text:
The Bumpus Biographies
16 May 2010
Please note that the page is under construction.
Where addresses are given, they may only be associated with the family and not the individual.
I am now renewing my efforts on BUMPUS trees, particularly the ever-growing BOMPAS family tree, family code B1/2, which is descended from the AW1 BW trees. In the past I have thanked the Browns: Nick and Charlotte (nee Bompas Smith) and Terrence BOMPAS for their help. I would like to thank Gwin BOMPAS for his generosity in supplying more information about the BOMPAS family and, in particular, the South African branches, and also Colin CORNES for his research on Cecil Henry BOMPAS, and Gillian GRANT for her research about her great grandparents John HIBBERT and Katherine Delane BUMPUS.
Also, as a result of recent research, much more data has been collected, which will be added to the LS / L1 branches in 2010.
Since it is taking considerable time to merge all the material that I have received from several sources, I have decided to post the basic data on this page, which will be improved on when time allows.
If you have a specific query about any of these family groups, please let me know and I will consult my extensive files.
Source material that I have been able to consult is often interesting in its
detail, as shown by this snippet:
Questions about this page? Contact Rosie
Back to CONTENTS
|The Bumpus Biographies I: The early Bumpas families of Aston sub Edge, Weston sub Edge, Bredon... who gave rise to the BOMPAS families of Bristol
John BOMPAS d/bur 1585/6 (WILL 1586 John BUMPAS husbandman of Aston sub Edge, GLS (will) prov 25 Jan. PROB 11/69 (PRO online) [Wife: Jone; sons Anthony, Henry, John, Richard, Robert, Thomas, William. Mickleton burial]=Joanne of Aston Subedge d/bur 1593-6 (WILL 1596 Joan BOMPAS, widow of Aston sub Edge, GLS (will) [Widow of John (above) Sons: Richard, Henry (+dau Elizabeth], Anthony, Thomas [+dau Ann & dau Elizabeth], Robert, William. Mickleton burial GLS R.O. ref 1596/85 )
1563 John BUMPER(E)S, Aston Subedge, ref GDR 20 p78, GLS R.O. re abandoned wife, John appears as guardian of Henry WALKER
of John BOMPAS d1585/6:
1. Richard BUMPAS bap 16 Mar 1544 Aston Subedge d/bur c1614 (WILL 1614 Richard BOMPASSE/BUMPASSE, husbandman, Aston sub Edge, GLS (will) [Sons: Richard + Robert BUMPASSE; wife Alice; dau Elizabeth]#GLS R.O. ref 1614/156) 23 May 1593 Aston sub Edge=Alice MEDLEY
i Elizabeth BUMPAS bap 21 Feb 1595
ii. Johanna BUMPAS bap 11 Mar 1597 Aston Subedge
iii Roberti BUMPAS bap 3 Nov 1599 Aston Subedge
iv Richard BUMPAS bap 11 Sep 1602
2. Henry BUMPAS bap 7 Aug 1545 Aston Subedge, = ?,
Children of
Henry BUMPAS b1545:
Children of John BUMPAS b1584=:
4. Anthony BUMPAS bap 28 May 1554 Aston Subedge =?,
Children of
Anthony BUMPAS:
Children of Robertus BUMPAS bap 6 Apr 1556 Aston Subedge, 25 Oct 1581 Aston
Subedge GLS=Joanna MEDLEY:
However, CHB commented that when ' Sergeant Bompas had to put up his arms in the Inner Temple Hall, he used the Mason arms. When my father had to do the same thing as treasurer of the Inn, he had great searchings of heart as to whether he should give his father away by applying for a grant of arms. He was advised to let well alone.
There are no Bompas arms and we have no right to the crest, with the motto, C'est un bon pas, which the family have used.'
Robard (Robert BUMPASS), ?Bredon 30 April 1668=
Sarah READE, Children:
[Robert BUMPASS aged 27+, by licence 4 Nov 1703 Bredon WOR, Q3/24p92, GLSRO]St John the Baptist church, Gloucester. =Anne GWINNETT of Great Shurdington, b1674 (Great grandson George Gwinnett BUMPASS became known as BOMPAS. See main Bumpas page, 1789 for details of Robert.) Anne was related to the GWINNETTs of St Nicholas, Glamorgan, an ancient family of that name in north Wales, family of Button GWINNETT. She was fourth in descent from George Gwynedd aka Gwyneth, gent., born Carnarvon, who settled in Gloucestershire and died in 1604. Her mother died at Bredon in 1715).
She later bought the manor of
Great Thurdington (Thurelington) 1601 name, in Gloucestershire,
Sherrington or
Shudington, and nowadays Shurdington, the manor house of which is
Badgeworth Court. Anne Gwynnett's relative, Button Gwynnett / GWINNETT
(1735-1777) b 1735 Down Hatherley, Gloucestershire, married in St. Peter's
Church, Wolverhampton on 19 April 1757 Anne BOURNE, a grocer's daughter. For
several years he was engaged in the export business with his father in law.
By 1765: he had settled in Savannah as a merchant. October 1765: he
purchased land on St. Catherine's Island but was as unsuccessful a planter
as a merchant and as a consequence suffered financial difficulties. However,
he was a skilled politician and joined the revolutionaries. March
1777: he was appointed as the Governor of Georgia and was one of the
signatories of the famous American Declaration of Independence. Ten mponths
later, he was killed in a duel about an affair of honour involving General
McIntosh's planned attack on the British in which he interfered and was
judged to be culpable by the Assembly.
family begins
Children of Robert BUMPASS, 4 Nov
1703 =Anne GWINNETT of Great Shurdington, b1674 :
1.Anne BUMPAS bap Jan 1705 Bredon
2. Robert BUMPAS b 22 September 1704=?
Children of Robert b 1704:
i. George BUMPAS, yeoman and baptist of Bredon, d 1766, Upton-on-Severn, WOR, 6 November 1758= Elizabeth BATCHELOR b1720-1730?
For his son,
see next block below
|The Bumpus Biographies III: The Bompas Family - Medicine, the Law and the Church BW >B1/2
Children of George BUMPAS, yeoman and baptist of
Bredon, d 1766, Upton-on-Severn, WOR, 6 November 1758= Elizabeth BATCHELOR
1. Dr George Gwinnett BOMPASS (BUMPASS of Upton on Severn) Snr,
b1759, d1820, (great grandson of Robert BUMPASS of Bredon bc1671-6,=Anne GWINNETT
of Great Shurdington b1674), 'of Longden Heath# Gentleman'*
at marriage, 28 March 1786 Stapleton by licence=Selina
CARPENTER b 1767 d 14 Jun1809 daughter of Sarah MASON b1741-1781,=Wm
CARPENTER d1773
# [part of mother's home, Upton] Frederick Bompas who emigrated to South Africa is recorded as believing that the family owned land at Down Hatherley and Longden Heath for several generations, the connection being through marriage.
"country gentleman of Badgeworth
and Down Haverly
(also spelt Hatherly)
Glos. and Longton
Heath, Worc."
Children of Dr. George Gwinnett snr, 1786=Selina CARPENTER
He had 15 children between 1812 and 1839, many of whom died young, 3 of whom achieved medical qualifications. His obituary notice in London and Provincial Medical Directory for 1848 stated that he "possessed of considerable scientific attainments, especially in his own branch of the profession - the relief of mental disease. He was of mild and amiable deportment, a model of the Christian gentleman, and all his actions were influenced by a feeling of deep responsibility..". His management appears to have been unremarkable and he did not acknowledge developments which recommended non-restraint for patients.
As a young man in 1817, he published a book "On the nature of heat, light
and electricity", the name on the title page being still spelt Bompass. Charles Carpenter BOMPAS was called to bar at Inner Temple 1815; Serjeant-at-Law 1827, leader of the
Western Circuit, Dissenting Deputy, d 29 February 1844 , reg A1844
*Below, quoted excerpts from their daughter Selina Anne's memoirs The Story of the Steeles of Broughton
'The first school to which our father went (with, I think, our Uncle Joe) was but a rough one, for I have heard him speak of the school-mistress coming out from her blazing fire, fat and flourishing and rubbing her hands and saying, "I do not feel it cold", while he and his school-fellows were miserably shivering outside. He afterwards went with his brothers to the school at Tottenham kept by Mr. Wood and Dr. Thorowgood, at that time and for some time afterwards one of the principal Non-conformist schools.'*
They married 'after a long engagement and a still longer attachment on our father's part. Our grandfather would not give his consent to the marriage till our father had acquired a specified sum such as he considered adequate for their comfort.' * According to his daughter, Charles was ' a very sanguine, ardent disposition and apt to hope more than was possible. During the long years of suspense when he was not allowed to visit the house, he used sometimes to come to Broughton and watch outside in the evening to see her through the window, and they would only hear, ........that he had been for a night at the inn.'*
On the day of Charles's marriage, he 'felt more than rewarded...for all his pains and patience, and they walked across the meadow path, decked in bridal snow, between the Broughton "Pigeon House" and the church....... He was 30; she was 29. ...Our father took his bride to their first home at Frenchay near Bristol.'*
'Our father was then a barrister in practice at Bristol having left the merchant's office of Mr Bruce as he thought a professional career would be more pleasing to Mamma.'
'He was seldom at home in the evening and
often had not time in the morning, as he had to hurry down to Court
generally immediately after breakfast, by 9.30 in term time, I think, but
rather later during Sittings. As he always sat up till 12 at the
earliest to make sure that no brief would come, and generally did not leave
Chambers till that time, he was naturally not up very early...'*
'he was 5ft 10ins, and with higher, broader forehead, a thoughtful yet most beaming happy face, full of benevolence. He had blue eyes and red hair, but we can only remember it as grey and sandy, his wig, so much worn, having turned it early, thin at the top of his head but curly round.'*
'Mamma was equally thin with beautiful black hair, getting rather grey latterly, and hazel eyes (green-grey like Grandmamma's) not brown chestnut, a thin narrow face, a beautiful profile.'......................'Her nose, slightly aquiline, had been broken by a fall when a child..............I suppose it was Lord Truro (as T. Wilde) who, as uncle George tells, compared her to one of the light Alpine bridges which vibrate if an antelope springs over them, but will not break if an army marches across.'*
They lived at North Bank near Park Road for a year, then to 11 Park Road until Christmas 1859 when they moved to 6 College Crescent.
At his death, Lord Truro, Lord Chief Justice commented that he thought CC's intellect was the quickest in Westminster Hall. Since he was a professed Baptist, this would have prevented him from being appointed a Judgeship. Initially, he practised in Bristol, moving to London in about 1827. Also, in 1817, he published a book in the name of BOMPASS entitled On the Nature of Heat, Light and Electricity. When he died, he left 8 living children and his wife only had £300 pa, and so members of the Western Circuit repaid his former generosity by raising £800 to help educate his children.
reg C1839 ROMSEY, 7 Aug 1839=Marianne BEDDOME b 17 Jun 1815 Romsey HANTS ref x 2/5; 8C d 24 Dec 1912 Quebec, daughter of John Reynolds BEDDOME b12 Mar 1787 d 26 Dec 1859=Rebecca WINTER bc1793 d10 Jun 1821.
7th May 1841: 15 members of Foster Baptist Chapel, Downend told their pastor, Rev. J. Mitchell, they had "associated themselves as a separate body of worshippers". Four of the body were three brothers and a sister, members of a local well-known and influential family named Bompas, of Fishponds. The elder brother, Dr. George Gwinnett Bompas, lived in a large house on the site of Victoria Park, Manor Road and infants school. After gaining experience elsewhere, George Joseph BOMPAS worked at Fishponds as a doctor. The house was an asylum, managed from 1818 to 1847 by Dr. G. G. Bompas. and in 1860 it became a private school for boys aged 8 to 11. By 13 January 1844: George Joseph Bompas had given up practising medicine and opened a school for boys at Upper Fishponds called Beechwood House.1855: he moved his school to Clifton. 1856: he moved it to Redland. 1859: he was declared bankrupt. It is believed this news item may refer to him, Ellenborough School was run by George Thomas BOMPAS who had been at Fishponds House in 1847. "In 1857 he was in Ellenborough Buildings in Redland and was facing bankruptcy proceedings. He had £1859 debts among them the sum of £5 18/- wages owing to Fanny SHORLAND, his servant. He stated that his insolvency had been brought about by overwhelming misfortune and he had struggled against a long course of disasters. The magistrate agreed that Mr Bompas did not seem to have been extravagant in his expenditure."
Children of George Joseph BOMPAS b1812=Marianne BEDDOME; their sons went to South Africa with their sisters
i. Edward Gwinnett Gwinnett BOMPAS was Mayor of Nairobi in King George V's Jubilee Year.
ii. Frederick William
iii. Selina
iv. Sophia.
6 May 1852 he emigrated to Adelaide, Australia on the "Caroline Agnes". He
was appointed the house surgeon at the Adelaide Hospital and resident
medical officer at the Adelaide Lunatic Asylum where he held office until
1855. He experienced a double tragedy in the death of his son Herbert
Gregory on 30 August 1852 and that of his wife on 16 September 1852.
He died on a voyage returning to England for health reasons, on 29 September 1855.
CHECK Jun 1866 Stockbridge=John F. SMITH, unitarian
minister, ref 3/9
She emigrated to East London, South Africa and ran a school for young girls and boys together with her sister, Selina Carpenter. In about 1894 one of the sister's health deteriorated and they were forced to close the school. She died a spinster at 5 Kimberley Terrace, East London on 18 December 1908, aged 84 years.
He was an architect and came to East London, South Africa. With the development of Natal he entered the Colonial Engineers Office as an architect in 1888, but lost the post in 1894. He applied to the Public Works Department for employment as a Clerk of Works for the New Colonial Offices in Pietermaritzburg and in December 1894 was appointed temporary resident architect. In January 1895 he helped survey the competitive designs for the Colonial Offices. He acted as Clerk of Works until 1897 when he was removed from the post at the request of W.H. Powell, the architect. He was getting on in years and rather forgetful and was not of very robust health and was thus unable to climb the scaffold and supervise in an efficient manner. Through compassion he was given a minor post in the drawing office of the P.W.D. and was allowed to continue his private practice, which he did until 1902. Works under the Colonial Engineer included Ladysmith courthouse, Lunatic asylum PMB., Mounted Police Barracks PMB, Newcastle Post Office, Camperdown School, Howick School, post office, court house and magistrate's house. He did private work for Mr. Ellis of Hilton College, Miss Scottson-Clarke of St. John's school and Mr. Woodburn. While in PMB, he lived at Mrs. Paley's Private Boarding House at 225 Loop Street from 1895 until 1902, and then at The Gables, Chapel Street. He returned to East London and, in 1907, his address was 3 Fullers Lane. He was nursed by Miss Clough, for the last few months of his life and died a batchelor, aged 85, on 3 August 1915 at 5 Kimberley Terrace, East London. He was buried in East London, South Africa.
He is the founder of the South African branch of the Bompas family. He
arrived in South Africa in about 1865, in his twenties, and became a clerk
in King William's Town but moved to East London in about 1872
1. Charles Steele BOMPAS b 24 September 1823 Frenchay, the eldest son became Assistant Secretary to the Zoological Society. He died of smallpox at the age of 24.
Family nurse, Chatto, helped with Charles and subsequent sister.
2. Female BOMPAS, b and d 1824-5 Frenchay, buried Downend Chapel burying-ground.
CHB described him as 'a tall handsome man,
with exceptionally charming and courteous manners and of a very fine
generous nature'. Apart from the life of his brother-in-law, Frank
Buckland, GC also wrote papers on Aerolites, which were published by the
Royal Astronomical Society.
6. Selina Anne BOMPAS b 1830 11 Park Road, Regent's Park, London
Kensington B1874 (7 May 1874)= his cousin, Charlotte Selina, 'Nina', COX b 24 Feb 1830 -
21 Jan. 1917 in Montreal, linguist, musician, & creator of Yukon branch of Women's Auxiliary,
younger daughter [and therefore cousin of WCB] of Joseph COX MD of Montague Square, LON (part of whose
family owned Overn Hill and Fishponds manor house, Bristol)=Charlotte, dau
of George SKEY of the Hythe, Upton-on-Severn, descendant of Sir William
SKEYE who came to England with Queen Matilda in 1137.
William was a shy boy possibly because of being tutored privately at home by Mr Elliott. He loved walking, and sketching churches and other buildings that he encountered. His early gardening hobby was useful in later life when planning for the mission-farms in his northern diocese.
At 16, he was baptized by immersion by the Hon. and Rev. Baptist Noel. In 1852, he was articled to a firm of solicitors, where brother George worked, and he worked there for five years. He transferred to Ashurst Morris and Co where he worked for two years, until 1858 when he suffered some sort of breakdown and spiritual crisis. It is thought now that this was connected with his ill-fated proposal to his cousin. He left legal work and, in 1859, he was confirmed by the Bishop of London at St Mary's, Bryanston Square. Later that year, on 18 December, he was ordained Church of England deacon by Dr. Jackson, Bishop of Lincoln as a literate candidate for Holy Orders,; appointed curate to Rev H. Owen, rector of Trusthorpe and Sutton-in-the-Marsh Lincolnshire, he served there until 1862. Brief appointments followed to other curacies, (curate of New Radford, Nottingham, curate to Holy Trinity; South Lincolnshire; 1864 curate to Rev H. Oldrid at Alford, LINCS).
He was a talented linguist and learned Hebrew by private study to add to his knowledge of Latin and Greek.
In May 1865 Bompas heard a sermon preached in London by David Anderson, formerly bishop of Rupert's Land, in which Anderson called for a volunteer to replace the ailing missionary Robert McDonald in the Yukon district of the Church Missionary Service's North West America mission. Bompas applied, was accepted by the CMS, and on 25 June was ordained priest by Anderson's successor, Bishop Robert Machray, who had just been consecrated successor of Bishop Anderson.
During the three weeks before his departure, he gave away his worldly goods and, on 30 June 1865, Mr. Bompas left London for Liverpool, where he boarded the steamer Persia, bound for New York. Arriving there on the 12 July, he continued to Niagara by train and then on to Chicago. Having continued by steamer and then again by railroad, his journey was delayed because he could find no one to take him to Red River from St Cloud, presumably because of fears for personal safety after the 1862 Sioux massacre.
Bompas and his party were advised that they should take an English flag, which might give some protection, and so Bompas made a flag to fly from their cart. Once in the safety of red River, Bompas booked his journey north on board one of the Hudson B ay Company boats. Their journey to Portage la Loche took 63 days, but ,since their arrival on the 12 October was too late for them to meet any northern-bound boat, they booked a canoe and two local guides. He ignored advice about the impending cold weather and then proceeded on snowshoe into the Mackenzie district. William West Kirkby, the CMS missionary at Fort Simpson (N.W.T.), was amazed when Bompas, unencumbered by luggage, and without suitable cold-weather clothing, strode into the post, completely unannounced, on Christmas Day, 1865.
He was greeted by Rev. W. W. Kirkby, who told him that Mr. McDonald had recovered from ill health and was able to continue his work. Therefore, Bompas began to learn the Indian language at Fort Simpson, assisted by Mr. Kirkby, with whom he remained until Easter 1866.
Bompas travelled to the Mackenzie River area of northern Canada and worked as a missionary and priest; later he was appointed first Anglican Bishop of Dioceses of Athabasca (1874 -1884).
Then in the
early summer of 1873 he learned that the CMS had decided to divide the
enormous diocese of Rupert's Land and create the diocese of Athabasca in the
northwest; he had been nominated first bishop of the new jurisdiction.
On 12 May 1874, the Bishop and Mrs. Bompas left England, reaching Fort Simpson, on 24 September. Fort Simpson was situated at the confluence of the Mackenzie and Liard Rivers, and formed the most convenient point for managing the vast diocese. It was there that Mr. Kirkby had built the church and mission house. Mr. Hardisty, the chief officer of the Hudson's Bay Company and the whole settlement came to the shore to meet Mr and Mrs Bompas. Most of the men around the fort had been sent away as food supplies were low, aqnd made more so with the arrival of Bompas and his party. Fortunately, at the critical moment, two Indians arrived, bringing fresh meat.
The conditions that he and his wife endured took a great toll on their health, and she frequently suffered from severe headaches and had to leave for medical treatment and rest. In 1883, the provincial synod of Rupert's Land agreed to divide the diocese, thereby appointing Bompas as Rt Rev Bishop of Mackenzie River, Canada (May 1884 -1891). When it was divided again, Bompas became Bishop of Selkirk, now Yukon (1891 - 1905). At each subdivision of his Diocese, he retained the most northerly, and therefore most difficult section. His headquarters were at Forty Mile on the Yukon River. His new diocese of 200,000 square miles was more than twice the area of Great Britain, and the third largest diocese in British America, stretching from the Diocese of Caledonia, on the south, to the Arctic Ocean on the north, and was separated on the west by the 141st meridian longitude from the United States territory of Alaska. To this new diocese the bishop gave the name of "Selkirk."
He was an able linguist who translated many religious works into northern native dialects and wrote many translations of hymns and scripture into Beaver, Slavey, and Tukudh. In the 1903 Who's Who he reported his activities as 'Syriac studies or school keeping'. His wife Nina took a particular interest in native women, which was aided by her speaking of the Slavey language. She played the harmonium to the delight of their native congregations and was well known for her attitude towards local children, not only instructing them but also caring for them in the event of parental absence or illness. She informally adopted two of these children, planning to raise them as her own. The first, Jenny (Jeannie), died as an infant and the second, Owindia (baptized Lucy May), apparently died in England as a toddler. Nina also undertook medical work in the diocese. She was a firm believer in homoeopathic remedies and always carried the appropriate supplies. During her husband's absence in summer 1876, she travelled to Fort Chipewyan (Alta) to make preliminary arrangements for the establishment of a new mission, but, by winter, she was so ill that she had to travel to Winnipeg the following Spring to recuperate.
Two years
later, she went back to mission work at Fort Simpson, but, in 1883, she went
to England and gave talks to raise the profile of missionary work, and she
also arranged for the publication of her book Owindia.
While Nina was in Montreal, the new diocese of Selkirk was created and Bishop Bompas moved to Buxton mission at Forty Mile, on the Yukon River where Nina joined him in 1892. They were both well-respected by the miners as shown by the gold nugget presented to Nina on Christmas Day 1892. In 1896, she visited England again because her elder sister was seriously ill;, but when she returned to the Yukon, encountered the Klondike gold-rush. She rose to the challenge of providing a mission centre to give a warm welcome to the newcomers.
In 1901 Bishop Bompas moved his permanent headquarters to Caribou Crossing (Carcross). Initially, they had Bishop Ridley's tent for shelter until they were able to rent a bunk house, albeit infested by gophers, for $150. Three years later Nina went on a tour to speak to women's auxiliaries in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec. She raised $800 in Toronto so that a church could be built at Carcross.
On 31 October 1905, Bompas resigned as Bishop of Selkirk, and on 9 Jun1906 he died and was buried there.
On 9 June 1906
William Bompas, the Bishop who ate his bbots during a difficult winter
season, died and Nina decided to move to
Montreal to live with two nieces in Westmount. Until she died in 1917, she continued to
be an inspiring speaker about northern mission work.
He won a Sizarship at St John's; attended St John's College, Cambridge, while coming up to London for his 2 weekly lectures. At the end of his first year at Cambridge, he took his BA at London, winning the University Scholarship for Mathematics, with Honours in Classics and Animal Physiology. At the end of his third year, he took his MA at London, winning a Gold Medal for Mathematics at London University.
At Cambridge he became Fifth Wrangler, and while there an Act was passed allowing Nonconformists to take their degree. However, the Fellowship that would have automatically been his was denied to him. As a result he supported himself through his studies by coaching University College students.
He was looked after in Avenue Road by sister Mary Jane before marriage.
1871 he presented his paper The Best Means of
Evangelising the Masses, at the annual meeting of the Baptist Union.
1.Elizabeth K. BOMPAS c1856/7 Manchester ref2/7;2/8
1. Herbert Gregory BOMPAS b1851 London, d/bur 31 Aug 1852
1. Charles Steele Murchison BOMPAS, b reg C1862 Kensington, ref1/8;49/1
3. Katherine BOMPAS bap 3 Nov 1864, St Peter's,
Cranley Gardens
After failing to get in the army, he went to
Johannesburg and worked, unsuccessfully, as an assayer at a goldmine.
Sons, Henry Mason and Mervyn Ainsley
=Dorothy Cathcart Wight JONES
1. George Gwinnett Bompas born 15 June 1870, died 31
January 1948. He was born in King William's Town, Nairobi, educated at the local
public school, prospected and joined PaarlCental G.M. in 1889 and then
assisted his father who was then the secretary of the Central Langlaagte
Gold Mining Company. He later moved on as an accountant to the Consolidated
Gold Fields in 1898. Although no documentary evidence exists, it was said
that George Gwinnett and some friends either organised a warehouse to store
arms and ammunition for use in the Jameson Raid 1896 or owned the warehouse
and rented it to a third party. Probably the actual involvement was a
commercial opportunity but we have in our possession a set of books that
belonged to Jameson and which were given to George Gwinnett. He was a Rand
pioneer and had a street in Dunkeld, Johannesburg named after him. He
married Alice Maud Mitford Bowker (1882-1929) daughter of a prominent
settler family in the Eastern Cape on 21 January 1901 and three children
were born. He was a governor of King Edward School in Johannesburg in 1912
and in 1913 he emigrated to Nairobi, Kenya where he was twice elected mayor.
He died in London on 31 January 1948 after an operation.
He was educated at the Diocesan College, Rondebosch, Cape Colony from about
1895 to 1897. He joined the Kaffrarian Rifles at the outbreak of the Boer
War and won the Queen South Africa Medal 5 bars (now in the East London
museum). He was wounded and discharged and subsequently joined Kitchener's
Fighting Scouts.
Born and
educated in Johannesburg he later went with his father to Kenya and by 1931
was the chief engineer of the East African Power and Lighting Company in Mombasa. In 1956
the family left Kenya and returned to South Africa where George Gwinnett
farmed in Merrivale, Natal. He later retired to Durban where he died on 22
December l970. He was buried in Howick, Natal.
in Johannesburg he went to Kenya and was a founder member of the Kenya
Regiment and held the rank of Major during the WW 2. In 1958 Frederick William
was elected to represent the Kiambu constituency as an independent on the
Kenya Legislative Council and later took an active part in the Lancaster
House Conference in London which formulated the constitution for independent
Kenya. He was a director of many Kenyan companies as well as Norwich Union,
and was also the president of Nairobi Rotary Club. He returned to South
Africa in 1964 and died in Durban on 15 November 1972.
?also Richard J bc1910 who travelled with Alice Maud to Plymouth, England from Durban on Llandovery Castle, arriving in London c18 December 1915.
The Bumpus Biographies II: The Bumpus families of Stretton, Stow, Shipston and Stratford
|Richard BUMPAS(S) bc1724 ?Ascott
under Wychwood/Stretton on Fosse, d/bur17 Jun 1790 Stretton on Fosse,
Barcheston 1 Jan1754=Martha HANKS b Willington c1732 d (? bap 30 Dec 1733
Condicote, daughter of Wm=Frances HANKS ?) d1813 bur 11 Mar St Peter's, Stretton on Fosse
Martha was living in a third of a house called Halfords in Stretton in1810. Her son Richard was part of a deal with the LONGFORDS for the purchase of Halfords and his cottage.
Children of Richard BUMPAS(S) bc1724 Barcheston
1 Jan1754=Martha HANKS b Willington c1732
1. Frances/Francis BUMPAS bap 25 Dec 1754 Stretton on
1. John BUMPUS bap 15 Aug 1790 Stretton on Fosse
NB There is also a baptism in bap 30 Jan 1842 Stretton on Fosse for John BUMPUS. Is this a duplication or is he the son of another BUMPUS?
13. William Nimrod BUMPAS b 2 Jun 1844 SoF, d B1845 Shipston on Stour,
1. ? Mary Ann BUMPUS bap 18 Jul 1852 ?SOF daughter of?
2. ? Richard BUMPUS bc1853 ?SOF, tailor, (?relative of Thomas, master tailor of Newhall Hill, Birmingham) (?son of Richard bap 1827, 1852=Ann BOLUS or?) =Ann bc1852-4 Aston/Birmingham ref 3/9; 41 Warner Street, Aston
3. Mary BUMPUS b Bordesley 8 Nov 1853, b reg C1853 Aston
4. Richard BUMPUS b 21 November 1857, d 21 November 1857, reg D1857 Kings Heath, WOR
5. William BUMPAS bc 1860 in King's Heath, Worcestershire. He had a variety of occupations: farm labourer; brewer's labourer; mechanic, and, at his marriage, he was a window cleaner, whereas, on his son's marriage certificates he is called a general labourer. He married Laura WILKINSON in the June Q of 1889 in Aston Birmingham. Laura WILKINSON was born b 26 September 1865 in Pritchett Street, Aston, and she died on d 30 August 1956 in Selly Oak Hospital. Her death was registered on that day by her daughter, Sarah Ann APPERLEY of Monica Road, Small Heath. At the time of her death, Laura was living at 3 South Sea Terrace, Baker Street, Birmingham, 10, the widow of William BUMPAS, labourer. Addresses occupied by the family include: 11 Back 479 Moseley Rd, Deritend; 8 Court 11 Palmer Street, Aston; 2 Eversley Road, Aston.
6. Francis BUMPUS b 3 October
1865 at Belgrave Street, King's Norton, reg D1865 King's
Norton, an errand boy, who died 1894, registered Jun Q 1894
Children of John BUMPUS b1839 /1842, d 1921, 1865= Ellen BARNES b1846 d 1878
1. ?John Henry BUMPUS b reg June Q1868 and d reg March Q 1869 Shipston on Stour
2. John BUMPUS was born in 1870 in Stretton-on-Fosse (registered June Q) and died in 1871 (registered September Q Shipston on Stour).
3. Another John BUMPUS is believed to have been born in 1880 in Stretton-on-Fosse. We think that he was a brickmaker, later of Leicester.
4. Henry BUMPUS, a boot rivetter/shoemaker (birth reg Henry BUMFUS reg December Q 1872 Shipston).
5. Mary Anne BUMPUS was baptized on 5 Nov 1865 in Stretton-on-Fosse. Her birth was registered in 1865. It is believed that she may have married in 1888 in Barrow on Soar.
Children of John BUMPUS b1839 /1842, d 1921 1883=Hannah ALLEN:
1. Ada BUMPUS, (birth reg December Q 1884 Barrow on Soar).
2. Alfred BUMPUS, a shoe machinist of SILEBY (birth reg December Q 1886 Barrow on Soar).
3. Allen Richard BUMPUS shoe edge setter /
shoemaker, b Sileby, b reg Barrow on Soar Sept Q 1889;
Children of William BUMPAS bc 1860 King's Heath, June Q of 1889 Aston = Laura WILKINSON
1. Sarah Ann BUMPAS( aka BUMPUS) (Sally) b 25
Aug 1892 Birmingham reg Dec Q 1892 Aston
2. Herbert BUMPAS, b reg June Q1895 Aston, 7
April 1895 born at home, 8 Court 11 Palmer Street, Aston
3. Florence BUMPUS (Dolly) born 30 Jun 1904,
reg Sept Q 1904 Aston, d 4 Apr 1992 Aston
Children of Sarah Ann BUMPAS( aka BUMPUS) (Sally) b 25 Aug 1892 d reg June Q1974 Birmingham, Bordesley 3 Apr 1920=Frederick William APPERLEY
1. Living
2. Ronald William
3. Living
Children of Herbert BUMPAS, b 1895 Aston, d 11 Aug 1986 Erdington, Herbert signed as MOUNTFORD, 14 March 1923 Register Office, B'ham, reg Birmingham Mar Q1923=Florence Lilian O'COY, b 1896 Aston, d reg 1924 King's Norton;Herbert signed as MOUNTFORD, 23 April 1927 All Saints, Small Heath, reg Birmingham South, June Q 1927=Florence Gertrude NEWMAN, b1905.
Children of Florence BUMPUS (Dolly) b1904, d 4 Apr 1992 Aston=Albert Edward SMITH b1902 d1967
1. Son
|The Bumpus Family IV:
The Bumpus
booksellers of London
I would like to thank James Griffin for his help with the following Bumpus data. Please note that Page IV is also still under construction.
|Contents of the Page IV
Family history with details of their bookselling business in the early days
The Bumpus bookselling business in the twentieth century
Bumpus publishers and authors (including non-L1 individuals)
Introduction to the Biography
Welcome to the first biography of a Bumpus family group. Every family has at least one interesting story to tell and the bookselling Bumpuses are no exception. The family first drew my attention when I was browsing through the 1881 census and discovered that there were many Bumpus individuals involved in the book trade. Curious, I decided to find out more about them. However, I was surprised at how little I was able to discover, and so I was delighted when James Griffin contacted me. His insider knowledge of the book trade and his growing interest in the family have fuelled our research. As a result, we have been able to pool our collected data to form an overview of the family, although, as you will see, there are still many unanswered questions. If you have any information about the family that you would like to share, please contact me.
October 2007: I would like to thank James Griffin for his generosity in entrusting into my care his Bumpus research, especially his painstaking work on the Bumpus booksellers of London.
(Please be warned that we try to ensure the information contained on these pages is as accurate as possible. If there are mistakes, tell us! We have tried to indicate sources wherever possible.)
A list of sources follows, below. References occur in square brackets on the narrative pages.
Narrative pages
Most individuals have a narrative page to themselves, identified by A, B, C… (In most cases, spouses appear on the same sheet; in a few cases children are grouped on a single sheet).
Each sheet contains the main statements of fact known about the individual (drawn from RWs' data, plus JG's sources and research notes). In addition, JG's suppositions and other analyses also appear on these sheets.
Family origins
The bookselling Bumpuses (L1 family group) came from the Cotswolds. In 1749, John Bumpass married Hester/Ester Clark(e) in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire. They had at least four children, all baptised in Lower Swell: Richard b1750; Mary b1751; John b1754 and James BOMPHUS aka BUMPOS b1765 bur 23 June 1817 St Bartholomew, Camberwell, 'late of Upper Tooting gentleman, now of Camberwell Toyman' [WILL, 1817]). He was married to Anne. John b1754 and his wife (?Mary) had at least three children, all also baptised in Lower Swell: John b1783; Thomas b 1789 and James b 1785 John, Thomas and James became booksellers, of 6 Lower Holborn; of 5 Goswell Street; of Camberwell Green (all quoted in an 1817 directory.
It may also be of interest to Bumpus researchers that the L1 family group is related to the Bumpus group of Bourton on the Water/Stow/ Naunton/ The Slaughters/Guiting Power and, much later, Reigate (LS family group). In the first half of the nineteenth century, George Bumpus and his wife Mary (nee WILKINS), bc1801 Bourton on the Water, d reg 1876 Stow, were the bakers/millers/flour dealers who lived in the Manse House on the High Street of Bourton on the Water. They had at least four children, the sons following their parents' trade: George b c1834 d 1902 Reigate (it is believed he married his cousin, Mary BUMPUS b1830, daughter of Thomas, b1789 d 10 May 1872 (WILL), 23 Oct 1814 St Luke's, Finsbury=Frances WILLIAMS d pre 1872); Eliza b 1822 d 1832 Lower Slaughter; John b1824 d1871, and Elizabeth b 1832. (More details can be found on the Bumpus Births page.)
Please note that these are James Griffin's original notes as a result of his extensive, painstaking research. Since posting the information, more information has come to light, which will be added to these pages when time allows.
Notes and suppositions
Assuming the Lower Swell connection to be correct, if John started his business in or around 1790, he must have been aged 36. (However, the business may have been started by his father, John b 1750 Lower Swell.) His youngest known child was born in Lower Swell in 1789. So his migration to London was presumably very soon after that date. [It is, of course, possible that he went to London alone, before the rest of his family.] Bumpus' bookselling advertisements placed in The Times in 1918, 1939 and 1958 claim the actual date of foundation was 1790. Their publicity in 1930 says 'c1790'.
Where did John learn the book trade? His bookshop address was close to the Gentleman's Magazine printing house [Bumpus 1930]. At this date the GM's printer was John Nichols. His involvement extended to editing the periodical, and as such was in touch with many literati over the years. In fact, his interests were quite similar to those of Bumpus' later publisher/booksellers. We have no evidence, but perhaps Bumpus worked more closely with Nichols than just geographically. [Internet, University of Leicester]
St John's Gate still stands, straddling St John's Lane and resembling a gateway through a medieval town wall.
The company's move to Holborn Bars appears to be in or before 1817. In 1824, two books were published (one by 'Bumpus', the other by 'J Bumpus') with their place of origin given as 'Holborn' rather than 'London'. Also, John's son Thomas [note B]—who we know ran the firm after John—had his first two children baptised at St Luke's, Finsbury, his third at St Andrew's, Holborn, his fourth back at St Luke's, Finsbury, and his other five children all at St Andrew's. [There is obviously a possibility that one was baptised at the church nearest to the new Holborn shop, but one was 'brought back to the old church', nearest to the old shop, before the family settled down properly in the new location. However, see also note F.]
One member of JB's family later gave his address as '5 and 6 Holborn Bars', and another as '6 Holborn'. Presumably the former phrase reflects a business expansion. In 1918, the second address is given in one place as '6 Lower Holborn'. See the separate notes on the Holborn area.
Thomas continuing the business implies that the name did not change. We know how the firm styled itself in its early days; see separate charts. The earliest publishing identity was 'J Bumpus' (1805) and 'John Bumpus' (1811), with the unqualified 'Bumpus' occurring on a book of 1813. 'Thomas' first appears in print in 1835, so John may have died (or retired shortly before this date.)
However, in 1870, Thomas left money to his brother John's
son. So it is not clear which 'John Bumpus' is involved in some publishing
imprints; see further in note C.
John Bumpus (senior)
Born in 1754, baptised as John BOMPHUS on the 18 August in Lower Swell, Gloucestershire, the third of four children of John BUMPASS and Hester [or Ester] CLARK(E) who were married in 1749, Winchcombe / Sudeley, Gloucestershire . [RW]
Founds a firm in c1790 'near the church gate of St John of Jerusalem by Smithfield in Clerkenwell, and close to the press where the Gentleman's Magazine was printed.' [Bumpus 1930; Munby & Norrie 1974].
'Soon' moves to the Holborn area, to 6 Holborn Bars, near the 'Blue Posts' where the Hampstead coach started [Bumpus 1930; Munby & Norrie 1974].
A John Bumpos, bookseller of Holborn Bars, is left money by his uncle in 1817 [Will].
His [second] son Thomas carried on the business [Munby & Norrie 1974].
A John Bumpus member of this family trades with Richard Thomas Griffin [RTG] and/or John Joseph Griffin [JJG] in 1832 (the £471-17s-8d debt still being outstanding in 1834). The partnership was with JJG, and published four books in 1831 and 1832 on glassblowing, chemistry and literature. A codicil (dated 14 August 1832) to RTG's will states that £676-17s-8d is involved [different ledgers in the Griffin archive record this as £671-17s-8d]. £200 of this is stated to be a private debt owed by John Bumpus, despite the whole being shown as due from Bumpus and Griffin. RTG asks his executors not to harass Bumpus or JJG. The will then assigns £442-2s-11½d of RG & Co's trading accounts to his London-based partner, Thomas Tegg, and then directs that as these are paid by Tegg, the proceeds are to be used to pay off Bumpus and Griffin's debt. [Griffin data]
A 'J Bumpus, bookseller of Newgate Street' was mentioned in the London Gazette re a bankruptcy in 1831.'
There is no information found on death date in will search in period 1858 onwards. [JRG]
[(? Mary) Bumpus]
RW's 8 December 2003 tree identifies John's wife as perhaps Mary.
Mrs Bumpus is said to have hosted students and passengers for Hampstead in her back parlour [Munby & Norrie 1974].
At least three children were born, John [note C5], bap 30 Mar 1783 Lower Swell; James [see notes on James Bumpos will], bap 6 Feb 1785 Lower Swell; and Thomas [note B3], bap 14 Jun 1789 Lower Swell. [RW, JRG]
On 1 March 1833, the sum of £10-3s-6d was paid to 'Mrs Bumpus, for [Sarah Bond, RTG's natural daughter]' by RTG's company.
Thomas Bumpus (b 1789 d 1872)
Was born in 1789, baptised 14 June 1789 in Lower Swell, Gloucestershire [RW].
Took over his father's firm. [Munby & Norrie 1974]
Married 23 October 1814 [or 1816], St Luke's, Old Street, Finsbury.
Had nine known children, (baptised between 1817 and 1832 at St Luke's, Finsbury and St Andrew's, Holborn).
Was a friend to the literati of the day, numbering among them: Dickens, Lamb, Thackeray, Wordsworth, Sydney Smith, Thomas Campbell and Thomas Moore. [Munby & Norrie 1974]
Published three books between 1835 and 1852.
Late of 6 Holborn Bars, City of London, bookseller (1870). Of 11 Compton Road, Islington, gentleman (1870, 1872).
Died 10 May 1872, reg B1872 Islington
Appointed his sons Thomas Benjamin, John and Edward as Executors and Trustees in his will.
B4 Wife: Frances (nee Williams)
d reg Dec Q 1865 Islington
Thomas BUMPUS, 23 Oct 1814 St Luke Old St Finsbury LND=Frances WILLIAMS
Notes and suppositions
Thomas was the second child of John and (?) Mary. [RW].
St Luke's, Islington, may have been his wife's parish, but in any case was not far from Thomas' own place of work (assuming that it was the Clerkenwell shop at the time). His first two and fourth children were baptised there: 1817, 1818 and 1820.
Munby & Norrie say that his son was born in 1812; this does not tally with our data.
Following the firm's
move to Holborn Bars (probably c1817), his fifth to ninth children were baptised
at St Andrew's, Holborn. (So was his third child in 1820; why he was 'out of
sequence', I don't know).
John Bumpus (brother of Thomas Bumpus)
Born 1783, the first son of John and (?)Mary, in Lower Swell [RW].
Had at least four children, baptised St Andrew's, Holborn, in 1816, 1820, 1823 and 1826 [RW].
The second child was baptised on the same day as one of his brother Thomas's children.
For the John Bumpus, bookseller of Holborn Bars, left money in 1817 (who may be this John), see John Bumpus senior.
Age 49 of London buried 17 Nov 1832 St Giles Camberwell, this is probably the John who committed suicide in Surrey Canal in 1832.
No data.
Died post-1826, possibly June Q 1843 Bloomsbury?
Notes and suppositions
His son being left money in his brother's will [1870, proved 1872] is the only reference of relationship.
RW's data lists the baptism of four (possibly eight) children of John and Susannah, the second one being the legatee.
Possibly this is the 'John Bumpus' with whom RTG does business in 1831 and 1832. See also note A.
The reference to the 'J Bumpus, bookseller of Newgate Street', see note A. By expanding this to 'J Bumpus, bookseller, of Newgate Street', the extra comma would imply that he lived at 85 Newgate Street, while working elsewhere (i.e., at Holborn Bars). This would give a range of 'commuting' distance for him of 200 to 800 yards, depending upon which part of Newgate Street he lived in. In 1815 RTG's house was in New Union Street and he worked in Cheapside; that is, his journey to work was about ¼ mile.
Some of the unknown Bumpuses in this area of London may
well be further children of John and Susannah.
UPDATE Elizabeth Mary BUMPUS born 1808 Birmingham, bur 6 March 1836 St Giles Camberwell
Thomas Benjamin Bumpus (bp 1817 d 1916) son of Thomas b1789
Baptised 28 Sep 1817 at St Luke's, Old Street, Finsbury.
Was appointed as an Executor and Trustee in his father's will, 1870, 1872.
Published six books between 1882 and 1902. Published one book with his son in 1903.
In 1881 his occupation was 'Bookseller/Publisher'.
Proved his wife's Administration in 1890.
Of 27 Birchin Lane, London (1864)
Of 2 George Yard, Lombard Street, London (1872)
Of 5 & 6 Holborn, London (1880)
Of 29 Clissold Road, Stoke Newington (1881)
Of Glebelands, Clissold Road, Stoke Newington (1890)
Died 1916
D8 Wife: Francis Georgina nee SKELTON (d 1890)
Born about 1826
Sep Q 1846 Clerkenwell=
Two children born about 1862
1881 of 29 Clissold Road, Stoke Newington
Died 1890 at Glebelands, Clissold Road. (reg Mar Q1890 Hackney)
Notes and suppositions
When the firm opened its Oxford Street branch in the 1850s, TBB and his brother Edward seem to have remained in Holborn Bars, while his brother John and his children all use the Oxford St address.
TBB's two sons were born in the 1860s and registered in the district of Stoke Newington. One of FGB and TBB's sons bore the second Christian name 'Skelton', FGB's maiden surname.
In 1864, TBB was a co-signatory to a letter to the Times, writing as a 'City Bookseller'. He wrote from the Birchin Lane address, which adds weight to the idea that he was trading independently from other members of the family. Birchin Lane lies a quarter of a mile due north of London Bridge (at the other end of Cheapside from Holborn, beyond the Bank.)
In 1870, his father's will appointed him co-executor, and in 1872 was proved to him. He was then of the Lombard Street address. Within eight years, however, he gives his address as Holborn Bars, and one year later Clissold Road, Stoke Newington. [George Yard, Lombard Street, is parallel to Birchin Lane just a few yards away. Clissold Road runs SE from the southern side of Clissold Park in N16, about 2¾ miles north of Holborn Bars as the crow flies. Presumably, no. 29 Clissold Road was called 'Glebelands'.
The Lombard Street address seems to confirm the idea that TBB had struck out alone. Did he then fail, and return to the family shop? All of the 'T.B. Bumpus'-published books date from after the use of 'Holborn Bars' as an address for TBB.
TBB published six books on his own and one with his younger son. These ranged in publication date from 1882 to 1903. Of these, one was written by his younger son, and three by his elder son (details see notes O and P). The subject matter of the other three books was very varied: a book on factory life; advice to master mariners; and a history of Dulwich College.
The 1881 census lists occupations, and states TBB to be a Bookseller and publisher. It would seem that TBB's activities took place within the family firm, although each family member's area of publishing interest appears to be different. The entry for TBB does not show him as an employer of others, however; whereas I note that it was TBB's brother Edward, and his brother John's three sons who, in 1881, return their occupations in the census as:
Bookseller employing 5 men and 1 boy (Edward)
Bookseller employing 11 men and 2 boys (each of John's three sons).
As all of these quoted the family-firm addresses, to me this implies that, as the firm progressed, each family member progressed his interests, perhaps within different departments. [But note that this is mere speculation.]
We do not have a death date, but the last known publications date is 1903.
John Bumpus (b1818 d1880)son of Thomas b1789
Baptised 22 Mar 1818 at St Luke's, Old Street, Finsbury.
His seven known children born between 1847 and 1858. They were registered in the district of Marylebone, the second child being baptised at St Andrew's, Holborn.
Was responsible for opening the 158 [later renumbered as 350] Oxford Street branch in the 1850s [Bumpus 1930]. By this date the firm was called 'John & Edward Bumpus' [Munby & Norrie 1974]
Was appointed as an Executor and Trustee of his father's will, 1870, 1872.
Of 158 Oxford Street (1872)
Late of 158 Oxford Street; of 53 Portsdown Road, Maida Vale (1880)
Died in 1880.
His will was proved to his brother Edward Bumpus, and to his son John Barton Bumpus, 1880.
E10 Wife: Emma Louisa BARTON
According to census information, Emma Louisa may have been born between 1825 and 1827 in Lambeth. However, it is believed that John BUMPUS (2nd son of Thomas BUMPUS of Holborn), 23 April 1846 St Mark's Kensington (?B1846 Lambeth)=Emma Louise BARTON, bc1823-7 Lambeth d 3 Feb 1892, reg A1892 Hampstead, (Admons 1893 - probate to Thomas BUMPUS, bookseller) (51/8;9/9) , youngest daughter of the late John BARTON Esq of Cheltenham Place, Lambeth
Children born between 1847 and 1858
In 1881 his widow's address was 17 Greville Place, London.
Of 14 Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead (1892)
Died 1892. (reg Mar Q 1892 Hampstead)
Will proved, worth £205 0s 0d, to her son Thomas Bumpus, 1893.
Notes and suppositions
[To check the registration boundaries in the mid 19th century.] I suspect, someone living in the Oxford Street area would have been within the district of Marylebone, while someone born in the Holborn area would have some other district name. Their second daughter was baptised in Holborn but registered in Marylebone. I can only think that the family returned to their old church to have their early children baptised. [To check the baptismal churches of later children].
If the above assumption means that all their children were registered from Oxford Street, the family's move into that area may have preceded the new branch opening. [This is actually unlikely.] According to the obituary of JB's son, John Barton Bumpus in 1918, JB 'left the original firm and set up on his own 70 years ago in Oxford Street'. [That would suggest 1848 as the start of what the later firm called its Oxford Street branch.]
Munby & Norrie give the bookshop name as 'John & Edward Bumpus', although the individual members of the family seem to have published under their own names. However, between 1893 and 1955, books were published jointly by 'John & E' (2 books), 'John & Ed' (2 books), 'John & Edward' (28 books) and 'John & Edward Ltd' (2 books).
In 1855 a new law had been enacted, the Limited Liabilities Act. From that date it was lawful for companies to register under that Act, and call themselves '… Ltd'. I suspect that this may have dated from the first joint publication in 1896 [although the earliest reference is actually 1930, when a catalogue was so named (I have a copy)]. Because the present John had died in 1880, the style 'John and Edward' probably referred to John Barton Bumpus [the present John's fourth child, see note S] and the present John's youngest brother Edward, see note L.
Meanwhile, books had continued to be published by 'J Bumpus' and 'John Bumpus', but which John is involved is difficult to say. The founder may have died in about 1835 (note A); but he had a son also called 'John' (note C), and I do not know if he was a publisher or not. Assuming that the present John's uncle was not a publisher, then books published between 1857 ['J'] or 1861 ['John'] and 1880 [his known death date] were probably his. There were ten books published in this grouping.
Portsdown Road is not listed in the current A to Z, so has either been renamed or demolished.
There are two Greville Place roads in London now, one in the Upper Walthamstow area of north London; the other in Maida Vale in the west. I imagine it could well be from this latter one that John commuted the 2 miles (as the crow flies) westward to Oxford Street.
Broadhurst Gardens, West Hampstead, is not far from Finchley Road Station.
Evan Evans Bumpus (bp 1820 d 1872 reg Pancras) son of Thomas b1789
Baptised in 1820 at St Andrew's, Holborn
Married 1845 Mary FRIEND (St James's Westminster? RW)
Children born about 1849 and 1860.
Perhaps of 146 Kentish Town Road, Middlesex.
Died 1872 reg Pancras
F12 Wife: Mary Bumpus (nee Friend; b c1822, d 1890)
She was born about 1822 in Islington.
Her two known children were apparently born in 1849 and 1860.
Died 1890.
Notes and suppositions
His baptism is in not in the church which the family regularly attended for such events (until, I argue, the whole family moved.
His relationship with the bookselling family is established by Thomas Bumpus' will naming him as 'my Son'.
Provisions are made in Thomas' will, which, besides married and unmarried daughters and bookselling sons (notes D, E, G, I, K and L), I suggest point to an infant death (note H), and possibly two wayward sons (note J and this present son, Evan Evans. The will leaves a special provision to EEB, only matched by Arthur (note J). Money is left in trust to pay EEB each week for the rest of his life. It also specifically mentions the circumstances of EEB going bankrupt. From this, I suspect that EEB and his father did not see eye to eye about what EEB was doing with his life.
The wording makes specific provision for EEB's wife and children, without naming them. I therefore wonder whether it is no more than normal legal practice to make sure it is clear what happens to the money when EEB dies.
However, we know that he did actually have a wife and at least two children. EEB married Mary FRIEND at St James's in 1845.
Children were born in 1849 (Frances) and (Evan Henry) about 1860: however, see also note W.
He was not a bookseller or publisher, nor did he write.
He did not survive until the 1881 census.
Mary's birth year is, I assume, related to the age given in the 1881 census. If so, it may be 1821 or 1822.
Benjamin Bumpus (bp 1825)son of Thomas b1789
Baptised 25 May 1825 at St Andrew's, Holborn.
Not mentioned in Thomas' will.
No other information known.
Notes and suppositions
Presumably BB died in infancy
Given that Thomas' eldest son survived and bore this name, a question mark remains. (See note D on naming practices within companies.)
Margaret Ann Shephard (nee Bumpus; b 1826) daughter of Thomas b1789
Born 1826, St Andrew's Holborn.
She married George Frederick SHEPHERD in 1857. The marriage was registered in the Sept Q of 1857, West london.
No details of any children.
Left money in Thomas' will, 1870, 1872.
Living with her brother Thomas Barton Bumpus at 29 Clissold Road, Stoke Newington, 1881.
Died post-1881.
George Frederick Shepherd (d pre-1881)
No details.
Notes and suppositions
'b 1826 St Andrew's Holborn', which I take to be her parish of birth as stated in the 1881 census.
Arthur Bumpus [or Bumpers] (bp 1828 d 1885)son of Thomas b1789
Baptised 1828 at St Andrew's Holborn.
In 1870, 1872, his father's will left him money.
Died in Paris in 1885
Will proved to his brother Edward, 1886.
Notes and suppositions
RW's notes quote the 'Bumpers' variation, presumably the way the clergyman heard the surname. In other documents, he appears spelt in the usual way.
In his father Thomas' will, special provision is made for him, the wording being nearly the same (but not quite) as his elder brother Evan Evans Bumpus, see note F. A sum is left for his benefit, but no weekly payment is required.
If he 'ran off' to Paris as a wayward young man before 1870, that might explain why his treatment was not the same as most of the rest of the family. However, I note that in the will Thomas' trustees are to pay him, so they must have known where he was. (Of course, he may not have been living in France at that date anyway, but moved there at some time in the 15 years before he died).
Is it possible that she is the Mary Bumpus who married George Bumpus in Abingdon in 1872?
Edward Bumpus (b1832 d1896), son of Thomas b1789
Baptised in 1832 at St Luke's, Old Street, Finsbury.
Ran the company with his brother John (and later John's sons). Until the 1850s, John opened a branch in Oxford Street, Edward continuing the shop in Holborn Bars.
'E' (7 books), 'Edward' (9 books), 'Eduardi' (1 book), 'Edw' (1 book) and 'Edwards' (1 book)[presumably the last two are British Library indexing errors]; these imprints used in books published between 1865 and 1888.
[See note E on John Bumpus for details of the firm's name change.]
'JE' [perhaps British Library indexing error for J & E'] (2 books), 'John and Edward' (28 books), 'John & Ed (2 books), 'John & Edward Ltd (2 books); these imprints published between 1893 and 1955.
In 1870, 1872, he was appointed an Executor and Trustee of his father's will.
In 1879 (Mar Q 1879 Thanet) he married Eliza J. Hudson, who was born in Birchington, Kent.
Of 6 Holborn Bars, 1872, 1886.
In 1881 Edward's occupation is given as 'Bookseller in charge of 5 men and 1 boy'.
His address in 1881 was Tooting Hall, Mitcham Road, Tooting Graveney, Surrey.
Died 3 October 1896 at 30 Crescent Grove, Clapham, Surrey and of Holborn Bars). Death registered 1896 Wandsworth
Obituary in The Times 9 Oct 1896:
"his knowledge of books was extraordinary"
"the two great book emporiums in Oxford-street and Holborn Bars owe not a little to his excellent judgement and business tact"
Will proved to his widow Eliza Jane.
L21 Wife: Eliza Jane BUMPUS (nee HUDSON) b1850/1 d 1930)
Born 1850/1, Birchington, Kent. Birth registered June Q 1853 Thanet.
Died at Green Down,
The Parks, Minehead, Somerset, on 3 November 1930.
But note that there is record of a marriage between Mary Anne PAIN bc1837 and an Edward BUMPUS in 1851 (marriage registered Dec Q 1851)
Notes and suppositions
Birchington is at the western end of the town of Margate, just inland from Westgate on Sea.
The Bumpus [1930] records say that the whole of Bumpus' moved to Oxford Street in 1880. Four possibilities occur to me. (a) the move was actually after the 1881 census date. (b) The move was not quite complete at that date, leaving a small number of people in Holborn 'clearing up after the move'. (c) The new structure in Oxford Street actually consisted of several 'sub-shops', with Edward running one of them. (d) After the move to Oxford Street, Edward went his own way and ran a separate shop (this option I feel is unlikely).
Assuming options (a) and (c), we could picture the whole company as a 22-man firm, split into two sites (or parts), with four director/managers and 19 staff.
Tooting Graveney is a part of Tooting quite close to 'Tooting' station (as opposed to Tooting Broadway or Tooting Bec stations). Mitcham Road runs NW/SE down to that station. Tooting station has a direct connection with London Bridge and Cannon Street stations, and therefore with Holborn via underground or bus. The address 'Tooting Hall' sounds grand, and it may be, since the family was wealthy at this period [Marylebone Reference Library].
Crescent Grove, Clapham, lies at the north-east corner of Clapham Common, quite close to the tube station of that name.
[Children of John Bumpus and Susannah]
M22 George Henry Bumpus (bp 1820)
born 8 September 1820
Baptised in 8 October 1820 at St Andrew's, Holborn.
[No other data known]
Henry Thomas Hurst Bumpus (bp 1823)
[See note N23]
M24 Alfred Bumpus (bp 1826)
Baptised in 1826 at St Andrew's, Holborn.
Notes and suppositions
George Henry's baptism took place on the same day and at the same church as his cousin Evan Evans Bumpus (see notes B and F).
Because GHB is not named in his uncle Thomas' will (1870, 1872), he may have died by that date.
Henry Thomas Hurst Bumpus (bp 1823)
Baptised 4 Aug 1823 at St Andrew's, Holborn.
printer's assistant storekeeper,
Left a legacy in his uncle Thomas' will (1870, 1872).
?Death registered Dec Q 1885 St Saviour.
Wife: Maria bc1825-9 Stepney, Middlesex, d
A1895 Islington
Lived at 35 Woodpecker Rd, Deptford; 114 Westmoreland Rd, Newington, SRY
N23i Frederick
bc1856 Lambeth, printer's warehouseman, =Milly bc1856 Deptford (ref54/8)
Lived at 8 Richmond Terrace, Newington, SRY
N23i1Son: Frederick bc1880 Camberwell
N23ii Jessie Caroline bc1865 Clerkenwell,
= 1886 Islington
Also, possible children included:
Maria Sarah b reg Sept Q 1845 St Saviour; Susannah b reg Sept Q 1847 St Saviour; Mary Frances b reg Sept Q 1871 Islington?
Notes and suppositions
HTHB's elder brother George Henry was not named in his uncle Thomas' will (1870, 1872). Nor is his younger brother Alfred.
Furthermore, since HTHB is also called 'Henry', this suggests quite strongly that the elder brother died in infancy.
We do not know HTHB's mother's maiden name. Perhaps it was 'Hurst'.
Thomas Francis Bumpus (b 1862 d 1916)
Birth registered Stoke Newington Sep Q 1862 [RW].
Bookseller/publisher/writer on church matters [RW].
As there are more than one contemporary 'Thomas', the British Library index list of Bumpus publishing does not enable one to establish which books TFB published. At this date, none is listed as 'TF Bumpus', only as 'TB Bumpus' (his father), or 'T Bumpus', (maybe his cousin or himself).
His writing (54 books, including reprints and new editions) spanned the publication years 1881 to 1914. New editions and reprints extending the publication range until 1946.
In 1881 of 29 Clissold Road, Stoke Newington [RW].
'1913 letter in BL Add. MSS.
Died 1916 [British Library index].
Notes and suppositions
TFB's books include a history of St Andrew's Church, Stoke Newington (which I take to be his 'home' church). He also wrote a series of books on the cathedrals and churches of various European countries. These books were first published, either by himself or his father, but later taken over by the London firm of 'T Werner Laurie'. American editions were also produced. After TFB's death, a reviser was used to update several of these.
The Clissold Road address is that of TFB's parents.
The death date quoted appears as a biographical annotation against one particular book within the British Library list (giving a birth and death year). No will for TFB is listed around this date, nor up to 1936.
John Skelton Bumpus (b 1861 d 1913)
Birth, 1861, Stoke Newington [BL Add. MSS; RW].
Bookseller/writer on churches and architecture [RW].
JSB was also a publisher. [British Library index].
Librarian of St Michael's College, Tenbury [RW] Librarian antiquary [BL Add. MSS]
JSB published one book in collaboration with his father, in 1903 [British Library index].
His writing (14 books. Including reprints and new editions) spanned the publication years 1891 to 1923. New editions and reprints extending the publication range until 1982 [British Library index].
In 1881 of 29 Clissold Road, Stoke Newington [RW].
Letters and library catalogues, 1893 to 1913 [BL Add. MSS]
Died post-1913 [BL Add. MSS].
Notes and suppositions
JSB's books include an ecclesiastical dictionary, and various writings on church music.
The Clissold Road address is that of JSB's parents.
Emma Louisa Bumpus [or Emma Bumpus; or Emma Louisa Allitsen] (b 1847 d 1923)
Emma Bumpus born 1847, registered JUN Q in Marylebone.
Of 17 Greville Place, London, 1881.
Of Testcombe, Stockbridge, Hampshire.
Died at 19 Lansdowne Place, Hove, spinster.
Her estate was valued at £16,630-17s-1d when proved in 1924.
Notes and suppositions
ELB's parents married 23 April 1846 The third child, also a daughter, was registered as 'Bumpus'.
At the 1881 census, her father's widow and all his family lived in Greville Road.
I note the high value of her estate, presumably a large house in Hampshire. [The village of Stockbridge lies on the River Test.]
That she died in Hove may mean a nursing home, perhaps. I don't think any relative lived in Hove.
Mary Frances Bumpus [or Francis Bumpus; or Francis Allitsen; or Frances Allitsen] (bp 1848 d 1912)
Birth registered MAR Q 1849 in Marylebone
Baptised 30 December 1848, St Andrew's, Holborn
Of 17 Greville Place, London, 1881
A composer and singer, using the name Francis Allitsen as her pseudonym. Correspondence and music, 1885 to 1896; and diary, January to March 1911 [BL Add. MSS]
Of 20 Queen's Terrace, St John's Wood, Middlesex, 1912
Appointed her brothers John Barton Bumpus and Thomas Bumpus, booksellers as her Executors
Died 30 September 1912, at 20 Queen's Terrace, spinster, buried West Hampstead cemetery. Chief mourners: brother John Barton Bumpus; brother-in-law J. Hibbert; nephew Geoffrey Hibbert; Mr. T. Faithfull, Mr. Evans Griffiths, Mr & Mrs Hayden Coffin and Mr. J.M. Levien,, representative of the Philharmonic Society.
Her estate was valued at £3,364-8s-3d, and re-sworn at £3,805-8s-3d, when proved in 1913.
Notes and suppositions
Her birth must have been very close to the end of 1848, since the registration was dated in the following year. One internet entry has 'born 30 December 1848'.
Her use of the name Allitsen appears to be something of a mystery. If my assumptions (see note Q) are correct, the choice of 'Allitsen' as a pseudonym is not a problem on the face of it. The same name was also used by her elder sister, which appears to be strange. As yet there is no evidence to explain the choice of the name, which does not appear anywhere else as a surname, to our knowledge.
At the 1881 census, her father's widow and all his family lived in Greville Road.
Her singing debut was made in 1882 (in her mid-30s). She studied at the Guildhall School of Music. She composed popular, patriotic songs (sung by such famous names as Hayden Coffin and Clara Butt). She also composed songs based on poems, as well as song cycles and cantatas. She published an opera. A diary survives in the British Library [Grove History of Music].
Queen's Terrace is a short road close to and parallel with Finchley Road, just north of St John's Wood station.
The re-swearing of her estate probably resulted from some late or overlooked item. The difference between the two estate values (£441) could be anything from a country cottage to late-declared royalties on some of her music. We may be able to get a clue when her will is looked at.
Euphemia Bumpus [or Effie] (b 1850 d 1915)
Birth registered JUN 1850 in Marylebone (as Effie)
Of 17 Greville Place, London, 1881
Of 370 Finchley Road, Hampstead, 1915
Died at 370 Finchley Road, Hampstead, spinster
Her Administration was proved to her brother John Barton Bumpus bookseller
Her estate was valued at £2,490-19s-5d, and re-sworn at £2,514-13s-11d, when proved in 1915.
Notes and suppositions
At the 1881 census, her father's widow and all his family lived in Greville Road.
370 Finchley Road is further out than Queen's Terrace. It must be close to where Westfield College stands/stood.
She made no will, so it is not perhaps surprising that only one brother proved her estate, compared with her sister Mary Frances appointing two brothers. John Barton was the older of the two.
The re-swearing of her estate probably resulted from some late or overlooked item. The difference between the two estate values is smaller than her sister's (at £23-14s-6d), which certainly looks like some late-declared item.
John Barton Bumpus (b 1851 or 1852 d February 1918)
son of John BUMPUS (2nd son of Thomas BUMPUS of Holborn), 23 April 1846 St Mark's Kensington=Emma Louise BARTON youngest daughter of the late John BARTON Esq of Cheltenham Place, Lambeth
Birth registered MAR 1852 in Marylebone
Educated at Blackheath Proprietory School and King's College, London [Times obituary 1918]
Entered the firm at age 17 [Times obituary 1918]
Of 158 and 297 Oxford Street, 1880
Appointed co-Executor to his father's estate, 1880
Of 17 Greville Place, London, 1881
Bookseller in charge of 11 men and 2 boys, 1881; bookseller, 1912, 1915
Appointed Executor to his sister Mary Frances' estate, 1913
Proved his sister Euphemia's Administration, 1915
Of Inglenook, 370 Finchley Road, Hampstead and 350 Oxford Street, 1918
Appointed his brother Thomas to be his Executor
Died at 370 Finchley Road, Hampstead, 16 February 1918.
Buried Wednesday 20th February 1918, at noon, in Hampstead Cemetery, Fortune Green Road [Times obituary 1918]
His estate was valued at £3,789-13s-1d, when proved in 1918
"a man of much personal charm and unassuming manners; he had read widely, and had an extraordinary memory for all matters relating to books and authors. His unfailing courtesy will be missed" [Times obituary 1918]
Notes and suppositions
His Times obituary states him to be aged 65 in 1918, which gives a birth date-range of 1852-1853. As other sources give '1851-1852', this strongly confirms 1852.
His parents probably sent him to school as a boarder (although it is not impossible to commute between the City and Blackheath, it is more than eight miles away), before going on to King's College, London. Blackheath Proprietary School was opened in 1831 just south of Blackheath Station. The school adopted rugby football, and the old boys founded the well-known Blackheath Rugby Club. King's College, London, was founded by King George IV in 1829, and became part of the university of London. It is, and always was, situated in the Strand, next to Somerset house.
He probably entered the firm in 1869.
At the 1881 census, his father's widow and all his family lived in Greville Road. His job is given as 'Bookseller employing 11 men and 2 boys'. This phrase, (the official wording required to be used by employers), is also used by his younger two brothers (see notes U and V).
John Barton is the only person to refer to the street numbers 158 and 297 Oxford Street. This occurred in 1880, the year when a lot of rebuilding of the Bumpus bookshop in Oxford Street took place [Bumpus 1930]. We know also that the original Holborn Bars shop was closed at this time, and that another building was acquired next to the original Oxford Street shop. Another minor problem is that the street numbers were changed along Oxford Street (such that the original '158' became '350'), but we don't know exactly when. Number 297 should, theoretically be part of the original numbering. Unfortunately, without knowing how the street was numbered, it isn't possible to place number 297. [Research continues]
Clearly the whole family lived at 370 Finchley Road, which this will tells us was called 'Inglenook'. See note R for the siting of this house.
JBB made a will, appointing his next-younger brother as Executor.
Hampstead Cemetery is only a few hundred yards from JBB's family home. 'Fortune Green' was the green 'before the village' [OE ford tun].
The estate's value is nowhere near as large as that of his grandfather (note B), but a lot larger than his own father (note E). The high-value estate is that of JBB's brother Thomas Barton, note U.
Thomas Barton Bumpus (b 1853 d 1920)
Birth registered SEP 1853 in Marylebone [apparently without 'Barton']
Of 17 Greville Place, London, 1881
Bookseller in charge of 11 men and 2 boys, 1881; bookseller, 1893, 1913, 1918
Appointed Executor to his mother's estate, 1893; his sister Mary Frances' estate, 1913; and his brother John Barton's estate, 1918
Managing Director of John and Edward Bumpus Ltd in 1918 [Times obituary notice of his brother John Barton Bumpus]
Of 370 Finchley Road, Hampstead and 350 Oxford Street, 1920
Died at 370 Finchley Road, Hampstead, 15 November 1921
[Will not proved to a Bumpus (but a solicitor).]
His estate was valued at £30,491-12s-0d, when proved in 1921. Described as Head of J&E Bumpus Ltd. All books and copyright of books published by firm + bequest to nephew Harry Meredith Bumpus; bequests: to nephew Leopold Bumpus; to sister, Emma Louisa Bumpus; to John Hibbert; to secretary David Scott Peddie; to housekeeper and to housemaid.
Notes and suppositions
Only in his own will is the second forename 'Barton' used; (in other places only as 'Thomas'). Perhaps he adopted the name to differentiate himself from his cousin Thomas Francis(?)
At the 1881 census, his father's widow and all his family lived in Greville Road. His job is given as 'Bookseller employing 11 men and 2 boys'. This phrase, (the official wording required to be used by employers), is also used by his elder and younger brothers (see notes T and V).
Clearly the whole family lived at 370 Finchley Road, which brother John's will tells us was called 'Inglenook'.
See note R for the siting of this house. TBB made a will, the value of which (in the period 1858 to 1936) is second only to that of his grandfather (note B). Until it is read we do not know how his estate was disposed.
Managing Director of J & E Bumpus Ltd in 1918 [Times obituary of his brother John Barton Bumpus.]
Additional son recently discovered
Richard (?Carroll) b1855
Henry F…… Bumpus (b 1858 d post-1903)
son of John BUMPUS, bookseller, bap 22 Mar 1818 St Luke,
Old St, Finsbury, LND,ref 11/7 d 19 Jul 1880 d reg C1880 Kensington, (WILL), 23
April 1846 St Mark's Kensington=Emma Louisa BARTON bc1823-7 Lambeth d 3 Feb
1892,ref (51/8);11/7 reg A1892 Hampstead, (Admons 1893 - probate to Thomas
BUMPUS, bookseller) (51/8;9/9) Biog 10E, youngest daughter of the late John
BARTON Esq of Cheltenham Place, Lambeth
Born about 1858, Marylebone
Of 17 Greville Place, London, 1881
Bookseller in charge of 11 men and 2 boys, 1881
Published one book in 1903 [BL]
A1885 Marylebone=Elizabeth JENKINS bc1860 Pembray S
WALES ref 3/9
Harry Meredith BUMPUS b C1892 Swansea,
Inherited £2,000 and all books and
copyright of books published by the firm from Thomas Barton Bumpus of Finchley
Michael b reg Mar Q 1890 Swansea
Notes and suppositions
At the 1881 census, his father's widow and all his family lived in Greville Road. His job is given as 'Bookseller employing 11 men and 2 boys'. This phrase, (the official wording required to be used by employers), is also used by his elder two brothers (see notes T and U).
Clearly the whole family lived at 370 Finchley Road, which brother John's will tells us was called 'Inglenook'. See note R for the siting of this house.
The assumed death date is derived from the publication date of one book. It is not impossible that this is not the right publisher, which would take the death date back to 'post-1881'.
Frances Bumpus [or ?Frances Isabel Bompas] (bp 1849)
Baptised 30 November 1849 Old Church, St Pancras
Married in 1873 George C KRECKLER b1844 d1890
Married Edward LASHBROOK b1851 in 1901
Notes and suppositions
Described as a dressmaker
Evan Henry Bumpus (b reg 1860 Pancras d reg Sept Q1891)
Book salesman of 146 Kentish Town Road, 1881
X35 Wife: Martha Florence FLAVELL
Dec Q 1884 Kensington= Martha Florence FLAVELL bc1864 St Giles, d post 1898 (ref12/9)
Bookseller of 5 & 6 Holborn Bars, Middlesex, 1891
He died at the Brompton Hospital, Middlesex
Death registered SEP Q 1891 Chelsea
No will; Administration to his widow, 1898. Estate value: £85-0s-0d.
Notes and suppositions
His widow describes him as a bookseller in 1891, ten years or so after the Holborn branch is said to have closed [Munby & Norrie 1974]. I suspect that M&N are in error, and that it was the administration of the whole business than transferred to Oxford Street in the early 1880s. That EHB is said to have been working at Holborn Bars (in fact this is given as his address) may be a further indicator at the 'semi-isolation' of this part of the family, see note F.
I assume that dying in the Brompton Hospital had the same chest-disease connotations in this period as it does now, and that EHB probably died of 'consumption' or of lung cancer…
Two possible children: Florence Winifred b1886, d reg 1888 Lambeth; Winifred Annie b reg March Q 1891 Holborn
George Hamilton Hayes (prob b c1852)
Eldest child of Frances Margaret Hayes (nee Bumpus, married 1851)
Left money in his grandfather's will 1872
Notes and suppositions
The will names him, with the normal legal phrase relating to the children reaching the age of 21 years before inheriting. From this I assume that in 1872 he was under that age, hence the assumed birth date.
Augustus Thomas Hayes (prob b c1853)
Second child of Frances Margaret Hayes (nee Bumpus, married 1851)
Left money in his grandfather's will 1872
Notes and suppositions
The will names him, with the normal legal phrase relating to the children reaching the age of 21 years before inheriting. From this I assume that in 1872 he was under that age, hence the assumed birth date.
Jane Frances Hayes (prob b c1854)
Third child of Frances Margaret Hayes (nee Bumpus, married 1851)
Left money in her grandfather's will 1872
Notes and suppositions
The will names her, with the normal legal phrase relating to the children reaching the age of 21 years before inheriting. From this I assume that in 1872 she was under that age, hence the assumed birth date.
By Victorian naming practices, she should have been called 'Frances' after her mother (and perhaps 'Jane' after her mother-in-law).
Later History of John & Edward Bumpus Limited
In 1918, at the time of John Barton Bumpus' death, his next-youngest brother, Thomas Barton Bumpus, was Managing Director. TBB died in 1920 (leaving the second largest estate of any of the bookselling Bumpuses).
We do not know the death date of the youngest Bumpus brother, Henry F., but although he was five years younger than TBB, it is most probable that he had retired from active participation in the bookshop—or died—by 1927.
In that year, the present writer's father joined Bumpus' for work experience [see appendix at the end of this note]. The man in charge was J G Wilson. When the company moved premises in November 1958, this remarkable man was still chairman at the age of 82!
It is quite possible that the last Bumpus family member actively involved in the company was TBB. That the family shareholders should appoint an unrelated manager would be logical; that they chose J G Wilson was incredibly lucky: his expertise kept the business flourishing much longer than many other independent shops.
Under Wilson's direction, though, I believe that the family may well have continued to control the firm through their holding of company shares.
During the Depression and the difficult years that followed, right up to the start of the Second World War, the firm continued to promote its literary connections and the high reputation developed by JBB's grandfather.
· 1918 "For many years the firm of J & B Bumpus has been one of the leading bookselling houses in London." [Times]
· 1926 Royal warrant: "to His Majesty the King" (George V). [Times display advertisement]
· 1927/8 The writer's father recalls visits to the shop by Queen Mary and by leading authors of the day [see appendix below]
· 1930 "All the books you hear about, the books you see reviewed or advertised, are at Bumpuses." [Times display advertisement]
· 1932 A "Lewis Carroll Exhibition opened at Messrs Bumpus's in Oxford Street," [Times]
· 1932 "At Messrs Bumpus's bookshop in Oxford Street, W, is to be seen a puppet-show performance." [Times]
· 1933 Royal warrant used in an advertisement. [Times]
· 1933 "Additions to the Bumpus Exhibition of author's mss made." [Times]
· 1934 An exhibition by "Messrs. J & E Bumpus of 350 Oxford Street, W, [of] a copy of every book produced at [William] Morris's Kelmscott Press". [Times]
· 1934 An exhibition on parliaments and the press staged by Bumpuses. [Times]
· 1934 An exhibition of Coleridge and Lamb material on their centenary at Bumpuses. [Times]
· 1934 Bumpus's Toy Theatre: "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood". [Times]
· 1935 Royal Warrant used.
· 1938 Book of T E Lawrence's correspondence published (and/or publicised) by J & E Bumpus Ltd. The Royal Warrant used for the last time in this sequence of Times advertisements.
After the war, the company (now operating out of a new address in Oxford Street), moved to Baker Street, nearer to the Mayfair clientele it considered its best market. The firm continued to trade, but by the early 1960s was running at a loss.
That it managed to continue was, it seems, largely due to its association [no details of acquisition, foundation, etc] of The Book Society. This was stated to be in profit in 1963, while the bookshop was making quite a large loss. The net balance was a smaller loss.
In September 1963, a battle was said to be brewing between bidders for Bumpuses. W H Smith had made an offer, and another group was said to be interested. By November, W H Smith had been outbid by a third contender (the Daily News group). But the Daily News was more interested in the Book Society than the bookshop. Accordingly, the Bumpus board supported the lower bid from W H Smith. They promised to keep the bookshop going "for as long as possible."
The shareholders—about 40 of them—were dominated by the five directors. The Chairman, Mr Jocelyn Gibb, and the Managing Director, Mr Gordon Grimley, and their three co-directors held a controlling interest of 54%. 58,500 one-pound shares [one report says 58,550] had been issued; the five directors owned 31,617 of them. As only 55% was needed to confirm the sale [32,202 shares], it was almost certain that the sale would go ahead.
However, late in November 1962, a completely new, independent, bidder trumped all the rest with a bid of 12/- per share. Later he raised it to 13/6d. The Daily News' reaction was to increase again, but later withdrew (as W H Smith had done when the rise to 13/6d was made). The new buyer's price was accepted by the Bumpus board, as Mr Robert Drummond had assured them that the bookshop would remain a separate entity.
Three years later, Robert Maxwell bought "the famous London bookshop founded nearly 200 years ago." [Sic! The firm had claimed a 1790 foundation for some time which is actually "176 years ago".] The seller was the family of Mr Bendor Drummond, who presumably had inherited Robert Drummond's estate.
Appendix: Extract from C F Rae Griffin's memoirs [1968]
"On my return from Scotland I joined Bumpuses the booksellers, [then] in Oxford St, and began my contact with books at the end of production. I was first in a small department dealing with "subscriptions", where standing orders existed for new books of a certain class or from any limited-edition press. The names on the subscription list were formidable – with Lord Chief Justice for one, Somerset Maugham, and the like.
"The old Queen (Mary) was a shopper at Christmas time – the shop was cleared of all customers for this. She made a choice of 60 or more books, for presentation, and yet nobody would ever dream of sending in an account for them! As "Warranty booksellers" (shared only with Hatchard of Piccadilly) it was an honour and perfect publicity.
"We had a one-armed lift man at Bumpuses – and he was quite blasé with Royalty. Therefore, when I got the stand-by job of working the lift (during his lunch-hour) I persuaded him to go off – so that I could say I had driven the Queen! In fact, I had to warn her Majesty to "mind the step" – because this lift had no automatic stop arrangements at all – you just had to "shut-off the juice" at the exact moment, before the stop, according to the load you happened to have!
"At the next desk to mine was a very nice chap, Frank Doubleday – and I got along very well with him – in fact, I did with everyone. But he was – and is – an exceptional character with a brilliant brain and a kindly nature. No falseness about him whatever – and yet forthright, courageous, and decided in his views. I was sorry, in March 1928, when I left to go to CG&Co – in leaving his friendship there.
"There was an outstanding bookseller in charge – J.G. Wilson. Ex John Smith, Glasgow, he was a prodigious figure in books. His friendship was sought by all the celebrated authors of the day. "Lawrence of Arabia" was a friend, and one of the "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" (there were only a few copies) [was] on show and it was one of my jobs to put this in a window each morning – and take it out and put it in a strong-room every night.
"The deputy was Garland – who was very old when I went there and lived to over 90. He was a character – and brusque at times. The stockroom manager was a man named Bland. His memory was (and is still) absolutely phenomenal. He could put a publisher to any title you liked to name – and changes too if there had been any. Would also tell you what forms of edition there were – and prices of the moment. Another assistant – senior of the shop staff – was a man named Kreatzer. A bit of a tartar and one who had risen from the ranks of a collector (pushing a box tricycle around) he was somewhat uncouth.
"Other staff were a Mr Butterfant – an expert on maps, BRAHAM pronounced Brarm – a complete bookseller's assistant! There were many other staff members – I believe 90 (?) in all, from packer to Wilson himself. But one of the most outstanding was the stockroom manager BLAND about whom I referred a page or so back, He had served in his young days in the Navy, as a CPO stoker. A man of exceptional memory power, he was also a Salvationist and, when searching on the shelves for something somebody had misplaced (he never made a mistake himself) would hum "The church's one foundation" in alternation with the most awful swearing and oaths that I think I have ever heard in my life, and a smile on his face all the time!
"The location of the shop when I was there was 350 Oxford Street, where the Dolcis shop now is. It was Marshall and Snelgrove who owned Bumpuses, actually, and just as I left very big plans for an internal rebuild were started. Unfortunately after a great deal of money was spent and much reorganization of the place completed, the business was sold and moved right along towards Marble Arch where trade drastically altered and shrunk.
"J.G. [Wilson] was a bit of a tartar and driver and would keep everything to himself: he therefore had no successor – the son who did show an interest was only a shadow of his pa. in aptitudes and capabilities. Doubleday left after I did, to become manager of the Epworth Bookshop, City Road, and was there to 1967 end."
[James Griffin notes on the above (partly from other conversations with my father and partly from later research):
1 A regular caller at the shop was Cecil William Mercer [Dornford Yates].
2 Queen Mary was born in 1867.
3 Hatchards is still a bookshop holding a Royal Warrant.
4 T E Lawrence had eight copies for people to approve of (before having proper editions printed). One of these was "the Windsor copy", and this was sent to J G Wilson. There is a letter reproduced on the Internet from TEL to JGW that makes it clear that this copy was sent to King George V.
5 A 'collector' was a member of a bookshop staff whose job was to call on publishers' trade counters to pick up books required for customers.
6 My father also described the calls at Bumpuses of senior publishers' representatives [i.e. those promoting new books], saying that some were awesome personalities in top hats.
|The Bumpus Biographies V:
The Bumpus
Slateworkers of Stonesfield
It is now thought that this group's ancestral roots are in Charlbury and Little Compton. For the moment, the tree from the early 19 century will be shown.
|Family 1W1+W2+IF(+IFr)
SUMMARY John Bumpus b1814(Family 1A)>6 Known children
John BUMPUS, tailor, bap 27 Mar 1814 ref 9/7d11 Apr 1876 reg B1876 Hackney (WILL 1876 Prob to Mary) burial entered 17 April Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, ref058847, sectI06, index 2S11, son of Thomas BUMPUS, labourer, bap 8 Apr 1787 Stonesfield d/bur 24 Jan 1858 (WILL - probate to son John of Windsor Coll, London St, William St, Caledonian Rd, MDX), 12 Sep 1813 Combe, [witnessed by J. HARRIS and Ann BISHOP]=Charlotte EATON of Combe, bap 2 Oct 1791 Combe, d/bur 1 Dec 1852 Combe, d reg D1852 Woodstock, daughter of Thomas=Sarah
(D1838) 15 Nov 1838 All Souls, Marylebone=Mary KING b1818 St Pancras ref 9/7, d 14 Mar 1905 (WILL 1905 Probate to Jane King BUMPUS, spinster) burial entered 18 March, Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, ref109077, sect I06, index 5S04
10 The Green Woodford; 495 Kingsland Rd, MDX; 14 Adelaide Rd, Leyton ESS
|SUMMARY John Bumpus b 1841 (Family 1C)>7 known children
1A>CJohn BUMPUS, commission agent/M/C Warehouseman, C1841 Witney ref21/8;22/9;13/1
d 12 Mar 1920 (WILL 1920 Probate to Samuel Thomas Adams BUMPUS, bank of England clerk), Manchester warehouseman,
D1869 Hackney=Alice Sarah ADAMS bc1842 London, MDX (ref21/8;22/9;13/1) d/bur 4 Dec 1917 Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, ref 128948, SectK08, Index 6S10
Grange Road, Finchley, MDX; 583 Alexandra Park Rd, Wood Green MDX + 42 Bow Lane, London; 26 New Road, Hornsey.
|SUMMARY Jane King Bumpus b 1845 (Family 1A>?)>no known
1AJane King BUMPUS, c1845 Witney ref19/7;19/8;31/9
spinster in 1905, burial entered 27 May 1929 Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, ref150012 sect I06, index 7S14, daughter of John BUMPUS bap 27 Mar 1814 Combe OXF tailor, d/bur 11 Apr 1876 reg B1876 Hackney (WILL), (D1838) 15 Nov 1838 All Souls, Marylebone = Mary KING b1818 St Pancras d 14 Mar 1905 (WILL 1905 Probate to Jane King BUMPUS, spinster) ref 31/9
495 Kingsland Rd, Hackney;10 The Green Woodford ESS
|SUMMARY William Henry Bumpus b 1846 (Family 1D)>8 known
1A>DWilliam Henry BUMPUS C1846 Witney ref9/7;19/8;2/9;17/1
d 17 Jan 1920 25 @ Mowbray Rd, Cricklewood, cremated Golder's Green, (Admons 1920 Probate to Alfred William BUMPUS, civil engineer), stocks & share broker,
D1871 Hackney/Witney?=Elizabeth Ann ROBSON bc1846/7 Peckham Rye, SURREY(ref19/8;2/9;17/1) d 10 July 1926 Ruira, Kenya Colony
10 The Green, Woodford; 45 Fordwych Rd, Cricklewood, LND; 148 Walm Lane Cricklewood, MDX; 8 Park Hill Rd, Beckenham KENT
children: Phillis Annie B1902 Bromley; William
Francis Henry Cecil b reg A1904 Bromley; ?Robert John; ?Arthur
|SUMMARY James Bumpus b c1849 (Family 1E)>5 known children
1A>EJames BUMPUS, Inspector to Life Assnce Socy,A1849 Witney ref9/7;20/8;32/9
d 21 Mar 1893 reg A1893 Hackney (Admons 1893- probate to wife), burial entered 25 Mar at Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, ref089928, SectI06, Index4S02, Inspector to Life Assnce Socy,
A1876 Edmonton=Edith Alma BROWN bc1855 Bethnal Green, MDX d 12 Jan 1933 (WILL); (ref20/8;32/9;11/1)
5 The Green Terrace, Woodford, ESS; d at 26 Dunsmure Rd, Stamford Hill, MDX; 12 Clifton Avenue, Finchley
|SUMMARY Mary Bumpus b 1855 (Family 1F)>?children
1A>FMary BUMPUS aka BUMPIRS ?bc1855 Witney ref45/1


text:
RSS 16 deals tagged "music-player"
$8 off Code for EasyAcc® Music Cube Bluetooth Speaker with 25-30 Hours Play-time for $30.99
@ amazon.com | 0 comments | music, speaker, bluetooth-speaker, audio-speaker, music-player
4 months ago
Clearance Sale for EasyAcc® Mini Portable Rechargeable Bluetooth Speaker for $9.99
@ amazon.com | 0 comments | electronics, bluetooth-speaker, music-player, audio-speaker, portable-speaker
4 months ago
EasyAcc® Mini Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker with brilliant audio performance and hands-free for $21.99
@ amazon.com | 0 comments | electronics, bluetooth-speaker, music-player, buetooth
5 months ago
Personalized 8GB Sport Style Wireless Headset MP3 Music Player with TF Card Slot -Green for $5.63 + free shipping
@ gizga.com | 0 comments | jewelry, headset, mp3, music-player
a year ago
Beamz C6 Interactive Music Player & Instrument w/100 + Beamz Interactive, Inc. C6 Beamz C6 for $99.99 + free shipping
2 years ago
Sonos Play:3 Wireless HiFi System for $299.99 + free shipping
@ target.com | 0 comments | electronics, music-player, all-in-one
2 years ago
Sony Walkman 4GB Digital Media MP3 Music Player NWZ-E463 for $44.99 + free shipping
2 years ago
ICDUX512RED Sony 3-in-1 Stereo Voice Recorder for $59.65 + free shipping
@ adorama.com | 0 comments | electronics, recorder, music-player, usb
3 years ago
Apple iPod Video 30GB 5th Generation for $114.77
@ justdeals.com | 0 comments | ipod, apple, videoipod, 30gbipod, musicplayer
4 years ago
55% OFF for EasyAcc® 2nd Gen Olive Bluetooth Speaker for $19.99
@ amazon.com | 1 comment | electronics, speaker, bluetooth, music-player, audio
6 months ago
Mini Aluminum MP3 Player with Micro-SD slot and Clip for $4.99 + free shipping
@ deals.miniinthebox.com | 0 comments | mp3, mp3player, musicplayer, awesomeness
3 years ago
Hot Ring Design Multi-functional Speaker with AM & FM Function for $49.43
@ awholesalecompany.com | 0 comments | electronics, speaker, ipod, phones, music-players
3 years ago
Logitech Squeezebox Boom Network Music Player & Wi-Fi Internet Radio for $199.95 + free shipping
@ ebay.com | 0 comments | electronics, logitech, music-player
3 years ago
Coby MP-C848 MP3 Digital Music Player w/ 256 MB Flash Memory USB Drive for $22.95
4 years ago
Zune 80 GB Digital Media Player (Black) for $155.55
3 years ago
Sponsored Deals
They're like ads, but good.
OK, yes, companies pay a little something to be Sponsored Deals. But we don't allow just any old crap in this section. Sponsored Deals are proposed to us by other retailers, manufacturers, and even other daily deal sites. If we find the deal compelling enough that our members will appreciate us bringing it to their attention, we'll feature it here. Believe it or not, we have a reputation to uphold. If your store would like to be considered for this space, please contact us for details. But if your deal is lame, or sketchy, no amount of money will let you buy your way in.
Community Deals
It's whatever you want it to be.
Pretty much, anyway. This is where you find the deals that wooters like you have ferreted out and brought to light. We're thinking it'll turn into a massive database of discounted products from around the Web, constantly expanding to absorb the newest deals from the very moment their prices are slashed, with each deal immediately rated by hordes of savvy voters to spotlight the very greatest deals in the world today. Hey, we can dream, right?
We use a fancy algorithm to determine which deals are catching the most buzz – they're under the Popular tab, which is the default view of this section. You can look for the most popular deals today, this week, or this month. The Fresh tab features the most recently submitted deals, so that's where to look for deals that everybody else doesn't know about yet. And the Search bar does what a Search bar does, only, uh, much wootier! Yeah! Right on!
Ask The Community
They probably won't bite.
Organic bullets? Vegetarian haggis? Cheap tickets to Antarctica? The best high-performance sweatsocks for under $100? If you're looking for a deal that doesn't appear to show up in our Community Deals section, throw the question to your fellow cheapskates. Or answer a question for one of your fellow cheapskates. Or vote for your favorite questions, or your favorite answers, or… maybe we should call this section "Ask, Answer, Comment On, And Vote In The Community", but that won't fit on the page.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Widely appreciated for his sensitive filmmaking, Amol is a regular at various film festivals across the globe. With Paheli he moves out of the 'festival circuit' with none other than Shah Rukh Khan backing his film, everything seems to be falling in place.
With only a few days left for the release of this grand fairytale, Amol chats about a vision called Paheli.
Where did the idea of Paheli germinate?
I had read Duvidha, the novel, way back in 1984, and since then I have been an admirer of Vijaydan Detha, the author. The story 'Duvidha' remained with me and continued to fascinate me. The stories that I read remain in the back of mind and grow like a plant grows, the same must have happened with Duvidha. It was about 3 years back that I thought I must make a film on this. Then Sandhya, my wife and I started discussing on this. We also got in touch with Bidji (Vijaydan Detha) and the whole process started.