COLCHESTER, Charles Cornwell
Charles Cornwell Colchester was baptised at St Peter's church, Ipswich on 22 February 1788, son of Benjamin Colchester and his wife Deborah née Death, who married at Newmarket, Suffolk on 29 May 1782, and a godson of Emerson Cornwell (1731-1819) the Ipswich banker. In partnership with his father Benjamin and eldest brother William, in a candle and soap business also briefly in a newly established Roman Cement factory in St Peters parish, Ipswich, which is referred to in the 'Ipswich Journal' of 15 May 1819. In 1839, Charles Colchester & Co., were tallow chandlers at Friars Lane, Ipswich and Charles is listed in Pigot's Directory as a Russia broker, at Baltic Coffee House, Bank, London and worked with his brother William George Colchester as a tallow merchant in London. A partnership with Charles Foote Gower as Ipswich soap manufacturers was dissolved in 1845 and in 1851, Colchester was 'retired' living with his family at 22 Charlwood Street, Pimlico, London and by 1861 had moved to 1 Champion Terrace, Denmark Hill, London. A partnership of Charles Cornwell Colchester, Charles Bye Colchester, Henry Sparrow Colchester, Charles Edward Colchester and Thomas Scarman, Russia brokers of South Sea House, City was dissolved in September 1870. Whilst in Ipswich was a governor of the Ipswich Public Dispensary, later the Ipswich & East Suffolk Hospital, and in 1835 elected to the Board of Guardians of the Ipswich Union and several other Ipswich Charities and was a churchwarden for St Peter’s parish and in 1839-1842 and one of the Commissioners for the Ipswich Dock Commission. He married at St Giles-in-the-Fields, London on 14 February 1813, Mary Bye (1783-1857), daughter of the late John Bye of Holborn, and had issue including Edmund, Mary Ann and Charles Bye. In the minutes of the Ipswich Society of Professional & Amateur Artists 1832-1840, a member is listed as Mr Colchester in 1832 as Charles Colchester in 1837 which could be either this Charles Cornwell or his son Charles Bye Colchester. Charles Cornwell Colchester, of 19 De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, late of Champion House, Denmark Hill, Surrey and of South Sea House, Threadneedle Street, London died on Easter Monday the 17 April 1876, aged 88, his will being proved by his grandson Charles Edward Colchester of 34 Bishopsgate, City of London.