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GRIMANI
Gasparo Grimani (c1729 - 1801) picture
According to the story handed down through the family, Gasparo was born in Venice of the noble and ancient Grimani family. There are two books which contain versions of his flight from Venice*, both written some time after his death by his descendants. Research has however failed to confirm this, and other documents suggest that he came instead from Bologna.
It seems Gasparo had intended to become a priest and studied in Rome, but had fallen foul of the Church for reasons unknown and fled from Italy (about 1755). In a letter to the Pope (about 1779) he pleads for reconciliation.
Gasparo married twice. His first wife was Antonia Fabbri, daughter of …. Fabbri of Lyon. She was said to be his second
cousin. They were living in London in 1769, when Gasparo was imprisoned for an unpaid debt of £17 which he claimed he
did not owe, and in 1773, when he and Antonia were godparents at an Italian christening. But they seem to have lived in
Paris as well. They had two children: a son, Guglielmo or William (b. about 1759) (picture),
and a daughter, Maria Rosalba (born Livorno 27 June 1763), said to have been kidnapped in Paris and never found.
Antonia is said to have fallen ill shortly after this and died in Paris (about 1776). After this Gasparo travelled a
lot, for a while making a living from exhibiting a model of Rome (pictures) he had carved.
William also married twice, firstly Elizabeth Magdelene Vuagneux (St.Pancras 1783). They had a son, James Marriot (1788 - died young?) and two daughters (both brought up by Lady Percival+), Francesca Brigitta Florenza (1790), and Belina Rosetta (1791). At one time William ran a ladies' school in Lee in S.E. London (about 1810 - 1822), where he taught "French language and manners". He was known as Monsieur Grimani as he was thought to be a Huguenot refugee. His daughter, Belina, was a governess at the school and a lovely singer. Francesca married Thomas Hornby, and their son, Edmund Grimani Hornby (1825 - 1896), became Chief Judge of the Supreme Courts of China, Japan and India and Judge Consular Consort of Constantinople. He was knighted in 1862. William's second marriage was to Belina Dickerson (St. Pancras 1796) by whom he had three further children, William Mayow (1798), Ann Catherine Parbridge (1799) and Mary Eliza (1801). He died in 1842 at Euston Square. Belina went blind and ended up in the Lewisham Poor House, where she died in 1856.
Cecilia Wagner (1760? - 1838)
Born about 1760, she was the daughter of "a German gentleman and a Spanish lady of noble birth". She was reputed to be a 'great beauty'.
Gasparo's appeal for reconciliation with the Catholic Church seems to have failed, as on 6th August 1781 he was remarried at St.Pancras Old Church (Church of England). He was 52, she was in her twenties. Their first child was baptised in London in 1782, but they also lived in Paris (about 1784 - 1788) before settling at Bath (5 James Street in 1792 and 11 Portland Place in 1800).
Gasparo, described as Professor of mathematicks, exhibited a model of London and Westminster at the Fantoccini Room, in Panton-Street, in the Hay-market, London, in 1785?, and in 1788 he exhibited his model of Rome together with one of Versailles at the Pantheon, Oxford Street.
In 1792 Gasparo was a member of the Bath Loyalist Association, whose purpose, in the wake of the French Revolution, was "to preserve liberty, property and the constitution of Great Britain against republicans and levellers". He also had several books published, two of which are listed in the British Library catalogue‡. Both are dedicated to the Duchess of Devonshire†.
Gasparo (also known as Gaspar or Jasper) made his living as a teacher of French and Italian. He died at Bath 27th July 1801, aged 71. His obituary in the local paper described him as "a linguist and father of the promising young actress of that name at our theatre".
After Julia's marriage in 1805, Cecilia moved to London with her son, Francis. She died at Strabane, Ireland, aged 77, in March 1838.
Their children were:
Francis Grimani Born 1782. See next.
Julia Ann Grimani picture Born about 1784/5 in Paris and named after Lady Suffolk, by whom she was partly brought up, and of whose daughter, Lady Catherine, she became a close friend. She became an actress, starting at the Theatre Royal in Bath (1800 - 1803), then Haymarket, London (1804) and Liverpool, where she met her husband, Charles Mayne Young, and they were married there in 1805. They played together in Manchester, where their son, Julian Charles, was born in 1806, and where Julia died 10 days later at the age of 21. Charles Mayne Young went on to be a very famous actor.
Charles Grimani Born 1791. Bap. Bath, 30th September 1791. Lived in Newington and Cornhill and Blackheath. Married Sarah White. Four children: Julia Caroline (1823), Charles Augustus (1825), Laura Elizabeth (1827), and Emily Jane (1830) who died aged 8 months. Charles Augustus and Emily Jane may also have died young. Charles was a bankrupt schoolmaster in 1827. Sarah died in 1831, aged 38.
Charles remarried Emily Hannah Finch, author of "The Martyr" (1848). One daughter, Emily Sarah (1840, died 1841). In 1844 Charles was a bankrupt commercial traveller, living in Southwark. They also lived at Fareham, near Portsmouth. Julia Caroline died there in 1853, Charles in 1855. Emily (or Julia?) seems to have run a school in Fareham (1853). Emily died there in 1873.
James Frederick Grimani Born 1793. Bap. Bath, 18th December 1793.
Cecilia Mary Grimani An actress, married James Smith, also an actor (Shoreditch, 1822). James was ordained, and was Rev. James Smith at the Free Church of Derry, Ireland and Rector at Strabane, (1835 - 1860). They are said to have had sons and a daughter.
William Grimani bur. St James, Bath 23 Jan 1796 (age not recorded).
* 1) "A Memoir of Charles Mayne Young" by Julian Charles Young (London, 1871)
2) "Sir Edmund Hornby - an Autobiography" (London, 1928)
+ mother of Spencer Percival, Prime Minister assassinated in 1812.
‡ 1) "A Topographical and Historical Description of Ancient and Modern Rome" (Bath, 1783)
2) "The Ladies' New Italian Grammar" (London, 1788).
The Notre Dame Library has in the special collections rare books "Calepin ou Grammaire philosophique, ou Esquisse des moeurs du dix-huitieme siecle ou Tout ce que l'on voudra" - Grimani - imprinted Bath 1792
† Georgiana Cavendish (1757 - 1806)
Francis Grimani (1782 - 1867) picture
Born in Marylebone, London, 22nd May 1782. Also lived in Paris and Bath. He became a Civil Servant
(Excise Office). Living in Islington, London in 1810 he married Elizabeth Parry, the daughter of
Roger Parry and Elizabeth Read, at All Hallows, London Wall (1st July 1810). He was 28; she was 31.
They lived at 17 Great Winchester Street (1808), 33 Westmorland Place, City Road (1813) and at 48
Strand (1821). Francis painted miniatures; he had some exhibited at the Royal Academy, including one
of his wife.
Their marriage produced no children. About 1822 Elizabeth left her husband for Mr. John Lancaster Lane, lieutenant
of the 73 Foot. Francis tracked them down and challenged Lane to a duel. A scuffle ensued,
resulting in Lane's landlady being accidentally shot in the leg and Francis and Lane both ending up in court.
Elizabeth lived to the age of 64 and died at 11 Colebrook Row, Islington on 13th July 1852. Her death
certificate describes her as "the wife of Francis Grimani". No evidence of a divorce has been found.
Francis remarried.
Elizabeth McLoughlin (1816? - 1876)
Born in Buncrana, Donegal, Ireland about 1816. Presumably the family emigrated to Liverpool.
They were married at St. Nicholas Church, Liverpool, 10th December 1833. He was 51 and she was about 17. They lived in Culmore and/or Strabane, Ireland, probably from 1838 to 1848/51.
In 1851 they were living at Good Wood House, Jersey. Francis was a 'gentleman, fund holder and annuitant'. They had an Irish maid servant living with them (from Londonderry), and the children were 'instructed at home'. In 1861 they were at 8 Oxford Street, Plymouth. Francis was now a retired accountant.
Some time in the 1860s they moved to south-east London. Francis is reputed to have ridden from there to Somerset House daily on a white horse. He died 27th September 1867 at 2 Haddington Terrace, Greenwich, aged 85. Elizabeth died at 26 Florence Road, New Cross on 18th April 1876, aged 59.
James Charles Grimani Bap. Liverpool 17th January 1836. Gold miner in Australia. Married Bridget
Burns in Castlemaine, 28 April 1856. Then went to America (about 1864), where he became a musician, and was known as
James Antonio or Antonio. He was naturalised in San Francisco in 1871. Bridget died 20 January 1890, and James 20 November 1904.
Oceana Grimani Born on the Irish Sea about 1838. Did not marry. In 1901 she was in hospital in Kent, described as a "lunatic". Died at Epsom 1917, aged 79.
Francis Grimani Born in Ireland, about 1840. Soldier. Sergeant major in HM 1st West India Regiment (1874), in the 67th Regiment of Foot (1879) and foreman in the Naval Ordinance (1895). Married Sarah Ann Arkell of Bibury, Gloucestershire, where their first child was born. Later lived at Elson Barracks, Gosport. Had seven children: Annie Elizabeth (1874), Francis (1877), Jasper (1879), Edmund Hornby (1880), Charles (1882), Agnes Olive (1884, died 1886) and Olive Agnes (1886). Francis died at Fareham in 1903, aged 62. Sarah died at Gosport in 1913, aged 65.
Jasper Grimani Born about 1842 in Culmore, Londonderry. An actor (1861) and comedian (1863). Married Anna Ackrell or Stone, widow (had a daughter Ellen Stone), of Millbay Pier Hotel, Plymouth, 7th May 1863. One daughter, Carlotta (1863). A "victualer" (1869,70) but believed to have been a publican. Jasper left his wife to live with Mary Ann Isaac. They had five children, some given the surname Grimani: Adelina Mary Ann Grimani (1869), Edmund Jasper Grimani (1870) and Francis Isaac (1872) all born in East Stonehouse (Plymouth), and Charles Isaac (1875, died 1878) and Elizabeth Grimani (1877, died 1879) both born in London. Jasper is now described as a painter.
Jasper is also believed to have run a boxing school. He died at the age of 34, a general dealer, in Camberwell
in 1878. Anna, his wife, kept a boarding house in Hampstead, London, with her daughters, Ellen and Ada.
She died there in 1921, aged 85. Mary Ann died in Romford in 1940, aged 97. Her death is
registered in the name of Grimani.
Charles Grimani Born 1st August 1844 in Ireland. See next.
Julia Grimani Born in Ireland about 1846. Married at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Greenwich, 26th June 1872, to Thomas Francis Hughes, a Commissioner of Customs in China. Had artistic talents. Also wrote "Among the Sons of Han" - notes of a 6-years' residence in various parts of China and Formosa, etc., published in London, 1881. Died in London 26 January 1882.
Edmund Hornby Grimani picture Born 1st February 1848 in Strabane, Londonderry. Named after (Sir) Edmund Grimani Hornby. Was fond of riding and also painted. Did not marry. Spent 35 years in China as a Commissioner in the Maritime Customs. Died in Portsmouth in 1931, leaving a considerable sum of money, also some business interests in China.
Charles Grimani (1844 - 1926) picture
Born 1st August 1844 in Ireland. The family moved to Jersey some time between 1848 and 1851, then to Plymouth, Devon before 1861. Some time in the 1860s they moved to Blackheath, London. Charles was a scenic artist, working in the big London theatres as well as in the provinces. He also painted portraits and landscapes in oils as a hobby, especially after his retiral.
Henrietta Laws (1846 - 1904)
Born 20th June 1846 at 14 White Horse Terrace, Stepney, London, and baptised 17th October 1849.
The match was unpopular with both families. Their first baby was born out of wedlock. They were married at St. Peters, Regent Square on the 28th November 1869. Charles was 25, Henrietta was 23. At this time they were living at 4 Harrison Street, Pancras, but soon they moved to S.E. London. In 1871 they were at 3 Douglas Street, Deptford, in 1872 they were at 32 Stanley Street, Deptford and in 1874 they were at 44 Bowles Road, Old Kent Road, Camberwell. They also lived at 128 Commercial Road, Camberwell (1881), Asylum Road, Peckham (1899) and at 2 Burchell Road, Peckham (1901).
Henrietta died in 1904 aged 58. Charles lived latterly with his son, Edmund, in Lewisham and died aged 81 (Good Friday) 1926.
Edmund Grimani Born 9th September 1869. Theatrical artist like his father. Married Clara Louise Hooper in 1906 (after the birth or all three children) and lived in Peckham. Children:- Winifred Clara (1897), Lewis Edmund (1899) who was known as Louis, did much research into the history of the Grimani family and visited his contemporary Grimanis in their palace in Venice, and Charles (1902) who died aged 2 weeks. Both lived latterly with their son, Louis, at 38 Bourne Vale, Hayes, Kent. Clara died there 11th April 1934, aged 62, and Edmund 3rd July 1956, aged 86.
Julia Grimani Born 28th July 1872. Dressmaker. Married Thomas Challis and had one son, George (1904).
Elizabeth Emily Grimani picture Born 10th September 1874. Married Alfred Saville.
Charles Thomas Grimani Born 1877. Scenic artist. Married Maud Brown in 1911 and lived in Peckham. Joined the 6th Norfolk Regiment in 1915. No issue. Was in the Channel Islands at the time of the German occupation in World War 2. Died at Windsor in 1941.
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