Michael D.Heath-Caldwell M.Arch.

1777 - 1778 - 1779

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Joseph Heath - Bookbinder - Attorney?     1754-1820
James Heath A.R.A.                        1757-1834
Sarah Heath                                   1759-
George Heath                                 1766-1821
 

James Heath - aged 21                   1757-1834

Elizabeth Thomas - aged 20

Mary Heath (ne Phillipson)            1757-1819
 

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The Heath Family Engravers1779-1878, Volume 1. James Heath A.R.A. by John Heath

James Heath - Domestic Life and Interests.

As mentioned earlier, James Heath married in 1778, at the age of 21 and before he was out of his apprenticeship with Collyer: his wife, Eliza, was only 20 and a minor at the time. Less than three years later, Eliza left him, having presented him with a son, George, and returned to her native Wales. It seems more than likely that the reason she did so was that James was having an affair with Mary Phillipson. She was not his housekeeper, as has been generally supposed, but came of good family, being the daughter of Thomas Phillipson, of Old Calgarth Hall, Windermere who also lived in London; her sister Charlotte subsequently married Richard Corbauld, the artist. Benjamin West, who was later to become President of the Royal Academy, was their cousin, and both sisters went on to bear families of talented artists. 

An old story in the Corbauld family (which may well be aprocyphal) relates that Mary Phillipson was about to be married to someone else, when James rode into the church on horseback and carried her off from the altar. In any case, from about 1783 she lived with James as his common law wife, having, as Farrington puts it 'decent connexions' and being 'visited as Mrs Heath by her relations,' divorce in those days was somewhat difficult, and in the circumstances probably regarded as unnecessary. Their first child, Caroline, was born in 1784, and, in the following year, Charles; both were to become engravers, although Caroline did not continue with it. Apparently after her marriage to Samuel Hamilton (known as 'Hannah' Hamilton) in 1810.

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October 1778

In October 1778, just before completing his apprenticeship, James married Eliza Thomas at St.Luke's Church, Old  Street, with the consent of her father, David Thomas, a stocking presser by trade, and with his sister Sarah (Heath) as witness; nine months later his son, another George Heath, was born.

James was at that time living in Norman Buildings, Old Street, in the parish of St.Luke, Moorfields..

He had been made a Freeman of the Stationer's Company in 1779 (as his father had become before him in 1745) but commissions to engrave had still to come in from the publishers, and financially this must have been a difficult time. But at least he had a start, and was particularly fortunate in being able to employ as his assistant Anker Smith, just two years his junior, who was to remain with him for many years, together with a pupil, his wife's brother Walter, who appears never to have entered the profession.
 

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Saturday 21 February 1778
Leicester Journal
Leicester: Printed by John Gregory - and published every Saturday morning - Advertisements are taken in at Nottingham, by S.Tupman, who will deliver the Paper to order in any part of that town; also by Mr.Heath - - - 
 

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Derby Mercury
Thursday 13 March 1788

Jackson's Famous Corn-Plaister 

Hatfield's Tincture 18 - Dr Hooper's Female Pills,  - - - -

The above Medicines are sold by Mr Drewry in Derby, Mr Brown in Ashborne, Mr Taylor and Mr Salt in Wirksworth, Mr Calow in Chesterfield, Mr Pearson in Sheffield, Mr Dodsworth in Burton, Mr Heath, Mr Cresswell and Mrs Meckrough in Nottingham, Mrs Ofcrofton  - - - -
 

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