52 Ancestors #41 Henry John Mant

Henry John Mant was born in Freshford, Somerset, England on 25 February 1801. He was the eldest son of Henry Mant and Sarah Newton.

On 24 November 1817, in Bath, Henry John Mant signed a document  agreeing to be a 'Clerk to his father in profession of an Attorney at Law and Solicitor in Chancery for five years'. Thus began his legal profession. His father had his offices in Green Park Buildings in Bath. During part of 1804 and 1805, when Henry John Mant was a young child, Jane Austen lived with her family in Green Park Buildings in Bath. In her diary Jane records her father paying 30 pound to Henry Mant to rent No. 3 Green Park Buildings.

Green Park Buildings, Bath

The buildings were destroyed in The Blitz during the Second World War.

A search in Google for Henry John Mant shows references to documents witnessed by Henry John Mant as a solicitor. He appears to have been in at least two partnerships during his career - one with William Adair Bruce Attorneys & Solicitors which was dissolved on 31 December 1840 and Mant & Harvey Solicitors. His rooms were at 2 Wood Street, Queen Square in Bath and he had another address at 8 Northumberland Buildings, Bath.

2 Wood Street, Bath

On 15 February 1827, Henry John Mant married Catherine Mary Capper (1804-1861) in Bath. The 1841 census shows the family living at Middle Hill House, Ditteridge (near Bath) while the 1851 census has them living at Shrub Hill House, Box (near Bath). Henry and Catherine had nine children - Catherine Ellen Mant (1827-1903), Louisa Maria Mant (1828-1878), William Henry Mant (1830-1907), Georgina Sarah Mant (1833-1885), Frederick Duncan Mant (1835-1896), Mary Ethel Mant (1838-1911), Walter Heron Mant (1841-1918) and Adela Nona Mant (1844-1930). Five of the children - Catherine, William, Frederick, Mary and Walter migrated to Australia.

Henry John Mant died in Bath on 4 June 1858 and his wife, Catherine, died in Bath on 6 May 1861.

Henry and Catherine were my great (x3) grandparents.