James Man ( 1755

James Man was born in 1755 on Mansel Street, Whitechapel, Middlesex, the youngest son of John and Mary (Balchen) Man, and was baptized on 20 July 1755 at St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel High Street, Whitechapel. He married Sarah Roberts on 15 September 1781 at St. Mildred Poultry, London.


St Mary Matfellon where James was baptized	St Mildred where James married Sarah Roberts

James died on 11 November 1823 at St. Petrox, Dartmouth, Devonshire, and was buried on 15 November at St. Saviour, Dartmouth. He left a WILL.

Sarah Roberts was born in 1756 in London, the second daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Neale?) Roberts, and was baptized on 21 April 1756 at St Mildred Poultry. Sarah died on 9 April 1804 at Tetworth Hall, Sunninghill, Berkshire, and was buried on 16 April at St. Michael and All Souls, Sunninghill.

James and Sarah belong to Generation Three; their children belong to Generation Four and are:

[References: James's birthplace and baptism - FHL Film # 0094603; their marriage and Sarah's baptism - FHL Film # 0374989; his death - Family Bible; his burial - Copy of record obtained at Devon RO; her death - Family Bible; her burial - FHL Film # 0088419.]


Click on the Map for the location of St Mildred in the Poultry.	James's broker medal. The company he founded has split into two companies: The Man Group and E. D. & F. Man.

In October 1776, James aged 22, finished his apprenticeship to William Humphrey as a Cooper. He continued to work for Humphrey until 1783 when he set up his own business as a sugar cooper and broker at 23 Harp Lane. The cooper side of the business soon disappeared. In 1784, he landed a contract with the Admiralty to supply rum for the Royal Navy which lasted almost 200 years. He rejoined Humphrey as a full partner in 1787. Humphrey retired in 1795 and James was once more on his own at age 42. His eldest son Edward joined the firm in1798 and became a partner in 1805; his son James joined the firm in 1800 and became a partner in 1807. The older James retired in 1819.

In 1789, the family was living at Kings Row, Walworth Common Surrey. It was here that James' mother (Mary Balchen) died in 1790. In 1798 James bought a country estate, Tetworth, at Sunninghill, Berkshire. See also letters concerning Tetworth and its various owners, including James Man. James lived at Walworth during the week and commuted to Tetworth at weekends to be with his family. In 1802 he sold the house at Walworth and moved to No. 3 Edgware Road near St. John's Wood, which provided easier access to his country home. Sarah, his wife, died at Tetworth in 1804. On his retirement, James sold Tetworth and moved to Dartmouth in Devon where he died. [From "The House of Man"].

On the banks of the Thames, close to where James originally founded his sugar broking company, stands the office of the MAN group (sponsors of the Man Booker prize); a testament to its founder. This photograph of Sugar Quay on the Thames was taken in 1986 and was used on the cover of the book 'The House of Man'. The Man offices are the second from the left.