Aaron Manby (1776 - 1850)

Born 15 Nov 1776 in Albrighton, Shropshire, England

Husband of Juliana (Fewster) Manby — married 14 Sep 1800 in Soho, Westminster, London, England

Husband of Sarah Ann (Haskins) Manby — married 15 Aug 1807 in Newbury, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom

Died 1 Dec 1850 at age 74 in Shanklin, Isle of Wight, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Unless otherwise indicated information in itallics is extracted from the Dictionary of National Bigraphy.^[1]

MANBY, AARON (1776-1850), engineer, second son of Aaron Manby of Kingston, Jamaica, was born at Albrighton, Shropshire, 15 Nov. 1776. His mother was Jane Lane, of the Lanes of Bentley, who assisted Charles II to escape from Boscobel after the battle of Worcester.

Birth date confirmed. ^[2]

On 27 May 1779 Aaron was baptised, at Albrighton.^[3]

On 14 September 1800 Aaron Manby married Juliana Frewster at St Anne's Church, Soho, Westminster, London.^[4]

There was one child of this marriage, Charles Manby, born 4 February 1804, at Cowes, Isle of White.^[5]

Aaron's wife, Julia, died in July 1806, buried at Cowes.

On 15 August 1807 Aaron Manby married again, marrying Sarah Haskins at Newbury, Berkshire. This was reported in the Oxford University and City Herald as follows. On Saturday last was married at Newbury, Mr. Manby, of Cowes, Isle of Wight, brandy merchant, to Miss Sarah Haskins, daughter of John Haskins, Esq. Newbury. Mr Manby is a lineal descendent of the person who afforded protection to King Charles, and receives a yearly stipend of one hundred marks. ^[6] Sarah's father was a wine merchant in Newbury.

Of this marriage there were three sons, John Richard (1813-1869), ... Joseph Lane (1814-1862) and Edward Oliver (1816-1864). They were all civil engineers, practising mostly abroad.

Manby's early years were, it is believed, spent in a bank in the Isle of Wight, but in 1813 he was in business at Wolverhampton, as an ironmaster, ... But note his spell as a brandy merchant when marrying his second wife.

About this time he founded the Horseley ironworks, Tipton (Staffordshire, now West Midlands), where he carried on the manufacture of steam engines, castings, etc.

In 1821 he took out a patent for a form of steam engine specially applicable for marine purposes, which he called an oscillating engine, ... He also patented the oscillating engine in France in the same year, and included in the specification a claim for making ships of iron ..... He now commenced the building of iron steamships and the first, the Aaron Manby, was made at Horseley and conveyed in pieces to the Surrey Canal Dock, where it was put together. It was tried on the Thames on 8 May 1822 ... and sailed to Paris in June.

In 1819 Manby founded an engineering works at Charenton, near Paris ... The effect of Manby's efforts was to render France largely independent of English engine-builders, who for a time displayed some resentment against him. ... In May 1822 Manby and Wilson (Daniel Wilson of Dublin, chemist) , obtained a concession for lighting Paris with gas, ... It is said that the English company was actually the first to supply gas to the French capital. In 1826 Manby and his friends purchased the Creusot ironworks, ...

On 4 September 1826 Aaron's second wife died in Paris. This reported in Baldwin's London Weekly Journal under Deaths as follows. "Sept. 4, at Paris, Sarah, wife of Aaron Manby, Esq. formerly of Horsely House, Staffordshire, and fourth daughter of the late John Haskins, Esq. of Newbury".^[7]

Manby returned to England about 1840 when he went to reside at Fulham, removing afterwards to Ryde, Isle of Wight, and subsequently to Shanklin (Isle of Wight), where he died 1 Dec. 1850.

The 1841 census confirms Aaron Manby (about 60, civil engineer) at Munster Road, Fulham, Middlesex. There are four others in the household but this census does not record relationships. Some are likely to be servants. One is an Eliza Manby (about 40).

The Post Office Directory for 1849 records Aaron Manby under the Gentry heading for those living at St Helen's (Green), Isle of White, Hampshire. His abode is Barrington House.

Aaron Manby died on 1 December 1850 at Shanklin, Isle of Wight. He was buried on 7 December 1850 at Bonchurch, Isle of Wight, Hampshire. His death was registered at the isle of white in the fourth quarter of 1850.

Sources

1. ↑ Dictionary of National Biography, Volumes 1-22 for Aaron Manby (Ancestry.com). Original data: Stephen, Sir Leslie, ed. Dictionary of National Biography, 1921–1922. Volumes 1–22. London, England: Oxford University Press, 1921–1922. Dictionary of National Biography, 1921–1922, Oxford University Press, London, England.
2. ↑ Aaron Manby in the Shropshire, England, Extracted Church of England Parish Records, 1538-1812 (Ancestry.com)
3. ↑ Aaron Manby in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 (Ancestry.com)
4. ↑ Aaron Manby in the England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973 (Ancestry.com). Original data: England, Marriages, 1538–1973. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.
5. ↑ Charles Manby in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 (Ancestry.com)
6. ↑ Oxford University and City Herald, Saturday 22 August 1807 Marriages (p.2 col.3)
7. ↑ Death Notice in Baldwin's London Weekly Journal - Saturday 16 September 1826

• Dictionary of National Biography, Volumes 1-22 for Aaron Manby (Ancestry.com). Original data: Stephen, Sir Leslie, ed. Dictionary of National Biography, 1921–1922. Volumes 1–22. London, England: Oxford University Press, 1921–1922. Dictionary of National Biography, 1921–1922, Oxford University Press, London, England.

• Aaron Manby in the England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 (Ancestry.com)

• Aaron Manby in the England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973 (Ancestry.com). Original data: England, Marriages, 1538–1973. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

• 1841 England Census for Aaron Manby, Middlesex, Fulham, District 12

• UK, City and County Directories, 1766 - 1946 for Aaron Manby, England, Hampshire, 1849, Post Office Directory

• England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 for Aaron Manby, 1850, Q4-Oct-Nov-Dec, M

• Aaron Manby in the England, Select Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991 (Ancestry.com)