William Walker, perfumer

of The Rose, 7 St. James’s Street, London

Born in 1746, William Walker was a perfumer in St James’s Street in 1779 when his first son, also William, was born. His shop was insured for six hundred pounds.

With wife Sarah, William had four more children: Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah and Harriott, and perhaps also Thomas, whose birth was registered with names of different parents.

After Sarah died, William married Betty who sadly died two weeks after the birth of Joseph.

William then married Mary, and they had John, Henry, Edward, and twins George and Charlotte Ann. Mary too died soon after this last birth.

William’s fourth marriage was to Susannah Sanderson, who was of mature age, in 1804.

Around this time, William bought Upper Barvin Farm in Northaw, Hertfordshire, and lived there until his health failed in 1818, maintaining the St James’s shop until 1812.

The last two years of William’s life were spent in Grove Street, Lisson Grove. He died on 25 May 1820 and was buried in St James’s Church Westminster, where all his children had been baptised, on 1 June 1820. Susannah survived until 1830 when she was buried with William.