Co-church warden of St James & St John, Clerkenwell in 1890.
John James Potts was born in 1861 in Islington, Middlesex (now Greater London), his birth being registered in the 3rd quarter of 1861 in the Islington Registration District.
In the 1881 census he is shown as aged 19 years and a printer living at 13 Red Lion Street, Clerkenwell, Middlesex (now Greater London), with his 56-year-old widowed mother who was recorded as Maryanne Potts, a box manufacturer who had been born in Scoulton, Norfolk and his two sisters: Emma Potts, aged 22 years, also a box manufacturer who had been born in Islington and Florence Potts, aged 12 years and a scholar who had been born in Clerkenwell.
On 15 January 1890 he was initiated as a freemason in the Crusaders Lodge No.1677 that met at the Cock Tavern, Upper Street, Islington, London. The registers held at Freemasons' Hall, 60 Great Queen Street, London, WC2B 5AZ, show him aged 28 years, a box manufacturer residing at 13 Red Lion Street, London EC.
He was still living at 13 Red Lion Street when the 1891 census was undertaken in which he is shown as aged 29 years and box manufacturer with his mother who was recorded as Marianne Potts, aged 69 years, his two sisters who were listed as: Emma Potts, aged 33 years and a box maker and Florence K. Potts, aged 32 years, also a box maker.
On 14 October 1899 he married Christina Don (c.1859-1933) at St Mary's Church, Upper Street, Islington, London, in which the marriage register shows him as aged 38 years, a bachelor and a box maker residing 34 Thane Villas, Islington, the son of John Potts, a cabinet maker, whilst his wife is described as aged 40 years, a spinster also living at 34 Thane Villas, the daughter of Robert Don, a silversmith.
The 1901 census shows him as aged 39 years and a fancy box maker (paper) living in two rooms in 6 Cloudesley Square, Barnsbury, Islington, with his wife.
When he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as aged 51 years and an employed box maker living in two rooms at 131 Corporation Buildings, London EC, with his wife whom he confirmed had not given birth to any children.
He listed himself as aged 60 years, a card box cutter employed by F. G. Kettle at 9 New Oxford Street, London, WC1 and was living in one room at 58 Millman Street, Holborn, London, with his wife who he stated was aged 62 years, 11 months and who had been born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
His death, aged 72 years, was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1933 in the St Pancras Registration District, London. His widow's death, aged 74 years, was registered in the 4th quarter of 1933 in the St Pancras Registration District.
He is shown as 'J.J.POTTS' on both the East and the West plaques attached to buildings in Rosebery Square, Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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