Jane Welbank

Other Events and Attributes:

• Note: follower of the Rev William Turner, dissenter and Unitarian. Recorded borrowing 20 works from his Hanover Square Library in Newcastle: Amongst 13 of the most popular borrowings from the Hanover Square Library, 7 were books of sermons, one example of the continuing network of communication and ideas between ministerial and lay Rational Dissenters.146 On 32 occasions Margaret Hogg borrowed sermons, discourses and tracts. Of John Selkirk?s 36 borrowings, 15 were sermons. Amongst 26 works which John Taylor borrowed were 13 sermons. John Murray borrowed ten sermons amongst 14 works, Miss Wellbank ten amongst 20 works. Although by no means unique to Rational Dissenters, amongst Rational Dissenters enthusiastic reading of sermons, particularly of the wide range present in Hanover Square Library, encouraged individual consideration of a range of theological viewpoints. UNIVERSITY OF KENT Submission for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy RATIONAL DISSENT IN ENGLAND c. 1770 - c. 1800: DEFINITIONS, IDENTITY AND LEGACY Valerie Smith October 2016
• Note: 1798; She was bequeathed ?600 on her mother's death, so was fairly comfortably off but still operated various businesses.
• Occupation: 1818, Scarborough, Yorkshire; Announcement that Miss Welbank is opening a girls' boarding school in Queen Street Scarborough, which was still advertising in 1821, offering "warm and cold bathing". (Yorkshire Gazette, 5 May 1821). Most likely to be Jane? Her unmarried nieces Janetta and Rosa also opened schools.
• Note: 1822, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk; Ran a boarding school. YARMOUTH. Mrs WELBANK, successor to MISS OSBORNE, begs to inform the Friends of that Lady, and the Public in general, that she has taken possession of the House.. (Norfolk Chronicle, 20 Jul 1822) The tenancy expired in 1823.
• Residence: 1825, 41 Albany Street, Edinburgh; Nobility, gentry and clergy - Pigot's directory
• Note: 1826, 41 Albany Street, Edinburgh; According to Bob Gamble, she was known as Mrs Welbank even though unmarried, and lived at Albany Street where she ran a boarding house for Unitarian students at Edinburgh University. A Mrs Jane Welbank lived at 41 Albany Street from 1820-1828. In August 1824 Harriet Martineau and her brother James stayed with her during a walking tour of Scotland, In December 1826 John James Audubon says he met her and was fascinated by her very red nose due to excessive rouge. He also says she had daughters, which is odd. ' I went to Mrs Welbank, Albany Street, to dine with William Gregg - Dr Gardner was there - Mrs Welbank has a Red Nose. - Now, when I say red, I do not mean to say that it is covered with that soft downy, velvety light substance that I often have seen and felt on thine, composed of a Bloom of pure White, with a thought of vermillion - Not I - I Infer that the strongest decoction of the little Insect called cochenille would only be a very poor color compared with the Truly red colored Nose of the Lady here mention - This redness extends from the center of the ridge, off and over the cheeks, the forehead, & the chin in rich profusion, and along with the Cap, the Ribbands and the Dress, I thought that Nothing so very red had ever met my Eye before - She is aimiable, however, and so are her Daughters and so, Lucy, never mind the Color!' Perhaps the "daughters" were her students?
• Occupation: 1834, 58 Eldon Street, Newcastle ; MRS WELBANK takes this Method of informing her Frends and the Public, that she has just received (direct from the India House) a fresh Supply of TEA, which she is enabled to sell at considerably reduced Prices. Strong fine-flavoured Congou at 5s, and Teas of superior Quality equally low. (Newcastle Journal, 8 Nov 1834) In the York Herald 4 Aug 1838 is an advert offering "easy employment" as an agent for the East India Tea Company. Teas are packed in leaden containers, neither shop nor fixtures are required, the licence is 11/- per annum.
• Occupation: 1837, 31 Eldon Street, Newcastle; Mrs Welbank listed as a tea dealer at this address, Pigot's directory.
• Occupation: 1851; Independent Means
• Residence: 1851, Eldon Street, Newcastle

Notes:

Buried:
same burial ground as the Rev Turner.

Died:
"old age" aged 81

She was living with her nieces, daughters of her sister Mary (Welbank) Mitchell, before she died.
The Newcastle Journal, 14 Feb 1852