 1803 - 1880
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| Born |
1803 |
Genoa, Italy  |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
30 Oct 1880 |
London |
| Person ID |
I559 |
My Genealogy |
| Last Modified |
8 Jan 2014 |
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| Notes |
- Francesco was born to a wealthy Italian family in Genoa, rebelled against them and moved to make his fortune in London where he made his home. He was a linguist speaking 5 languages, he travelled widely as a banker and merchant, including to Brazil, and legend has it made his fortune due to a remembered act of kindness to a friend. He was certainly not short of cash - the family had 8 domestic servants at one point and he left around £160,000 in his will (in todays money it amounts to 13 million or 198 million depending which way you calculate it).
He married twice. Two children were born to his first wife (name unknown), and it's not known whether they divoced or she died. He then met Dinah, our ancestor, who was a widow with 4 children. They had three children together before they got married, and lived in a large house in South London. Dinah died when her dress caught fire at a party, and Francesco then lived a widower for 15 years before dying in 1880.
Family notes about Francesco written by Macdonald Beaumont (a grandson of Francesco and Dinah):
"...Now we will mingle Italian warm blood with Yorkshire and Norman. Grandfather Francesco Manuel Antonini hailed from Genoa, then more a city of palaces than of merchandise. He came of a great Roman Catholic family, brislting with priests and doctrine so much so that he felt a most robust dislike for both, and, in open rebellion, forsook even his military duties to embark for England and a fortune midst the jibes and execrations of his relations. In particular one aunt, to whom he sent a beautiful diamond ring to show his prosperity, though he was really so hard up he could hardly pay for it.
But he was a worker and could speak and write five languages, so he got into Baron Heath's English and foreign Bank, and incidently went to Brazil where he met and befriended a down and out. [note by Kenneth Beaumont: Jackson Kent told me that this down and out was an old Italian friend of Antonini's; that Antonini lent the man £1000]. Years afterwards Antonini met his debtor, now affluent in London, who asked his benefactor whether, in return for the kindness that he had never forgotten, your grandfather would care for a partnership in "Muriettas", then a very great firm. Hence your grandfather made a fortune and retired with it, when the young Muriettas and the Marchese di San Tourey became too fond of speculation and polo for his comfort. the firm failed after the Baring crisis. The Antonini fortune did not do much for the male descendents. Uncle Charles Antonini, a clever surgeon with fine appointments and credentials retired, Uncle Frank, clever as he was, did nothing with his brains.
[note by Kenneth Beaumont: F.M Antonini married twice. By his first marriage were born Charles and Mrs Bedford. His second wife, my grandmother, died as the result of her dress catching fire at a party. Of this marriage there were four children. Maude Elizabeth who married Harrison and then Pike. Emily (who married M.B), Rose Antoinette (who married Hilhouse and then Block) and Francesco Emmanuel (Frank). The Bedfords are the descendants of a daughter of Antonini by his first wife who married E.Bedford..."
source: family history notes of Macdonald Beaumont 1934
footnote: "Baron Heath's English and foreign Bank" must refer to Baron John Benjamin Heath (1790 -1879), who was the director of the Bank of England 1823-1872, and was the son of John Heath, an English merchant of Genoa. The Genoese connection might have helped Antonini, or might be incidental.
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1851 Census record:
Francis W Antonini, age 48, lives at 10 Albert terrace, Islington, on his own. Occupation 'Merchant in the Spanish', born in Italy.
1859 Marriage record:
27th April, at St John, Upper Holloway
Francisco Manuel Antonini marries Dinah Ann Davey.
He is a Batchelor and a gentleman living in Holloway
She is a widow living in Balls Pond [Hackney]
His father Jerome Antonini, gentleman
Her father Robert Bainbridge, gentleman
1861 Census:
Antonini family live in Prospect House, Surbiton Crescent, Kingston Surrey
Francis M Antonini is aged 55, landholder, born in Italy.
Dinah A Antonini is aged 41, born London
Matilda Antonini aged 7, born London
Emily Antonini aged 5, born London
Rose Antonini aged 3, born London
Francis M Antonini aged 6 months, born London
Thee are also 3 older stepdaughters and a stepson with the surname Davey.
And 8 domestic servants (!); cook, upper nurse, under nurse, upper housemaid, under housemaid, laundry maid, kitchen maid, needlewoman.
So Francis Antonini must have been rich
1871 Census:
the family live in Surbiton Park Crescent.
Fransisco M Antonini, aged 67, is a retired Merchant, born in Italy
Charles Antonini, son aged 29, is a surgeon in Kings college
Maude 17, Rose 13 and Frank agd 10 are other children.
6 domestic servants live with them.
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Probate 1880:
18th Nov 1880 will and codicile of Francesco Emmanuelle otherwise known as Francisco Manuel Antonini formerly of the Old Jewry afterwards of Adams Court Old Broad street both in the City of London but late of Prospect House Surbiton Crescent, Surbiton Park, Kingston in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, who died 30th Oct 1880 at Prospect House was proved at the Principal registry by William Bevan and John Passmore the surviving executors.
Personal Estate under £160,000
Death notice:
London Gazette, 23rd Nov 1880:
"Francesco Emmanuelle Antonini otherwise Francisco Manuel Antonini, deceased...Notice is hereby given that all creditors and others having claims against the estate of Francesco Emmanuelle Antonini otherwise Francisco Manuel Antonini, formerly of the Old Jewry, and afterwards of Adam's Court, Old Broad street, both in the City of London, and late of Prospect House, surbiton Crescent, Surbiton Park Kingston, in the county of Surrey, Gentleman (who died on 30th day of October 1880)... are required to send in such particulars of such claims by on or before the 23rd of December 1880, to me, the undersigned, as solicitor for the said executors..."
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