Michael D.Heath-Caldwell M.Arch.

1821 - 1822 - 1823

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James Heath R.A.  aged 64/65                                   
Mary Heath (ne Phillipson)   aged 64/65   

              
George Heath   aged 42/43                                      
Anne Raymond Heath (ne Dunbar)  aged 34/35    

 
Julia Anna Heath - (later Harrison) aged 14/15        
John Moore Heath aged 13/14              
Douglas Denon Heath aged 10/11                
Dunbar Isidore Heath 6/7                   
Leopold G. Heath 4/5                
Emma Jane Heath (later Whatman)   0/1

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The Heath Family Engravers 1779-1878, Volume 1. James Heath A.R.A. by John Heath

The Lady's Magazine or Mirror of the Belles Lettres. Vol.III. - engraved by James Heath after Henry Corbould, published by S.Robinson. The engraving possibly comes from an eariler edition of Sir Walter Scott's Works. This volume also contains two engravings by Charles Heath, to show that in the year of James Heath's formal retirement, his son was carrying on the tradition of illustration in the Lady's Magazine.

1.Frontispiece: The Pirate. - plate size 10 x 8cm. 

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Hogarth's Works - 119 plates engraved by James Heath after William Hogarth, published by Baldwin, Cradock and Joy. A large elephant folio edition of re-engraved Hogarth plates, commissioned when the publishers took over the originals from Boydells in 1820 (Boydells had already republished 103 of them in 1790). According to Tuer Vol.I. James Heath was paid 'up to £1,000' for rebiting and re-engraving the additional plates, making a total of 119 in all. These were issued in 24 parts at one guinea each. 

The Gentlemen's Magazine for 1822 commented: 'Mr Heath has performed a very delicate task in a most satisfactory manner, having restored Hogarth so as not to offend the most prejudiced admirer.' 

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Thursday 24 January 1822
James Heath to Dawson Turner

My dear Sir,
I have to thank you for the brace of pheasants. Almost all the Friends I had used to send me game are dead, so that except Mr.Greene and yourself were so kind as now and then to remember me I should seem utterly forsaken.

My health has for a long time been very uncertain, sometimes I expect to be as well as ever I was in my Life, at other times I am quite desponding. I am at present unable to go on either with the Holy Family or Puck. To a Person so fond as I was of my Profession this deprivation is severely felt.

I have nothing left but to submit patiently to the will of Providence.

I have paid the money according to your request. I am sorry the Drawings are not in your possession as they are many of them quite valuable. I beg to be kindly remembered to Mrs.Turner and your Daughters, and remain as ever,
James Heath.

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Tuesday 12 February 1822
Charles Heath to Dawson Turner.

My dear Sir,
At length I have of forwarding you the promised parcel. I fear you will think it strange it should be so long after the time but when I assure you it was owing to my wish to make it more worth your acceptance I trust you will pardon the seeming negligence.

The fact is I have been kept from day to day waiting for the Papers (herewith enclosed) from Mr.Winston, whose whole time is engaged at Drury Lane Theatre and it was only an hour since I received him - he promised me a large quantity and many very curious when he can get a few leisure hours to look over his very large theatrical collection. I am certain he will keep his word as I gave him in return all the theatrical portraits I can procure.

I have likewise wished to defer the parcel until I could send a perfect set of Proofs to Crabbe's Poems, but as that would delay it another week I prefer making another with the next Germany, etc. I therefore only send you twenty out of thirtyone, likewise send the proof of Lauterbrunn, Shakespeare etc. etc.

I am very happy to be able to say I never was so occupied at any period of my life. The Arts flourish though the farming does not - the Booksellers of Paris are sending their Plates to be Engraved in England in consequence of the high esteem our small prints are held in that capital.

With regard to our Steel Engraving it is flourishing beyond all our hopes. The government of Portugal has adopted it and passed it into a law that our plan is to be used, all the present Paper Money is to be called in and ours substituted. We understand it will require eight Million of Notes - besides which there is a new Bank on the plan of our Bank of England, the issue of Notes from which will be very great - we have likewise great hopes the Prussian Government will adopt it.

Our general business increases so much we are obliged to build new Presses and Machinery - the Manchester Calico Trade is likely to produce us a great deal of business of itself. Mr.Perkins is now at Manchester for the purpose of procuring information etc.

In my next I will send you some proofs of our latest works. Should the Paper System continue I have not doubt we shall have the whole country currency to make.

I hope all your family has improved in health since I last heard from you. I beg you will present my best respects. - I must now thank you for your kindness in cashing the Bills I trouble you with. I am afraid you will [find] me too troublesome. I can only say my dear Sir that any service I can render you in return I shall take a pleasure in doing and I beg if in any way you can make me useful you will command.
Yours most sincerely,
Charles Heath

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Saturday 23 March 1822
James Heath, 42 Howland Street, London - to Dawson Turner.

My dear Sir,
Owing to the death of a Person to whom I had lent some money, and who has died suddenly, I am obliged to take some Houses in an unfinished state. I have made a contract with a Builder for ready money to complete them and I find he draws upon me rather faster than I am with my usual income able to supply him. I have therefore sent the enclosed which if you will have the goodness to discount it will answer all my purposes.

I have the pleasure to inform you that my health is much improved although I cannot say it is fully re-established. The Holy Family and Puck are lying idle for the present unless my Son with whom I am in treaty for the latter plate should take it in hand (which I rather think he will) to finish it immediately.

I understand that the steel schemes are doing wonders. They have got among many other Banks, the Portugal Bank which of itself is a little fortune. How I shall dispose of myself this summer I have not yet determined but if I travel I shall have great pleasure in stretching as far as Yarmouth.

I beg to be kindly remembered to your friendly family and believe me,
As ever,
Yours very truly,
James Heath
 

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Friday 29 March 1822
Morning Herald (London)

Courts of Request
Mr.Lennard rose to call the attention of the house to a subject on which he had given notice, and which most seriously affected the lower class of society. He would inform the House that a Court was established in Middlesex to recover debts under forty shillings; the presiding officer was required to be a Barrister of three years standing. 

By the returns which he held, it appeared that the average of causes tried in London amounted to 17,000 annually. Last year there were nearly 18,000. The Act prescribed that the Court should sit one day in each week in London, and once a month in the hundreds of Ossulton and of Isleworth; but the practice had been, from accumulation of business, that it was held twice a week in London.

Since the date of the Act which appointed these Courts, the population of London had increased many fold, and that of the other Hundred was also much augmented. There were 180 causes tried every day; he was justified in fixing the average at 220, some of them of an intricate nature, perhaps requiring witnesses to be called. It was absolutely impossible that so many could be despatched within that time with justice to the parties. 

The process of the Court was for a person to take out a summons, requiring the attendance of the other party on the next day. The plaintiff must then have to be at the Court by nine o'clock in the morning, and might perhaps have to wait there till nine at night. The chief object was defeated for which at first those Courts of Conscience were established; they were instituted to afford to the poor man a cheap and expeditious mode of recovering small debts due to him.

A principal objection with him was to the situation of the Court - it was not sufficiently centrical: it was held in the vicinity of Red-Lion-Square, and its jurisdiction extended as far as Turnham Green and Brentford. A person suing another at that distance, and serving personally the different forms of the Court, would have to walk backwards and forward eighty miles in five days. To avoid such difficulties, there were agents occasionally employed, but they increased the expense, and defeated the object of the Legislation. 

These Courts were called the poor man's courts, and were intended to give him redress without expense; but that intention was not a present carried into execution. He would undertake to say that there were, on some court days, 480 summonses issued. 

He would beg distinctly to say that he did not attempt to make any charge against Mr.Heath, who presided in that court; on the contrary, he believed that he endeavoured to discharge his duty in the fairest manner, and he had reduced the fees of the situation one-sixth since he came into office. He begged to call the attention of the House to the report of that officer on the subject of fees. In the time of his predecessor, he stated that the fees on each cause was three shillings; since he came into office, he reduced them to two shillings and sixpence.

The number of causes tried were, on an average, 17,000 a year. He had also said that he had to pay various expenses of the Court, and salaries of various officers, out of these fees. He had not specified the amount.

If the question went to a Committee, it could be shown from the statement of the Under-Sheriff, who had appointed him, that the fees on each cause were three shillings. If they took the report to the Chief Officer himself, his income would appear to amount to £2,100, and that of the County Clerk to £1,600. 

It was said that fees were taken on the postponement of causes, and also that a fee of 3s. 4d. was paid on a process coming to execution. He could not find anything in the Act to authorise these exactions. Supposing the average amount of debts sued for to be ten shillings, and the costs thereon five shillings, he would find on the number of cases a sum of £8,000 or £10,000 a year paid into the Court. He could not help remarking that during twenty-five years, in which the last gentleman was at the head of the office, there was no account of unclaimed money. It was probable that money must remain in the court, when it was considered that debts were paid in by distant instalments, perhaps not more than one shilling a week, and that many of the suitors may have changed their places of abode, had died, or left the country. 

He would allude to one other topic and complained that four hours were only allowed to receive the payments of the week; by an order of the late officer, from ten to two on Friday was appointed for that purpose. Frequently the crowd was so great, that many persons were obliged to return home without being able to get into the office to receive their money. 

The Hon. Gentleman then repeated the different grounds of grievance, and concluded by moving that a Committee might be appointed to inquire if the Proceedings of the Court of Requests might be simplified - if the Amount of Fees could be diminished - and whether the County Clerk might not act as the President of Court in the Hundred of Ossulston.

Mr.Bernal said that the last Hon.Member had certainly done every justice to the character of the officer now at the head of the Court. He considered that if any complaint was made, it should emanate from some suitor in the Court, or from some sufferer under its arrangements. The Chief Officer had expended £2,000 of his own money to erect a proper building for the purposes of the Court, which had been constructed in Kingsgate Street, Holborn. There was a necessity of having a gentleman of experience and of judgment to decide these causes. He had given up his practice in the Court of King's Bench, and declined to go circuit, to attend to this situation. He considered that no case had been made out for the attention of the House; and, as they had no petition before them, no complaint from any suitor in the Court, he certainly would call on the House to refuse the motion for a Committee.

Mr.Bennet supported the motion, though the Hon.Member had not adopted the most prudent course of bringing the question before the House. He considered there was sufficient ground shown for inquiry. He would beg to know if the situation of the chief officer had not been bought and sold, or what right the Sheriffs of London had to make sums of money by the disposal of it, as it was reported that they had done?

He regretted that his Hon.Friend had not taken another course. He should have brought in a Bill to regulate the Court, which would have been the most effectual mode. It was said that cases were decided with the assistance of three Jurymen. He had seen them, and they appeared to look more like convicts than men competent to serve on Juries, and far different from the description of persons who were imagined suitable for such a duty.

The Solicitor-General opposed the motion. He did not think there was any case made out for Parliamentary interference. The constitution of these Courts even had the support of the best law authorities - in particular the commendation of Mr.Justice Blackstone. The Learned Gentlemen at length defended the practice of the Courts, and the form adopted by the present Chief Officer. He praised the superintendence of Mr.Heath, and concluded by giving a decided negative to the motion.

Mr.Lennard then replied and said that finding the sense of the House against him, he should not press his motion. He could not, however, help observing  that an individual who was in bad health at the time, had offered five years' purchase, or £10,000 for the situation.

After a few words from Mr.W.Smith, Mr.P.Moore, and Mr.W.Courtenay, the question was put, and the motion negatived without division.

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Sunday 31 March 1822
Observer of the Times.

Middlesex County Court

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Saturday 22 June 1822            
The Heath Family Engravers 1779-1878, Volume 3. by John Heath

Letter from C.Heath to unknown

My dear Sir,
I will thank you to let the bearer have my Proofs of the large Plate of Christ Healing the Sick.

Yours very truly,
C.Heath.

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Saturday 3 August 1822
Charles Heath, 6 Seymour Place, to Dawson Turner.

My dear Sir,
I have the pleasure of sending with this a small parcel containing various Proofs of Landscape Annual two numbers wanting to complete your Paris, a set of Plates I have just finished to be published in Paris for Paul & Virginia and the last number published of the Shakespeare.

I likewise enclose three Bills which it will very greatly oblige me if you can conceivably cash. I have made every enquiry respecting the Validity of a certain House and have every reason to believe all is correct. Though what you stated was perfectly just - they explained the thing to a friend of mine, it was a Draft given to Messrs. Arch of Cornhill and which though returned was paid the same day. Several Bills of mine have been I know regularly paid which makes one think they are perfectly safe. If they were considered otherwise in the trade I should certainly have heard of it.

We yesterday had an order for making the Notes for the Norwich Crown Bank - they have just been Forged on I believe to some extent and Sir William Congreve's Stamp was so well done the Commissioners of Stamps could not tell the difference, this at present a profound secret as the Bank do not wish it to be known until the new Notes are ready.

We are daily adding up our list. We hear there is a gang of Forgers now counterfeiting Country Notes - I hope very soon to send you some beautiful Calico printed on our Plan. We have every reason to think it will be most successful.

With best respect to yourself and family. Believe me Dear Sir,
Yours truly obliged
Charles Heath

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Sunday 25 September 1822
The Heath Family Engravers 1779-1878, Volume 3. by John Heath

Letter - from J.S.Bacon to Charles Heath.

Dear Sir,
I should have written you last evening, but the Brighton Notes were not received from the Stamp office until after 4 o'clock and then in so scathing a state that after despatching 5 letters it required Mr.Petch, Sam and myself until near 7 o'clock to get them ready ofr the mail. No letter from Mr.H. has been received either at your House or Office and nothing of importance has occurred since you left. 

We have now 13 printers at work and I think we can find employment for 14 or 15 in the course of next week. Should anything in particular occur by tomorrow night I shall write again but not late as it will be important you should be home on Saturday which day I think you calculated on returning when you left. 

The Roll is finished  which you saw before you left and had bitten in very deep and well. 

Please present my respects to Mrs.Heath and believe me etc.,

J.S.Bacon.

Mr. Perkins say he shall not be ready to go to Manchester until next week.
[J.B.Bacon was a partner in the family printers, Perkins and Bacon]
 

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Tuesday 22 October 1822
Morning Herald (London)

Kingston Sessions - Monday
James Barnet, Alfred Leech, and James Hill Field, were indicted for stealing from the bleaching grounds of Mr.Bailey Austin, of Mitcham, ten pieces of printed calico.
Mr.Heath very ably opened the case.

Mr.Baily Austin, the prosecutor, proved that he was the owner of the bleaching-grounds, at Ravensbury, in the parish of Mitcham; and that on the night of the 26th of June last, ten pieces of printed calico, each piece containing 24 yards, were stolen from thence.

Thomas Drinkwater, one of Mr.Austin's workmen, proved that he put out the ten pieces of calico on that day, on that part of the grounds which was near Lady Barnet's field, and that he saw them there so late as seven o'clock on that evening, when he went round the factory. On the following morning at six o'clock, he missed the whole of them. 

George Fisher, a labouring man, stated that he had some conversation with Drinkwater about twenty minutes after nine o'clock, on the night of the robbery, and that immediately after, as he passed over a stile, called Puddingfield Stile, from which there was a path that leads to Phipp's Bridge, at about twenty yards distance, he saw Barnet and Leech, and bade them good night. They went on towards Drinkwater's cottage, but he did not observe that they made towards a gap in the hedge.

- - - continues.

Sophia Heath saw Field about five o'clock on Monday morning the 1st of July, sitting on the green, on the side of the iron railway; he had a basket and a bundle with him. Directly as she passed, he got up and followed her towards Wandsworth. She also saw him on the same morning between ten and eleven o'clock, walking on another part of the railway (nearer the place where the property was afterwards found) , and he then also had a bundle, and a basket with him. 

 - - -  continues - - - 

Cross examined - He is a waterman by day; and night too.

Mr.Thessiger - Do you nothing on land by night?

Witness - That's not a fair question, I think.

Mr. Heath - I will not conceal it, he has been what is called a "body-snatcher." You (speaking to the witness) had better explain.

Witness - He had acted as a porter to Mr.Carpue, the surgeon, and sometimes let in the men at the surgeon's dissecting-room in the night. He had also been as a body-snatcher himself. He had never been tried at the Old Bailey. He was not so fond of the matrimonial life as to have two wives. He had never been tried for bigamy, but he had been accused of it, and discharged.

Charles Collingbourne, the police officer,apprehended Leach. When Leach was taken into custody he said he supposed Miles had been at his tricks again, and that he dared to say that he (Collingbourne) wanted him for Austin's business.

The Forman of the Jury said that the Jury were quite satisfied that the prisoners were Not Guilty, and a verdict to that effect was recorded, after the trial had lasted five hours.

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1822 circa            
The Heath Family Engravers 1779-1878, Volume 3. by John Heath

Letter to C.W.Ward Esq., from James Heath

Dear Sir, 
Mr.Burgess informs me that Mr.Sheridan had given him a £100 share for me, but I have never been able to get it from him. I am therefore determined to ahve 400 Pounds in money for the half of my £3000 share. 

If you will therefore be so good as to get if for me, and transfer it to me or tell me where to call for it I will thank you. 

I am, Yours truly,
James Heath
Please to direct to East Acton.

[ie post 1822]

 

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1823