Richard Roberts

Richard Roberts (trading 1744 – 1749)

 

Richard Roberts, born around 1710, was the second son of Timothy Roberts, a London scalemaker.  Richard was freed by patrimony in 1731 on the testimony of John Snart, also a London scalemaker, and his father.

 

However he seems not to have gone into business with his father, who was by then trading as Timothy Roberts & Son from the Hand & Scales ‘next ye corner of Queen St in Watling St', probably with his elder brother  Robert Roberts.

 

Richard traded from premises at the Angel & Scales in Bartholomew Lane, near the Royal Exchange ,but was in business for only a short period from 1744 to 1749.  He did however take 3 apprentices in this time, George Dyer in 1741/2, Thomas Harrison in 1744/5 & Thomas Colley in 1749/50.

 

One of Timothy's eleven apprentices, apart from his eldest son, was John Wood.  Since John was by 1760 trading from 'ye Angel & Scales, ye corner of Queen Street in Watling Street, London', it appears as if John took over his master's premises, but changed the sign from the "Hand & Scales” to the "Angel & Scales”.

 

After Richard ceased trading in 1749, the business was taken over by his former apprentice Thomas Harrison.