SHOPS and TRADES

THE HUGGIN CLOCK- and WATCHMAKERS of ASHWELLTHORPE

Six generations of the HUGGIN family lived in Ashwellthorpe during the 17th to 19th Centuries with five family members in three generations becoming clock- and watchmakers. More family history of this Huggin family is given at the bottom of this article, but the following is an outline so that the clock- and watchmaker Huggin family members can be time-lined.

Thomas Huggin Snr, a cordwainer (shoemaker), of Ashwellthorpe died in 1690; he and his wife Joanna had three sons: George the oldest, John, and Thomas the youngest. They also had a daughter Susan(na) who had married John Rudland in Ashwellthorpe in 1684.

Their youngest son - Thomas Huggin Jnr -was probably the Thomas who married Deborah. There was a Thomas and Deborah Huggin(s) who baptised a son Thomas on 7 April 1688 at St John Timberhill, Norwich. Whether this is the same Thomas and Deborah who had a son John baptised in Ashwellthorpe in 1692 is not known for certain, but this 1692 John (below) became the first known generation of the clock- and watchmaker Huggin dynasty in Ashwellthorpe.

The five clock- watchmakers were: John Huggin 1692-1775; his sons John 1723-1788, William 1727-1802 and Barnard 1734-1819; and William's son William 1768-1829.

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FIRST GENERATION OF HUGGIN CLOCK- WATCHMAKERS

JOHN HUGGIN Snr, the first known clock-watchmaker – baptised in Ashwellthorpe 1692, married Elizabeth ? some time before 1721 and had eight children, with three sons -John, William and Barnard, becoming clock- or watchmakers.

A clock made by John the Elder is exhibited in the Bridewell Museum (Museum of Norwich) in Norwich – an oak-cased thirty hour longcase clock, 5ft. 10ins. high with a square 11-inch brass dial and urn and scroll spandrels. It was originally a single-handed movement, now two-handed, with a plate frame. Other known examples of his work are an oak 8-day longcase clock dated 1735; a thirty-hour wall striking clock with brass dial; and a watch and a longcase clock made earlier than 1752. He advertised his watches in the Norwich Mercury newspaper in July 1752. John Huggin Snr died in 1775. [see also: 'Norfolk & Norwich Clocks & Clockmakers', Clifford & Yvonne Bird, 1996 Phillimore]

The John Huggin clock pictured below is an early/middle 18th Century 30 hour clock in a medium oak case and is likely, therefore, to be a clock made by John Huggin Snr. It has an early-birdcage movement striking on a bell on the hour. The face has a brass chapter ring with Roman numerals, cast rococo spandrels and a matted brass centre. It also has a petite date aperture. The hood has brass-capped wooden columns and a central brass finial and the case a full-length door with a brass escutcheon.

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SECOND GENERATION OF HUGGIN CLOCK- WATCHMAKERS

JOHN HUGGIN Jnr, the oldest son of John and Elizabeth Huggin, was born on 5 April 1723 and buried in Ashwellthorpe on 21 December 1788. There are many clocks known to have been made by him. The longcase clock pictured below, photographed by its owner in 2014, is by John Huggin; it might be by John Jnr. – experts would have to confirm.

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WILLIAM HUGGIN Snr, the middle son of John and Elizabeth Huggin, was born on 29 September 1727 in Ashwellthorpe and he married Hannah Oakley here on 11 February 1766. He died in July 1802 and is buried at All Saints' church, Ashwellthorpe. His watches were obviously well-prized as this notice in the Norwich Mercury newspaper of 14 October of 1758 placed by William Barnard, a merchant of Norwich, illustrates. It asked for the return of his watch which he had lost on Tuesday 10 October "between Brazen-Doors and Wrenningham Church" and said that it was "suppos'd to be dropt near the Shepherd's House". He described it as a silver watch with the "maker's name within: Wm. Huggin Ashwellthorpe" and on the "Dial Plate: Wm. Barnard Norwich". He asked that, if found, it should be brought to him, or to William Huggin or to the Printer of the Mercury and offered a reward of One Guinea (£1.05) to the finder, a great deal of money in those days.

The photographs below are of a William Huggin longcase clock (probably William Snr.) which, in 2009, was in USA having been purchased in West Virginia early in the 20th Century. The top of the hood of this clock bears what is known as "whale's tail cresting" evidently often seen on East Anglian clocks.

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BARNARD HUGGIN, the youngest son of John and Elizabeth Huggin,was born on 26 January 1733/34 (i.e. 1734 new calendar) in Ashwellthorpe. Longcase clocks known to have been made by him include one with a brass dial and another with a painted dial. Barnard died in May 1819 and was buried at All Saints' Church, Ashwellthorpe.

The above are photographs, taken in 2013 in The Netherlands, of a painted dial and clock machinery, part of a longcase clock made by Barnard Huggin. The owner thought the clockwork to be too small for the case and believed the wooden casing to be of more recent origin than the dial and mechanism.

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THIRD GENERATION OF HUGGIN CLOCK- WATCHMAKERS

WILLIAM HUGGIN Jnr was baptised on 9 October 1768, the only son of the above William and Hannah Huggin nee Oakley. He died in November 1829 and was buried at All Saints' Church, Ashwellthorpe. There is an example of what is thought to be a William Huggin Jnr. pocket watch in USA in 2009 pictured below – it has a silver case with the assay letter C indicating 1798.

One example of his work (not illustrated) is an oak longcase clock with break arch, a 12 inch painted dial and Prince of Wales feathers in arch made about 1810. It has an eight-day striking movement, Arabic numerals, minutes at every 5 minutes, date aperture, signed Wm. Huggin, Ashwellthorpe, with a whale's tail cresting on hood. Another item known to have been made by him for a William Linsley of London (a watchcase maker) was: pair case verge watch, hallmarked 1812, with the case marked with a stag above the initials WL of William Linsley.

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THE HUGGIN FAMILIES' HISTORY

These are family history notes about various Huggin generations which might be of help to family historians. Sources: original parish registers, overseers' and churchwardens' accounts, Wills held by the Norfolk Record Office. Other secondary sources are named.

The first time the surname HUGGIN or variant appears in Ashwellthorpe parish registers was 16 August 1684 when Susanna Huggen married John Rudland; Susan(na) was the daughter of Thomas Huggin, a cordwainer (shoemaker) of Ashwellthorpe, as stated in Thomas' Will dated 30 April 1690. Thomas Huggin mentioned his wife Joanna, oldest son George ("wearing apparell"), second son John ("wearing lynnen"), youngest son Thomas ("ten shillings") and daughter Susan Rudland ("ten shillings").

The First Generation - Thomas Huggin the Cordwainer's Will was written and signed on 30 April 1690 and there is a date added of 4 May 1690 (in Latin), but there is no burial for him in the Ashwellthorpe registers. It seems that Thomas was a Quaker. According to the original register 'England and Wales Society of Friends (Quaker) Burials 1578-1841' on www.findmypast.com , Thomas Huggins of Ashwellthorpe/Ashfieldthorpe attended Norwich Monthly Meetings and died in 1690 at Thetford and was buried there "in the burying ground of Henry Kitl" [see below]. The transcript index for this entry states the burial date to be 7 March 1690, and the

original entry does state the 7 day of the 3 month which you might think must be 7 March - before his Will was written and signed on 30 April 1690! Quakers did not use names of days of the week or months because they derived from pagan gods. What solves the puzzle of the date is that in 1690, the New Year started on 25 March which remained in place until 1752. Therefore the 3 (third) month of the year was May and his burial date 7 May 1690.

Henry Kittle had been a Mayor of Thetford in 1640 and 1655 and was a staunch Parliamentarian. He was buried on his own ground in Thetford in 1709 as were many others over time. It seems that Thomas Kittle's ground was definitely a non- conformist burial place and that he could well have been a Quaker as well.

There is no burial for Thomas Huggin's wife Joanna in Ashwellthorpe, but there is a Quaker burial for a Johannah Hugings of the Norwich Monthly Meeting, who died 9th of the 7th month 1718 (9 September 1718) aged 91, in the original register of the'Society of Friends (Quaker) Burials 1578-1841' on www.findmypast.com, but whether she was the wife of the above Thomas Huggin is unknown.

The Second Generation – in Ashwellthorpe, there was a John Huggin who was married to Anne and he was probably the middle son of Thomas and Joanna Huggin above.

It was probably this John Huggin who was appointed as a Churchwarden in Ashwellthorpe for the year 1694 and as an overseer of the poor in 1707. These selections were made by the Vestry meeting, made up of all rate-paying occupiers of land in the parish.

The children John and Anne baptised in Ashwellthorpe were: John born 23 October and baptised 3 November 1692; Anne and Mary baptised on 23 September 1694 who both died within days and were buried on 1 October and 23 September 1694 respectively; Anne bap. 1 November 1696; George bap 19 June 1698; and Benjamin bap 29 April 1711.

The Second Generation – It is probable that Thomas Huggin Jnr was the youngest of Thomas and Joanna Huggin's children and was probably the Thomas who married Deborah somewhere unknown. There was a Thomas and Deborah Huggin(s) who baptised a son Thomas on 7 April 1688 at St John Timberhill, Norwich. Whether this is the same Thomas and Deborah who had a son John baptised in Ashwellthorpe on 27 March 1692 is not known for certain but Thomas and Deborah Huggin had three other children baptised in Ashwellthorpe – Samuel(l) 15 June 1693, Henry 29 June 1694 and Anne 20 October 1695 – before Deborah died and was buried on 22 May 1703. Nothing further is known about Thomas.

The Third Generation – John Huggin the first clock-watchmaker in Ashwellthorpe – which of the above John Huggin's both born in Ashwellthorpe in 1692 was the first of the Huggin family of clock-watchmakers? I do not know. That will be for Huggin family researchers to discover.

But John Huggin, the first Huggin clock-watchmaker of Ashwellthorpe, was married to Elizabeth ? some time before 1721 and had eight children baptised in All Saints' church (five of whom died in infancy), with three sons -John, William and Barnard, becoming clock-watchmakers.

It was probably this third generation John Huggin who was chosen by the Vestry meeting of the Parish to be an Overseer of the Poor in 1749, 1755 and 1760 – overseers were usually selected every Easter from all rate-paying occupiers of land (the better-off male population of the parish) to administer poor relief (money, food, clothing, apprenticeships) under the supervision of JPs.

John was buried at All Saints' Church in the village on 23 December 1775; his wife Elizabeth probably died in 1779 and was buried on 26 December. They had sons Barnard, John and William who all became clock-watchmakers and they were mentioned in John's Will which he signed on 4 January 1775. "Messuages, houses, lands, tenements" left to wife Elizabeth and after her death to son Barnard; and £30 each to sons John and William. He also mentioned his grandchildren - John son of John; Elizabeth and Mary, daughters of William.

The Fourth Generation – John Huggin Jnr. the second clock-watchmaker - the oldest son of John and Elizabeth Huggin, was born on 5 April 1723 and buried in Ashwellthorpe on 21 December 1788. Nothing more is known about him – apart from the legacy of his clocks.

The Fourth Generation – William Huggin Snr, the third clock-watchmaker - the middle son of John and Elizabeth Huggin, was born on 29 September 1727 in Ashwellthorpe and he married Hannah Oakley by Banns in the village on 11 February 1766.

It is probable that it was this William Huggin who was elected to be an overseer of the poor for Ashwellthorpe in 1775, 1781 and 1782.

He died on 20 July 1802 and was buried at All Saints' church, Ashwellthorpe. In his Will written on 25 May 1802, he mentioned his wife Hannah, son William and daughters Elizabeth Austen and Mary Juby to whom he left £80 each. Daughter Elizabeth had married Izaac Austen (Isaac Austin) of Bunwell by Banns on 12 October 1789 at All Saints, Ashwellthorpe – he was a farmer in Bunwell. Mary Huggin had married William Juby of Hempnall (Hemenhall) by Licence on 4 November 1800 at All Saints, Ashwellthorpe.

The Fourth Generation – Barnard Huggin, the fourth clock-watchmaker – the youngest son of John and Elizabeth Huggin was born in Ashwellthorpe on 26 January 1733/34 and baptised at All Saints' church on 4 March that year. Barnard Huggin's first marriage was to Sarah Mayes, a spinster also of Ashwellthorpe, on 14 October 1760 at All Saints and they had two children: Elizabeth baptised All Saints on 29 July 1767 who was buried on 2 September that year; Susanna, baptised on 29 April 1770 who I believe was buried on 26 December 1779 – both events at All Saints, Ashwellthorpe. Sarah, aged 71, was buried in Ashwellthorpe on 25 July 1802. Barnard married – as a widower - Ann Smith of Wymondham, by Licence on 14 January 1803 at All Saints' Ashwellthorpe.

Barnard Huggin was also elected an overseer of the poor for Ashwellthorpe in 1761, 1766, 1771 and 1779. In 1815, Barnard Huggin's property value was assessed at £6.00 which, at the poor rate of 1s. 6d. (7.5p) in the £ led to a payment by him of 9 shillings (45p).

His nephew, William Huggin, the fifth clock-watchmaker, was the sole Executor of Barnard Huggin's Will written on 1 July 1810 and as well as various bequests to his wife Ann, and nephew John and nieces Elizabeth Austen and Mary Juby, Barnard bequeathed his "working tools and dials in the Clock Shop" to William. Barnard was aged 85 when he died and was buried on 20 May 1819 at All Saints' church. His widow Ann was buried at All Saints' Ashwellthorpe on 2 April 1830 aged 75.

The Fifth Generation – William Huggin Jnr, the fifth clock-watchmaker -was baptised on 9 October 1768, the only son of the above William and Hannah Huggin nee Oakley. He married Sarah Juby of Hempnall by Licence on 19 October 1802 at St Margaret's Church, Hempnall and they had a daughter Sarah, baptised on 12 January 1806 at All Saints' Ashwellthorpe.

In 1815, William paid into the poor rate for Ashwellthorpe with the valuation of his property being £18.10s. 0d. (£18.50) which, at the rate of 1s. 6d. (7.5p) in the pound, led to his payment of £1. 7s. 9d. (£1.38).

He wrote his Will on 4 October 1827 with the Executors being his wife Sarah, and his nephews William Juby the Younger, Farmer of Attlebridge, and Edmund Juby the Younger, Farmer of Taverham. William died aged 61 in November 1829 and was buried at All Saints' Ashwellthorpe on 19 November.

Widow Sarah Huggin wrote her Will on 26 April 1839 and her Executors were nephews William Juby, by then farming at Meyton Hall Frettenham, and Edmund Juby, farming at Old Hall, Weston Longville. At the 1841 Census, Sarah Huggin was aged 71, still living in Ashwellthorpe and described as a farmer – the 1842 Tithe Apportionment states that she farmed just over 15 acres - and she died aged 79 being buried at All Saints' Ashwellthorpe on 29 November 1849.

The Sixth Generation – Sarah Huggin, daughter and only child, of William Jnr and Sarah Huggin nee Juby, was baptised at All Saints' Ashwellthorpe on 12 January 1806 and Received into the Church there on 16 February that year. She was mentioned in her father's 1827 Will, but she pre-deceased her mother and was buried at All Saints' Ashwellthorpe, aged 33 on 9 May 1838.