Henry Hanks, died 1871

An In Memoriam carte-de-visite produced to mark the death of Henry Hanks in 1871. The legend at the centre of the carte reads: In remembrance of Henry Hanks who for 50 years was the active and devoted superintendent of this school / for many years senior deacon of this church / and 20 years beloved teacher of the young men’s bible class. He departed this life in Christian peace and hope on the 2nd day of August 1871 / aged 71. He was a good man full of faith and the Holy Ghost.’ A roundel at the bottom of the composition mentions ‘Robert Street Sunday School.’

A newspaper report of 1856 lists Hanks among the guests who ‘sat down to tea’ at an annual meeting of the ‘Robert-street Sunday School, Grosvenor-square’ (The Patriot, 19 December 1856).

Born at Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire in 1800, Henry Hanks was the son of Edward and Hannah Hanks. He was baptised in Beaconsfield on 22 March 1800.

On 13 April 1823 he married Mary Ann Curtis at St Marylebone’s on Marylebone Road. Their marriage produced one daughter in 1826. Mary Ann Hanks died in 1843, leaving Henry a widower for the rest of his life.

In 1851 he was a ‘Coach Maker’ living at 40 Rupert Street in Soho with his 24-year old daughter, named Mary Ann after her mother, and one servant.

When the census was taken in 1861 he was a ‘Coach Maker’ living at 38 Margaret Street with his widowed sister-in-law Rachel Hanks acting as his housekeeper. Also present on the night of the census was one lodger, a ‘Decorator’s Assistant’ from Putney.

The 1871 census lists him as a ‘Coachmaker (Manager)’ still living at 38 Margaret Street with a housekeeper and one domestic servant.

‘Mr Henry Hanks, of Margaret-street, Cavendish-square’ died ‘On the 2nd inst., in the 72nd year of his age’ (Morning Advertiser, 5 August 1871).

According to the abstract of his will in the National Probate Calendar, he died on 3 [sic] August 1871, at 38 Margaret Street, London. He left an estate valued at £1500 and probate was granted to Philip Williams, a chemist of Horsham in Sussex.

He was buried in Brompton Cemetery on 8 August 1871.

Photographer/publisher unidentified (reverse is blank).