Nat Gould

Charlotte Peake 1769-

Charlotte Peake was born in 1769, the daughter of Samuel Peake and his wife nee Margaret Pigeon, and was baptised 3 August 1769 at St. Mary's church in Stafford.

In 1791 she was married to Richard Walker of Eccleshall Hall in Staffordshire. Charlotte Peake was then living at Offley Park.

They had the following children, both baptised at in St Mary's church in Stafford:

Jane Walker. She was baptised on 12 November 1792, and died on 23 Oct 1803.

Sophia Walker. She was baptised on 1 October 1793, and died on 21 Jan 1819.

Their mother Charlotte Walker was afterwards married to Jeremiah Watkins (1), a celebrated optician (2) of Charing Cross in London and Justice of the Peace for Middlesex.

They had the following children:

Margaret Watkins. She was born on 19 June 1802.

Jane Watkins. She was born on 27 July 1804.

Jeremiah Watkins died on 3 February 1810 (3).

In June 1814 his widow Charlotte Walker was married to Solomon Cheek. He was a Lieutenant in the Derbyshire Regiment of Militia until 1810.

Charlotte Cheek died at Boulogne in France.

(1) Jeremiah Watkins was the nephew of Francis Watkins who was born in about 1723 at New Church, Radnorshire in Wales, and traded as an optician at 5 Charing Cross in London from 1782. On retiring in 1784, having entered an agreement with John Dollond 1706–1761) and forming a partnership from 1763 to 1774 with Addison Smith, Francis Watkins was succeeded in the business by his nephews Jeremiah Watkins and Walter Watkins. Jeremiah's son Francis Watkins 1800-1847 became a partner and the firm traded as Watkins & Hill. In 1856 the firm was acquired from the family by the sons of William Elliott, a mathematical instrument maker. Science Museum London collectionsonline.nmsi.ac.uk
(2) When in Letter 9 of the Letters from Pilsbury Grange (Margaret Gould formerly Margaret Peake 1783-1844 recommended Dollonds to her neighbour Mrs Gould, she was presumably referring to a business in St. Paul's Churchyard formerly associated with that of Jeremiah Watkins, husband of her relative Charlotte Peake, rather than a rival firm.
(3) "Feb 3 - Death - Jeremiah Watkins, of Charing Cross, esq. optician; one of his majesties justices of the peace for the county of Middlesex." Gentleman's Magazine (1810) page 186.