Page created 17 January 2004
EDWARD LAW
ARMS, CRESTS & MONOGRAMS
JENNER & KNEWSTUB
The London
firm of Jenner & Knewstub who have been noted in business
between 1866 and 1889 are known as engravers and publishers of
crests of the highest order. The firm have already received
attention on this site (see HERALDIC; ARTS; ALBUMS) and
several years ago I noted that they deserved a page to
themselves.
Earliest knowledge of
the firm is in an apprenticeship indenture of August 1866 when
Thomas James Hammond was apprenticed to Frederic Jenner and 
Fabian
Knewstub for 5 years "to learn the branch of the art, trade
or business of die sinkers". I am able to quote from the
deed by courtesy of a correspondent, Andrew Martin of Bromley, a
descendant of the above Thomas James Hammond. In 1866 Jenner
& Knewstubb were trading from 33 St James's Street,
Westminster as dressing case makers, die sinkers and stationers.
Whilst only interested here in their activities as die sinkers, 
engravers and
heraldic stationers, we know that the fitted dressing, and other,
cases which the firm produced were also of an exceedingly high
standard. An advertisement of 1873 shows that they were also
selling watches, jewellery, cutlery, travelling bags, despatch
boxes and writing cases.
The delicious booklet of crests which they
published c.1871 indicates, I think, the justifiable pride which
they took in this unappreciated art. For the full story of this
booklet see ARTS. As noted in ALBUMS I was led to details of the booklet from
material in an album which it is thought is largely composed of
Jenner & Knewstub crests. Comparison of the material in this
album with some complete sets in the collection (see an image of
one at ARTS) indicates
that the firm 
issued a large number of sets. Until an
advertisement is located we can only say that the sets included
regiments of the British army and the Indian army, ships of the
British navy, comic monograms, and yachts. The sets, which
probably date from about 1870, show the firm trading at 66 Jermyn
Street as well as St James's Street.
Judging from
the material in the 'Jenner & Knewstub' album they enjoyed a
very high class clientele. Stationery has been seen for the
Russian 
Imperial family on paper watermarked for
1868, and specimens in the album include the Russian Grand-Dukes
and Duchess Alexis, Serge, Vladimir and Olga. Among the crowned
heads are Queen Victoria, King of Belgium, Queen of Spain,
Empress of Austria, King and Queen of Greece, King of Servia,
King of Naples, Queen of Portugal, King of Denmark, and Queen of
Sweden. Among the princes and princesses are Edward of
Saxe-Weimer, Thyra of Denmark, Louise Duchess of Fife, Victoria,
Alfred, Albert Edward (King Edward VII), Alexandra, Teck, Maria
of Portugal, Clementina of Coburg, Philip of Coburg, Augustus of
Coburg, Marie Sidonie Princess of Lobokowitz, Louise, William of
Wurtemberg, and Hilda of Nassau. We need hardly list the peers
and lesser mortals who are represented in the album.
The apprenticeship deed mentioned above is
of additional interest in that it laid the foundation of a
dynasty of engravers. Thomas James Hammond, apprenticed to Jenner
and Knewstub in 1866, was the first of a line of die sinkers and
engravers which continues to the present day. He was born in 1852
and the deed records that he was to be an apprentice for five
years. His working day was twelve hours with one and a half hours
for mealbreaks. He was apparently to work without pay during the
first year, receiving six shillings, eight shillings, ten
shillings and twelve shillings per week in subsequent years. He
was followed in the trade by his son, William, grandson, William
George, and great grandson Ian Hammond, seal engraver on metal
and stone, Ross-shire. The latter one of a small number of seal
engravers still working in the British Isles.
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All the images on this page are from the 'Jenner & Knewstub' album (see text).
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