WILLIAM SHRUBSOLE was a Draper, Banker, Politician & a Mayor of Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey.
In the beginning of my research I couldn’t find his birth but if you look at William’s memorial in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey it states he was aged 73 when he died on March 19th 1848 thus making his year of birth either 1774 or 1775. If you look at 1841 census it says he was not born in the county of Surrey.
The only William Shrubsole I could find in England born ca 1744/5 was a William Shrubsole who was baptised 27th April 1774 in Chartham, Kent. He was the son of John & Martha Shrubsole & had siblings John, Ann and Martha. Interestingly one of William’s sons is called John and one of his daughters Martha. Nice coincidence but I needed more proof.
Then I found this Lease of a Lease & Release:
20 Mar 1809 Description 1. William Shrubsole, late of the City of Canterbury, Linen draper, now of Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, banker; James Darke, City of Canterbury, linen draper; John Shrubsole, Chartham, shopkeeper; 2. Rev Sir John Fagg of Mystole in Chartham, Baronet; 20 perches with an oast and stowage, formerly with two oasts, on Chartham Green, Chartham, now in the tenure of John Shrubsole. The land was formerly part of the common called Chartham Green, but taken off the common by John Shrubsole, father of William Shrubsole, father of William Shrubsole and John Shrubsole. Term: 1 year; consideration: 5s to each person.
So from this I would deduce that William, formerly a linen draper in Canterbury (right alongside Chartham), now residing in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey has a father named John Shrubsole, a shopkeeper of Chartham. This all fits very nicely with my original theory - am I right or do I need yet more proof? I don’t think so but even so I am now on the search for his father John’s baptism / birth or anything else than can help out with this family tree. I have John’s death and details of his probate, which although shows what he left to whom is not any more help. He did however make a codicil to his will and appears to have disinherited his son John. His wife Martha survived him by six years & I have her will too, but am very slowly working my way through several pages of atrocious writing, so it will take me some time.
William, as well as being in the drapery business was also a partner with his father in law in the Bank of Kingston, which later after mergers became The National Westminster Bank Ltd. There is a very informative little booklet "The Kingston Bank; The Early History of the Westminster Bank Ltd in Kingston upon Thames", which is well worth a read. A link here to the RBS site giving some details https://www.rbs.com/heritage/companies/shrubsole-and-co.html
William was active in local politics and was Lord Mayor of Kingston upon Thames, Surrey in 1848. During 1848 he supplied bedding to the prison in Kingston, known as the ‘House of Correction’ by the bench of magistrates responsible for it but by “Bridewell” by the locals. I presume it was supplied via his drapers business as a commodity but not sure if it was charged for or if he was a benefactor of the prison.
He is buried at All Saints Churchyard, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.
William’s son Henry (1816-1880) was three times Mayor of Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.
