Onesimus Ustonson 1772 invoice and receipt

Onesimus Ustonson (April 1736 – after 1783) was an English manufacturer of

fishing tackle Fishing tackle is the equipment used by anglers when fishing. Almost any equipment or gear used in fishing can be called fishing tackle, examples being hooks, lines, baits/ lures, rods, reels, floats, sinkers/ feeders, nets, stringers/ k ...

. He invented the multiplying reel, and supplied fishing tackle to the naturalist

Joseph Banks Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, (19 June 1820) was an English naturalist, botanist, and patron of the natural sciences. Banks made his name on the 1766 natural-history expedition to Newfoundland and Labrador. He took part in Captain James ...

for the

second voyage of James Cook The second voyage of James Cook, from 1772 to 1775, commissioned by the British government with advice from the Royal Society, was designed to circumnavigate the globe as far south as possible to finally determine whether there was any great sou ...

, 1772–1775. The firm of Ustonson went on to become Royal Warrant holders to three successive British monarchs.

Early life

Onesimus Ustonson was born in April 1736 in

Aldenham Aldenham is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, north-east of Watford and southwest of Radlett. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book and is one of Hertsmere's 14 conservation areas. The village has eight pre-19th-century listed build ...

, Hertfordshire, the son of Thomas Ustonson, a tailor, of St Giles in the Fields, London.

Career

In 1749, Ustonson was apprenticed for seven years to John Herro, a fishing tackle maker and owner of the ''Fish and Crown'' at 48

Bell Yard A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be made by an intern ...

, Temple Bar, a narrow street between Carey Street and

Fleet Street Fleet Street is a major street mostly in the City of London. It runs west to east from Temple Bar at the boundary with the City of Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet from which the street was na ...

. He took over the business in 1760 and opened his shop in 1761. The firm remained a market leader for the next century. In 1770, Ustonson invented the first multiplying reel, and supplied fishing tackle to the naturalist

for the

, 1772–1775. In 1783, he was made master of the

Worshipful Company of Turners The Worshipful Company of Turners is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, ...

, one of the oldest Livery Companies in the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...

. His son John was master in 1818.

Death and legacy

Ustonson died after 1783. His third son, Charles Ustonson (born 1775), took over the business in 1815, but died in 1822, and his widow

Maria Ustonson Maria Ustonson was the daughter-in-law of Onesimus Ustonson, founder of the London-based fishing tackle maker, Ustonson. She was married to his third son, Charles Ustonson (1775-1822), who took over the business in 1815, but when he died in 1822, hi ...

(née Pearce) took over. In 1830, she married the portrait painter

William Armfield Hobday William Armfield Hobday (1771 – 17 February 1831) was an English portrait painter and miniaturist whose clientele included royalty and the Rothschild family. Life Hobday was born in Birmingham, the eldest of 4 sons of Samuel Hobday (1746 ...

, and after his death in 1831, married Robert Joy in 1833. The firm of ''Ustonson'' received a Royal Warrant from three successive monarchs, King

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...

William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...

and

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

. Early Ustonson fishing reels are sought after collectables, and a brass and ivory example sold at auction for £6,000 in 2007. A receipt handwritten by Onesimus himself for

Lord Delaval John Hussey Delaval, 1st Baron Delaval (17 March 1728 – 17 May 1808), known as Sir John Delaval, Bt, between 1761 and 1783, was an English landowner and politician. Background and education Delaval was the son of Francis Blake Delaval (1692� ...

, who spent six

guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from t ...

in 1789, sold at auction in 1999 for £2,800, and an 1815 reel for £7,000.

References

External links

British ReelsThe Ustonson Dynasty, 1760s to 1855: Chapter 3
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ustonson, Onesimus 1736 births People from Aldenham English businesspeople Year of death missing Fishing in England