Publisher's Synopsis
This sequel to "A History of the Attwell Family 1200-1650", follows the family through 250 years, as we discover the lives of a further six generations of Attwells. Here we follow the life of a young country lad who was apprenticed in London and rose to become Master of the Worshipful Company of Waxchandlers. He came into contact with two English Kings, and that royal association ultimately led to his downfall. We learn how in 1666 when the Great Fire of London broke out, three of our merchant families lived within a few yards of the Bakery where it started, and how their homes and businesses were destroyed. We then follow the family's decline and its move from London to the Midlands where they settled and once more prospered. There are school-teachers, a staymaker and a host of watchmakers, who eventually returned to London to transform themselves into the foremost family of butchers in the capital. There are tales of wealth won and lost, bankruptcies, knife fights between brothers, a night-time elopement on horseback, and a mother who saw an astonishing 110 of her descendants born during her lifetime. This book not only puts our ancestors' lives into perspective. It gives us a real insight into what life was like when they were alive; their surroundings, living conditions, the calls of street cryers, and all put into historical context. It provides detailed biographical information, numerous family trees, Wills, inventories, details of land dealings and much other fascinating information.
