Richard Genn of Ely d.1812

Richard Genn was a shoemaker like his father (see post of 3rd February 2013), but was also an Innholder (possibly Innkeeper).  In 1757, he is reported by Reg Holmes to have owned the Queen's Head Alehouse and in 1778 the White Swan Alehouse both at Waterside in Ely . Whether he actually ran them is not proven so far as I can see but deeds survive for the Queens Head from 1757 to 1807 and I assume this is where Reg got his information.  As of late 2021 I am looking into these.

In October 2021 I purchased a book on Waterside dating from 1983 and written by the Ely author Audrey Denton but no apparent relation to the Genns (see below).  I know Waterside a little having visited a few times for leisure (it is a nice place) it now having cafes, tearooms, pubs, fashionable shops and  a lovely Antiques Centre along the riverside.  But back in the 1700s it was a thriving and energetic working place, with barges and boats arriving all the time and unloading  and loading, the watermen and porters doing thirsty work - so Waterside had a number of public houses, shops and quite a number of shoemakers apparently !

The Queens Head survives, but not as a public house.  It was built in circa 1700 as a Merchant's House, was then a Pub for a great many years but it now a private residence and has "scrubbed up" pretty nicely.  The deeds describe it as "on the river" and it sits on Quayside alongside the Great River Ouse.  Below is an illustration from Audrey's book (the "Ship" pub - the Tudor looking building has now gone) a current "front on" illustration and a streetview shot which shows you how it sits alongside the river.

Little is known of the White Swan save that it too was a double fronted house on Quayside which survived into the 1800s but has now gone,  In 1778 the victualler was actually the "widow Suffolk" with Richard having an interest in it, likely as her landlord.

 

Richard married Ann Denton, a butcher's daughter, in 1756 and the couple had a large number of children.  Ann had been born in 1738 (to Robert and Sarah - nee Wenham) the Dentons being an old Ely family, and she was barely 18 when she married.  It is probable that it was through family connections with the Dentons that Richard prospered, as Ann had two sisters only and her father died prematurely leaving a will in 1742, but nothing seems certain.  Richard clearly  improved the fortunes of the family however and the fact that he had sons Robert and Denton likely reflected his father in law's assistance.  Ann died in 1783, aged approximately 45, but there is no evidence that Richard remarried.  Richard died in 1812, aged 79 (stated to be 78).

Richard and Ann had nine children:

Margaret - untraced for sure -she possibly married William Cooper (a widower) at Ely in 1815. She was then 57 and could have chosen to marry after her father's death.

Ann - married William Guylott of St Ives/ Needingworth in Hunts.  He was a butcher and farmer, later also an Innkeeper.  The Guylotts were friends and kinsmen of a fellow called John Claudius Billet who left the Crown Inn at St Ives to this couple.  He was known to the Genn family of Ely at large and they named children after him in years to come. William died in 1821 (CRO) and mentions the Genns in his will.  They are many descendants, some in Australia whom I have corresponded with.

Robert - see later post

Elizabeth - died in infancy

Denton - see later post

Richard - three sons of the name sadly died in infancy

Charles - a Baker.  See post of 10th October 2019