Joseph Shaw, who died in Jan 1831 aged 66, left a long will. His parents were most likely William Shaw and Catherine Woodall, who had married in St Thomas’s, Dudley on 27 Dec 1761.
Joseph Shaw himself married twice, first to Elizabeth Geast (m 12 May 1788) and secondly to Elizabeth Milward (m 1 Jan 1807). He was the father-in-law to George Downing, who married his daughter Elizabeth Shaw in St Thomas’s Dudley, on 15 Dec 1818.
The will lists his six surviving children and appoints his two sons-in-law as Executors. These are George Downing, a farmer and maltster from Smethwick, and James Tarbet, married to his youngest daughter Rebecca.
Joseph’s son Joseph had predeceased him a few months earlier and the will makes provision for his two orphaned infant grandchildren.
His eldest daughter Esther (bap 5 Oct 1788) was married to Edward Amblett, described in the Parish Register as a miner. His daughter Eliza (bap 24 Nov 1799) is self evidently unmarried.
Joseph names his two living sons as William (bap 13 Feb 1803) and Benjamin (bap 27 dec 1811).
Joseph clearly owned a number of properties in Dudley on and around Hall Street, which he left to his children. These included a brewhouse which was run by his son-in-law James Tarbet. He endeavoured to ensure that his married daughters’ property was not to be ‘covered’ by their husbands – although legally it is not clear how ‘coverture’ could be, in extremis, avoided before the Married Women’s Act of 1882.
When Joseph’s daughter Elizabeth Downing was widowed in 1848 importantly she became a fully independent woman again. Together with her oldest son, William, she would have had control of both her deceased husband’s properties as well as those she might still have possessed by way of this will. After the death of Elizabeth Downing in March 1858 there was a large auction of her estate, including much valuable farmland in a rapidly urbanising setting. This cash injection was an important catalyst to the Downing Malting businesses from Smethwick down to Gloucester.
One suspects strongly that Joseph Shaw was descended from the Shaw family, prominent burghers in Dudley from the Sixteenth century. However, at present it is too difficult to link the direct line of ascent up with these branches discussed extensively elsewhere on this site.
Joseph was survived by his second wife Elizabeth, who, according to the advertisement placed in Aris’s Birmingham Gazette on 14 Feb 1831, was active in running or at least winding up the existing business:
Advertisement of Joseph Shaw’s Estate, Aris’s Birmingham Gazette, 14 Feb 1831
Sources and Notes
- St Thomas Dudley Parish Register gives his age at burial on 11 Jan 1831 as 66. His supposed baptism would therefore be on 9 Dec 1764, to William and Catherine.
- Will of Joseph Shaw, Victualler of Dudley, Probate Worcester 4 Jun 1831, written 6 Dec 1830.
- Joseph Shaw (Jun) was the landlord of the Hearty Good Fellow, Birmingham Street, Dudley until his early death – burial recorded 1 Sep 1830, aged 29. Will Worcester unseen.
- The auction of properties by the Trustees of George Downing took place on 18 Apr 1859 at the Swan Inn, Oldbury Road. All the properties were in the Holly Lane area of Smethwick, including Holly House where William Downing lived. Evidently the freeholds in Dudley had already been sold by then and the 1859 auction represents a further consolidation of capital to finance the building of Holly Lodge and expand the Downing Malting business.
- Will of George Downing, Probate 7 Oct 1848, PCC (Son-in-law).