Eleazer Pickwick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eleazer Pickwick
|
|
|---|---|
Pickwick c.1803 by John Sanders
|
|
| Born | 1748 |
| Died | 8 December 1837 |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Somerset Coal Canal |
| Spouse(s) | Susanna Combs |
Eleazer Pickwick (1748 – 1837) was a successful British businessman. He became very wealthy and helped fund the building of a local canal.
Contents
Eleazer Pickwick's Early Life and Business
Eleazer Pickwick was born on February 2, 1748, in Freshford, near Bath, UK. His grandfather, Moses, was a child found in an area of Corsham called Pickwick. This is how the family got their name.
Eleazer started a business that used horse-drawn coaches to transport people and goods. This business became very successful. It was based at The White Hart inn in Bath. This inn was located across from the famous Pump Room. Eleazer's nephew, Moses Pickwick, helped manage the inn.
Supporting the Somerset Coal Canal
In 1794, Eleazer Pickwick joined the board of a company building the Somerset Coal Canal. This canal was important for moving coal from mines to towns. When the company's bankers stopped lending money, Pickwick stepped in. He invested a lot of his own money, tens of thousands of pounds, to keep the canal project going.
In 1798, Pickwick bought Bathford Manor House. He passed away in Bath in 1837 and was buried in Bathford.
Eleazer Pickwick's Legacy
The White Hart inn, where Pickwick's business was based, was torn down in 1869. However, its famous sign was saved and used on another inn. Today, a special plaque marks the spot where the inn once stood in Bath. It also tells the story of the Pickwick family.
The Pickwick Name and Famous Books
The coaching business continued to do very well under the ownership of Eleazer's nephew, Moses Pickwick. However, by the 1830s, the business started to slow down. This was because railways were becoming more popular for travel and transport.
Many people believe that the famous author Charles Dickens got the idea for his book The Pickwick Papers after visiting Bath. It is thought he saw the Pickwick name there and used it for his characters. The White Hart inn is also mentioned in books by another famous author, Jane Austen.
Eleazer Pickwick's nephew, Charles Henry Pickwick-Sainsbury, had descendants who later changed their family name to Sainsbury.
Images for kids
-
Coaches outside the White Hart Inn in Bath (demolished 1869)
