Onesimus Ustonson 1772 invoice and receipt

Onesimus Ustonson (April 1736 – after 1783) was an English manufacturer of

fishing tackle Fishing tackle is the equipment used by fishermen, anglers when fishing. Almost any equipment or gear used in fishing can be called fishing tackle, examples being fishing hook, hooks, fishing line, lines, fishing bait, baits/fishing lure, lures ...

. He invented the multiplying reel, and supplied fishing tackle to the naturalist

Joseph Banks Sir Joseph Banks, 1st Baronet, (19 June 1820) was an English Natural history, naturalist, botanist, and patron of the natural sciences. Banks made his name on the European and American voyages of scientific exploration, 1766 natural-history ...

for the

second voyage of James Cook The second voyage of James Cook, from 1772 to 1775, commissioned by the British government with advice from the Royal Society, was designed to circumnavigate the globe as far south as possible to finally determine whether there was any great s ...

, 1772–1775. The firm of Ustonson went on to become Royal Warrant holders to three successive British monarchs.

Early life

Onesimus Ustonson was born in April 1736 in

Aldenham Aldenham is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the borough of Hertsmere in Hertfordshire, England. The parish includes Radlett and Letchmore Heath as well as Aldenham village itself. The village of Aldenham lies north-eas ...

, Hertfordshire, the son of Thomas Ustonson, a tailor, of St Giles in the Fields, London.

Career

In 1749, Ustonson was apprenticed for seven years to John Herro, a fishing tackle maker and owner of the ''Fish and Crown'' at 48 Bell Yard, Temple Bar, a narrow street between Carey Street and

Fleet Street Fleet Street is a street in Central London, England. It runs west to east from Temple Bar, London, Temple Bar at the boundary of the City of London, Cities of London and City of Westminster, Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the Lo ...

. He took over the business in 1760 and opened his shop in 1761. The firm remained a market leader for the next century. In 1770, Ustonson invented the first multiplying reel, and supplied fishing tackle to the naturalist

for the

, 1772–1775. In 1783, he was made master of the Worshipful Company of Turners, one of the oldest

Livery Companies A livery company is a type of guild or professional association that originated in medieval times in London, England. Livery companies comprise London's ancient and modern trade associations and guilds, almost all of which are Style (form of a ...

in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

. His son John was master in 1818.

Death and legacy

Ustonson died after 1783. His third son, Charles Ustonson (born 1775), took over the business in 1815, but died in 1822, and his widow Maria Ustonson (née Pearce) took over. In 1830, she married the portrait painter William Armfield Hobday, and after his death in 1831, married Robert Joy in 1833. The firm of ''Ustonson'' received a Royal Warrant from three successive monarchs, King

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...

William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded hi ...

and

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

. Early Ustonson fishing reels are sought after collectables, and a brass and ivory example sold at auction for £6,000 in 2007. A receipt handwritten by Onesimus himself for Lord Delaval, who spent six

guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...

in 1789, sold at auction in 1999 for £2,800, and an 1815 reel for £7,000.

References

External links

British ReelsThe Ustonson Dynasty, 1760s to 1855: Chapter 3
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ustonson, Onesimus 1736 births People from Aldenham English businesspeople Year of death missing Fishing in England Masters of the Worshipful Company of Turners