It’s a good quality key, nicely turned.
Part of the Bowles family were well-known and prosperous in the print-selling and stationary trade in London. The Carington Bowles who is the subject of this thread (yes, only ONE ‘R’) went into trade, and is well-known for some important series of prints. However, they could certainly claim to be Gentlemen. A family tree is on Ancestry.com for anyone with a subscription to see.
The family members traded from several premises mostly in London, but some also in Westminster, during the 18C. Carington Bowles finally lived at Kensington Gore, which later became the site of the Royal Albert Hall. Folk in those days walked much more, but this is 4miles from St Pauls, (near 2hours walk) suggesting he at least had a horse, but more likely, a carriage — which would make the journey in under ½hour.
Following the suppression of the monasteries, St Paul’s cathedral lost its precincts. Along the south side, a row of near derelict mausoleums and outbuildings was rebuilt and converted into a row of shops, and a new street formed, named ‘St Pauls Churchyard’. It soon became a centre of the stationery and print-selling trade (so it is curious that Chubb later opened his London showroom there).
[B]Bowles and Carver[/B] (1763-1830) Partnership of (Henry) Carington Bowles II (son of Carington Bowles I) and Samuel Carver, continuing the Bowles business in St Paul's Churchyard, London, 1793-1832. In 1818, Bowles built Myddelton House in Enfield.
[B]Bowles, Carington[/B] (1724-93) Son of John Bowles to whom he was apprenticed in 1741, and with whom he was in partnership as John Bowles & Son, at the Black Horse, Cornhill, London, from 1752 or 1753. He later took over the business of his uncle, Thomas Bowles II in St Paul's Churchyard. It has been assumed that Carington moved to St Paul's Churchyard in 1767 when Thomas II died, but the date 1766 appears with Carington's name as publisher at St Paul's Churchyard on a portrait of Lord Camden (Faber Junior, Chaloner Smith, 52.II). When Carington died the business passed to his son (Henry) Carington Bowles.
[B]Bowles, John[/B] (1701?-1779) Print publisher. Younger brother of Thomas Bowles II. From 1723 ran a print shop at Mercers' Hall, Cheapside, London, moving in 1733 to the Black Horse, Cornhill. In 1752 or 1753 his son Carington Bowles became a partner and for the next ten years they traded as John Bowles & Son. The shop was damaged by fire in 1766 and the business moved back temporarily to Mercers' Hall, Cheapside. By 1768 its address was 13 Cornhill (possibly the same premises as the former Black Horse). John Bowles died a rich man and his stock was taken over by Robert Wilkinson.
[B]Bowles, Thomas[/B] (c.1695-1767) Print publisher and engraver. In about 1715 took over the business in St Paul's Churchyard, London, founded by his father, Thomas Bowles I. His nephew, Carington Bowles took over c.1763; at his death in 1793 the business passed to his son Henry Carington Bowles, known as Carington Bowles II, who traded in partnership with Samuel Carver until about 1832. See also Thomas Bowles II, his son, and John Bowles, his younger brother.
[B]Bowles, Thomas[/B] (fl. 1691-1721) Print publisher. Founder of the family business in St Paul's Churchyard, London. See Thomas Bowles II for a history of the business.
