Philip Underdown (1760-1844)

Baptism
Philip Underdown was born in 1760 and baptised on the 24th February 1760 in Northleigh to parents Thomas and Joan Underdown (nee Cox).

He was their 7th child and 5th son. His elder siblings were Sarah, Jane, Robert, Abraham, Thomas and James.

Apprentice
The Britain, Country Apprentices 1710-1808 Transcription also records a Philip Underdown of Sidford, Devon, being an apprentice cabinet maker to a John Mitchell in the year 1776. This is likely to be this Philip, as it is known that he was a cabinet and chair maker.

This apprenticeship is repeated in the Register of Duties Paid for Apprentices Indentures for 1777, where Philip was again recorded as an apprentice cabinet maker to John Mitchell in Sidford.

Death of Sister
Philip’s sister Sarah died and was buried in Northleigh on the 15th August 1783, aged only 33 years. Her cause of death is currently unknown, but it is possible that it was a result of the after effects of a volcanic eruption in Iceland, which caused wide-spread disease across England.

The eruption also had a major impact on agriculture, particularly on crops. A clergyman, the Rev Sir John Cullum, wrote to the Royal Society that barley crops "became brown and withered … as did the leaves of the oats; the rye had the appearance of being mildewed”. The effect of this eruption on crops may have been the imputis for Abraham and some of his brothers to leave Devon to seek work elsewhere, rather than stay in the agricultural industry like the rest of the family. It appears that Philip and his brothers made this move during 1783, the very year this eruption occurred.

Another impetus for the move could have been the rules of primogeniture, the right (by law or custom) of the firstborn son to inherit his parent’s estate. Although not from a gentry family where these rules were often applied strictly, it could have been a custom amongst the Underdowns, where eldest son Robert would inherit on the death of his parents. If the family did follow this custom, younger brother Philip and his other brothers were expected to make their own way in the world. It is not certain at this stage whether this custom was followed with the Underdown’s, as Philip’s own father appears to have inherited despite being a younger brother, and Philip’s younger brother Samuel also appears to have inherited from his parents. Either way, it needs to be considered amongst the reasons why Philip and some of his brothers decided to leave Devon.

Move to London
Philip then moved to London as his brothers Abraham, James and Joseph had.

Tax assessment records for London have a Philip Underdown living at St Clement Dane, Westminster, which is where his brother James lived and raised his family. Philip’s address is referred to as ‘Near the Church over the sewer’. He is recorded there for the year 1783.

There is also a record in the National Archives showing a Philip Underdown working at 9 Great St Andrews Street, London as a chair maker in 1787 being insured against fire.

Marriage and Children
According to the Faculty Office Marriage Licence Allegations 1701-1850, Philip Underdown married a Sarah Bothomley at Fulham, Middlesex on 6/8/1787. Sarah’s origins are currently unknown.

Philip and Sarah would remain living in the St Clement Dane area according to Tax Assessment Records for 1788 and 1789. This is supported by the baptism of their three eldest children in the St Clement Dane church - Sarah born 12/01/1789 and baptised on 08/02/1789 (she would die in infancy before her first birthday), Sarah Joan born on 05/12/1789 and baptised on 27/12/1789, and Jane born on the 14/11/1790 and baptised on 12/12/1790. The eldest daughter was named for her mother and aunt, the second for her mother, aunt and grandmother, and the third daughter for her aunt.

Business Location
London Land Tax Records for 1789 show that Philip occupied a property at Duchy Liberty on the Strand, Westminster owned by Sarah Vyse. This is close to the location that his brother James had set up his hatter business.

This is supported by Bailey’s London Directory for the years 1789 and 1790, where Philip is recorded as a cabinet maker of wood/furniture/carriage trades at 254 The Strand, London.

Move to Surrey
Philip appears to have moved the family to Surrey, however, by 1791. Daughter Elizabeth was baptised in Southwark, Surrey on 8/10/1791 and son Philip is also likely to have been born during this time, but I have unable to locate a baptism record for him.

Tax assessment records still have him recorded at St Clement Dane, Westminster for the year 1794, however, so it is possible that Philip commuted between the two locations. Land Tax Record for Lambeth, Surrey have him definitely record there for the years 1806 to1808 and 1813 to 1825.

It is possible that Philip had a son called William born in Surrey around the year 1800.

Death of Wife
It is believed that wife Sarah died around about the year 1830 and was buried in Kennington, London. Kennington is on the border of Southward and Lambeth, Surrey.

Later Life
Because Philip is mentioned in his brother Thomas’s will, he was still alive in the year 1835 when the will was written.

He is located in the 1841 census as 80-year-old Philip Underdown (spelt with one ‘l’) in the Lambeth Church 2nd Workhouse in Surrey. He is recorded as being born out of the county.

Death
Philip died in Lambeth, Surrey on 20th February 1844, aged 84 years. His cause of death was ‘senilitas’ – a 19th century term for old age dementia, and his occupation was recorded as pauper. He died in the Lambeth Workhouse and the witness to his death was William Adams, the master of the workhouse.

Children

 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Philip and Sarah Underdown
 * colspan="3" bgcolor="#FFfce0" style="color: #000000;" |Children of Philip and Sarah Underdown