William Harwood was born in Newmarket to John and Mary (Adams) Harwood. [1] A family bible, held in private hands, records his birth year as 1744/5. He was baptised in All Saints church, Newmarket [2] He was educated in Newmarket. [3] , and successfully applied to be a Writer for the East India Company. His career in India spanned 1764 to 1780, in which time he held a number of roles, including administrator. [4]
William returned to England in 1781, believed to be travelling on the Fox with Sir Phillip Francis. A handwritten journal of that voyage, held in the British Library, is generally attributed to William Harwood. It is written in an objective (perhaps rather dry) style, recording details of distances travelled, conditions experienced and a small number of notable events including descriptions and comments on wildlife such as albatrosses, and some day to day details of their enforced, lengthy stay at St Helena. While it has been suggested by some academics in writing about imperialism and India that William Harwood journeyed more than once to and from India, the style of comment in the journal suggests the journey and experiences were novel. [5]
Once back in England, William purchased properties in and around London, including Hanwell Hall and 14 Caroline Street, Bedford Square [6] Hanwell Hall's leasehold was purchased over three stages, from 1784 to 1789, and it seems a range of improvements were made to the house and grounds. [7]
William seems to have been an active member of the Whig movement. He gave descriptive, neutral evidence in the trial of Warren Hastings.
In partnership with Peter Bowers, and possibly with the underwriting of an East India Company colleague James Archdekin (also provided for in the will of John Cree), William bought a wallpaper printing company in London, from James Woodmason, in the late 1780s, probably in partnership with James Archdekin and Roger Elliot Roberts. The partnership of the three men was dissolved in 25 March 1799, when William took full ownership of the paperstaining enterprise. [8] The firm traded as Harwood and Co long after William's death. The business had had a financially troubled start, but "... from 1810 onwards, and with input from other investors, continued the success of the firm as one of the largest market leaders by the end of the period" It was still trading as such in 1820. [9]. Interestingly, the description of Hanwell Hall in an inventory attached to legal action allowing Busick Harwood to lease the house out for Clara Eliza, included interior decoration which may well have been very fashionable wallpaper from Harwood and Co. [10]
William and Sarah Francis had at least seven children, born from 1784 to 1799. [11] The eldest child brought up in their family - Martha- has been said to have been William's by another woman, perhaps an "Indian Princess". In the 19th Century UK censii all living children, apart from Martha, recorded their birth place as Middlesex. Martha consistently reported her birth place as Calcutta, India.
William's "eldest child" was a residual legatee in the will of John Cree. Attempts were made to enable Martha to take up the legacy, which led to a well-known court case that resulted in a ruling that she could not inherit because she was a "natural daughter" - that is, not the issue of a married couple. William Harwood and Sarah Francis married by licence on 16 January 1798, at St George Hanover Square. Both signed their names. Witnesses were Caleb Greville - who was a cleric at the church, and Benj. Brooks. [12] Benjamin Brooks "of Lincolns Inn" seems to have been a close associate of William. Whatever the case, Benjamin Brooks acted for the children and Sarah after William's death, and in the 1841 census, when he as living in Brighton, William's son Eden was staying in his home, and daughter Clara was also staying in Brighton. This would suggest that both Eden and Clara had on-going contact with Benjamin and his daughter decades after William's death. Perhaps Benjamin had been an associate of Charles, William's brother who died while training in the law. [13]
William and Sarah had one more child (Clara Eliza) after their marriage , and a further attempt was made for her to claim the Cree legacy. However the court ruled that the time lapse had been too great, so she was not able to inherit, even though she was William's first child - that is first legitimate offspring.
There has been some speculation over the years that William's wife Sarah Francis may have been the daughter of Sir Phillip Francis. However, there is no evidence that this is correct. All the material found about Sir Phillip's daughter, Sarah Francis, is that she was a rather unwell spinster all her life. More conclusively, contents of the will of Sir Phillip's daughter Sarah (British Library MSS) rules out the possibility that she was William's partner.
William died in 1802. [14]He was buried in All Saints Church, Newmarket, where his parents were buried, and where his brother John would be buried in 1815. He is included in a memorial inscription of his parents in the church, now in the entrance porch with other historic monuments. A short passage in a newspaper noted his death On Monday, at his house in Old-Bond Street, Wm Harwood esq, of Hanwell-Park[15]
A codicil to his will mentions regret at the outcome for his children, and says he had "... trusted that the ceremony which had taken place between the mother of my children and myself was good and legal in the eyes of God and man..." It may be that Sarah and William were "married" in some unconventional way, before they lived together and had their family. [16] However, records of a non-conformist marriage have not yet been found. Perhaps a ceremony could have occurred in India before 1781, though it may be more likely that Sarah was never in India. The birth dates of the children would suggest that Sarah and William took up living as man and wife after William's return to England in 1781.
William's will left generous provisions for his children and wife. [17] However, at the time of his death, William's financial affairs were in a very bad state, with him apparently owing very large amounts of money. After his death, a number of court cases took place, including at least one with regard to the title for Hanwell Hall, which was inherited by Clara as the only 'legitimate' child, given Sarah's relinquishment of dowager rights to the property . William's brother Busick assumed guardianship of Clara a few years after William's death. Whether that was for legal challenges, or some other reason is not clear. Hanwell Hall was finally "... peremptorily sold, pursuant to an order of the High Court of Chancery, dated the 15th of July 1810, made in a cause, Noel against Harwood, before John Simeon Esq ...", in 1811 [18]
Some of the original documentation of actions against and defence of allegations is missing from Archives U.K. However, long running legal actions took place after William's death, in which various lenders and/or their executors - some of whom had been acquaintances from India, and some of whom had also died (including James Archdekin) - claimed monies owed to them.
After his death, William's brothers John and Busick seem to have taken a protective interest in his children's lives. Sarah may have been the Sarah Harwood, widow, who married Lewis de Bello at Barnard Castle in Durham County in June 1810. Two of the boys (John and William) lived in Durham within reasonably close proximity to Barnard Castle.
By the time William's brother, John Harwood of Exning, wrote his Will in 1815, all William and Sarah's children mentioned were working for their livings, apart from Martha, who was married, and William who may have been at "school". Generous provisions were made for all the children apart from Clara. Sarah (Francis) Harwood was not mentioned in her brother in law's Will.
Marriage: http://search.findmypast.com.au/record?id=gbprs%2fm%2f492208576%2f1
Property at Hanwell Middlesex: London Gazette (Primary source) https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=MhBKAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA322&lpg=PA322&dq=william+harwood+newmarket&source=bl&ots=hXVlVmHSvk&sig=1LKbKlXuhZRmbApPL9sds1jAamA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjZ1oD9zo_UAhWKW7wKHQ9KD2Y4ChDoAQgnMAE#v=onepage&q=william%20harwood%20newmarket&f=false
Death: .
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