has engaged in another concern), together with a small Parcel of Land in Cowbit Wash, which may be had by the purchaser if required, and also a Pew in the centre aisle of the Church of Spalding. The above Premises comprise an extensive Shop with a frontage of 34 feet, excellent Cellarage, Candle-house, Warehouses, Stabling, Gighouse, &c, and also a convenient carriage-road leading to the back of the premises, with every other requisite for carrying on the above businesses on a very extensive scale; and altogether so desirable a situation as is thus presented is rarely to be met with.—Possession may be had at Lady-day next, and part of the money may remain on mortgage if required. For further particulars, and to treat by private contract, application to be made to Mr. Lanning, solicitor, Spalding. Stamford Mercury, 6 February 1835
In 1857 he was tried at the Old Bailey on a charge of conspiracy, and acquitted. The full report of the trial is here, and here's a summary:
CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.— THIS DAY. OLD COURT. (Before Mr. Baron Channell.) CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY. John Hind May, 36, and William Taylor and George David Myers, the latter two of whom surrendered to take their trial, were charged with conspiring together to obtain property of the value of nearly 1000/. from Thomas Gorman and Alexander Lawson. Mr. Hardinge Giffard and Mr. Poland prosecuted. Mr. Serjeant Ballantine, Mr. Huddlestone, and Mr. Hawkins attended specially on behalf of Taylor and Myers; and Mr. Robinson appeared for May. This case was commenced yesterday, and was adjourned at seven o'clock till this morning. The prosecutors are Irish cambric handkerchief manufacturers at Lurgan, in Ireland; and the defendant Taylor was agent for the sale of goods of that description, and was considered a highly respectable man. In February last Mr. Gorman took him some samples of handkerchiefs, and asked him to endeavour to dispose of them, and he agreed to do so; shortly after- wards Taylor wrote to him, stating that he had found a purchaser in Mr. May, of Huggin-lane. From inquiries made by Mr. Gorman, he refused to let May have the property, and it appeared that Taylor then wrote to him, stating that Myers and Co., late of Ludgate-hill, would purchase the handkerchiefs upon certain terms, and be advised him to lot them have them. He agreed to do so, and the goods were sent to London, when it appeared that all the defendants looked at them, and they were then removed to May's warehouse in Huggin-lane, and two days afterwards were sold to Messrs. Meeking, of Holborn, by May, for little more than half the price at which they had been invoiced to Messrs. Myers, and there was some evidence that May had paid two cheques, one for 100/. and the other for 50/, to the account of Myers, after the transaction. Under these circumstances, it was alleged on behalf of the prosecution that the whole of the parties had combined together to obtain possession of the goods, and defraud the prosecutor of them, and that the sale to Myers was merely a trick to deceive him, and induce him to part with his property. It was admitted, however, that Taylor had borne a most excellent character, and was always looked upon as a very honourable man, and it also appeared that Myers was a wealthy man. Mr. Serjeant Ballantine made a very powerful address to the jury on behalf of his client Taylor, urging that he had acted in a perfectly honest manner throughout the transaction , and that, whatever might have been the conduct of May or Myers, he had nothing whatever to do with any illegal proceeding ; and the learned gentleman particularly remarked upon the absence of all proof that his client had in any way benefited by the transaction, even to the extent of his commission. A great many highly-respectable witnesses were examined, who gave Taylor the best possible character as a man of honour and integrity. At the sitting of the Court this morning, Mr. Robinson proceeded to address the jury on behalf of the defendant May, and contended that there was no evidence to show that he had conspired illegally, and he said that although he might have acted improperly with respect to the goods in question, he submitted that there was nothing to show that the bills would not have been given for the goods but for the course that was taken by the prosecutors ; and in the result those bills would probably have been paid. He also said that it was clear from the long period the case had been nuder discussion that the criminal charge was an entire after thought, and that if the money could have been found for Mr. Gorman, the present charge would never have been heard of. Mr. Hawkins next addressed the jury for Myers, and adopted pretty much the same line of argument as the other learned counsel, but he contended that Taylor had clearly exceeded his instructions in allowing May to obtain possession of the property, and that Myers had given no authority, and was not in any way responsible for the proceedings that took place,— and that there was an entire absence of any evidence to show that he was actuated by any fraudulent intention, A great number of respectable witnesses were examined as witnesses for the defendant Myers, and they all gave him a high character for honour and integrity. The jury found Taylor and May Guilty, and Acquitted Myers. Taylor was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, and May to twelve, without hard labour. London Evening Standard,20 June 1857
Married firstly at Runham, Norfolk, on 5 February 1829 to Marianne Boult. She was born in about 1810.
MARRIED. On Thursday the 5th inst., (by the Rev. J. Symonds, M.A.,) Mr. G. D. Myers, of Spalding, to Marianne second daughter of W. Boult, Esq. of Runham Hall, Norfolk. Stamford Mercury, 13 February 1829
Married secondly at Horncastle 19 April 1832 to Jane Hotchin. She was born at Horncastle in 1811, daughter of William and Elizabeth Hotchin, and baptised there 7 August 1811. Died in Bristol in 1881; she was living there with her married daughter Caroline (Gwyn). Buried at Portishead 3 May 1881. Recorded with her husband in all the censuses.
Issue four sons and two daughters:
George David Myers, born at Islington 13 September 1835, and baptised 10 July 1836. Recorded in the censuses with his parents, until in 1881 he is a patient at the Norwood Lunatic Asylum. Possibly died in 1905.
Dr. Charles John Myers, born September 1841.
Caroline Anne Myers, born about 1845 in Islington. Living with her parents in 1851 and 1861, as a Governess in Cheltenham in 1871, and then with her husband in Bristol, initially at Fernbank Road, Redland, and then at Richmond Terrace, Clifton. Death registered in Bristol in 1918.
Married in about 1871 to John Gwyn. He was born at St Mary Church in Wales in about 1845, and died at his residence, 27 Richmond Terrace, Clifton, Bristol on 25 October 1920. He was a partner in the Bristol leather firm of Gerrish and Gwyn and left an estate of £11500.
FUNERAL OF THE LATE MR JOHN GWYN Mr John Gwyn, partner of the old established leather merchants, Messrs Gerrish and Gwyn passed away at his residence, Richmond Terrace, on Monday, at the age of 75 years. He was well known in Clifton, and held in the highest esteem, and was sidesman at St. Paul's Church, Clifton, for many years. At the funeral yesterday, at Canford, the Rev. Canon W. E. Haigh, M.A., officiated, and spoke of the loss Clifton and St. Paul's Church had sustained by his death, and he referred to the integrity and upright dealings of Mr Gwyn. The mourners were his son, daughters, and daughter-in-law, representatives of the firm, and many personal friends. The outer coffin was a massive oak moulding one, and there were many floral tributes. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr C. P. Billing. Western Daily Press, Thursday 28 October 1920
William Myers, born about 1846 in Islington. Appears with his parents on the 1851 census.
Jane Myers, born about 1852 at Islington, and drowned whilst bathing at Portishead, Somerset, 19 August 1872. Buried there 22 August.
THE CASE OF DROWNING AT PORTISHEAD. Yeaterday evening, Mr. R. Biggs, coroner, held an inquest at Avon View House, Portishead, on the body of Jane Myers, the young lady who was drowned under the sad circumstances stated in the Daily Press of yesterday. The deceased was governess at Miss Norman's schools, Portishead, and daughter of the late Mr. G. D. Myers, 38, Talbot Road, Bayswater. The jury having viewed the body, Mr John Gwynn, currier and leather merchant, of Bristol, was called, and stated that the deceased was his wife's sister. She was governess at Miss Norman's school, Portishead, and was about 24 years of age. Hannah Awbry stated that she was nursemaid in the service of Mr Phillips, at Portishead. On Monday morning she went to the Nore Beach, about seven o'clock, to bathe, with her master's little boy and a little girl. She had bathed and was dressing, when she saw the deceased get into the water to bathe. A young lady, about 12 years of age, was with her. She had been in the water about two or three minutes, when she screamed. Witness thought she was in play, as she was only about a dozen yards out; and the water was not to her neck. She continued to go further out, and shortly after she screamed again. She continued to scream, and her voice appeared to get weaker. She threw up her arms, and seemed to be making efforts to save herself. The water by that time was up to her neck. Then she held up one arm, and sank altogether. Witness gave information to two or three persons who were near, and went home and told Phillips what had occurred. She knew deceased, but only by sight. The dress of the deceased was an ordinary waterproof cloak, and not a regular bathing dress. Witness had never bathed before at Portishead, and chose this spot from having seen bathing going on there; she had seen ladies bathe there. By Mr Gwynn: Miss Myers had not disappeared when she called a man, who was in a field. She called to him for assistance, and when he came upon the beach she believed the deceased's arm was still visible, but she was not positive. He said the girl was lost, and there was no chance of saving her then. Two or three of the jurors remarked that bathers were in the habit of making a noise for fun. Harriet Thorne, a domestic servant, stated that she was bathing on Monday morning with her young mistress and three children. She first saw deceased when she was about knee deep in the water, and she took no further notice of her till about fire minutes afterwards, when heard her scream ; and she heard some one say, " She can't come back." Then witness turned round and saw the deceased throwing her arms about. She sent the little children to fetch some men who were at work at the Beach Hotel. Then she tried to get to her, but found that she was getting out of her depth, and that the waves were too strong. She therefore returned to the beach, put on her clothes, and ran for assistance. The men from the hotel did not come for about five minutes after the deceased had disappeared. The little girl who bathed with the deceased made a statement, but was not sworn. She said that the deceased had only bathed at that spot once before, and could not swim. A juryman said that the deceased was in what was called " the slack " of the water. If she had been in the tide, she would have been carried out. Thomas Wybrants, a haulier, said he first heard of the accident about a quarter to eight, and went to the spot. He was present when the tide ran out, and saw the body of the deceased lying on the beach. The body was found about thirty yards from where she had been bathing. A great many ladies bathed at this spot. He did not consider it dangerous. Hundreds had bathed there, but he had never before heard of a fatal accident there. Several jurors, however, expressed an opinion that bathing at the spot was dangerous. The Coroner dwelt on the melancholy character of the case. Here was a fine, handsome, bright young woman cut off in a moment, probably through a little nervousness on her part in going out of her depth. He thought that some woman should be stationed on the beach where ladies were in the habit of bathing, for in a rising place like Portishead the risk of an accident of that kind should be reduced to a minimum. He should imagine that a nominal fee from each bather would almost pay the expenses of woman. Mr Gwynn thought the conduct of the people around was not humane. This poor girl was said to be drowning and yet no attempt was apparently made to rescue her. Some discussion took place in reference to Mr Gwynn's remark and the Coroner's suggestion. It was thought that any attempts to save the deceased's life would, under the circumstances, have failed, and the jury seemed to be in favour of the suggestion made by the Coroner. The jury then without hesitation returned a verdict of 'Accidentally drowned." Western Daily Press, 21 August 1872
Alfred Myers, born about 1854 at Islington.