Nationality British | Parents John Humphrey England | |
Born November 7, 1817 ( 1817-11-07 ) Islington, London, England, UK Occupation Founder & Director of England Potatoes Ltd. Spouse(s) Ann England (née Rees) (1822–1892) Died 27 August 1887, Glamorgan, United Kingdom Children John Humphrey England, Caroline England, James England, Edward England, Margaret England People also search for Edward England, James England, Margaret England | ||
John Humphrey England II (7 November 1817 – 27 August 1887) was a British grocer, merchant, businessman and entrepreneur, who was the founder and first director of England Potatoes Ltd., later renamed Edward England Potato Importers Ltd.
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Early life
John Humphrey England was born in London, on 7 November 1817, the second of seven children. His father was John Humphrey England I (1792 - 1854), a shoemaker from Limehouse. His mother was Mary Gray Lilly (1791 - 1840), who was baptised in Britford, Wiltshire, England on 18 September 1791, daughter of William Lilly and Sarah Eglon.(Wiltshire Baptisms 1530-1886) In 1820 or 1821, the England family moved from their home in London to Cardiff.
Marriage and Issue
England married 18-year old Ann Rees in Cardiff, in January 1841. They would have 15 children, only one of which died in infancy:
Career
England and his wife moved into the house 1 Nelson Terrace, in Cardiff, soon after they married. England founded his potato business the following year, in 1842. In the first few years of the business, it was not particularly successful. As a result, England's main profession was as a Hay Dealer. It is assumed that the family, even at this point, were rather "well off" as they were employing a domestic servant at the time of the 1851 census. As the population grew, the business rapidly increased, also. England had all the potatoes imported from Ireland, and did not begin receiving any from Europe until later in his life.
Death
England died at his home of Eastbrook Hall, in the parish of St Andrew's, in Glamorgan, on 27 August 1887 - less than 3 months before his 70th birthday. His probate was executed by his sons Edward and James in Llandaff, on 9 December 1887. He left a personal estate of £3161 4s. 6d. He was buried in Cathays Cemetery, in Cardiff.
Legacy
England was succeeded by his 6th son, Edward England. Edward revolutionized the company, re-branding it as "Edward England Potato Importers ltd." Under Edward, more family members would join the enterprise, whilst a firm was set up which also supplied potatoes grown in the Netherlands, Poland and Brittany. His 4th son James, and his family, moved into Eastbrook Hall after England's death. His wife, Ann, died 5 years later at the age of 70.