A mysterious small portrait (roughly 6 in. by 5) descended to us from my great-great grandfather, who emigrated to Victoria in 1858. It shows a military officer, the face finished but red coat and cloak rather sketchy. He could perhaps date from the Napoleonic Wars. As far as I know there were no soldiers in a largely legal family. My ancestor lived in Broad St for much of his life. He was a solicitor and had an office in Kings Arms Yard. I hope to at least find the picture's date. It is in its original frame with the framer's label on the back. It reads: W. GREENING Looking Glass Manufacturer Carver, Gilder and Picture Framer The next line giving the address was unfortunately printed in copperplate script and is now illegible. The label continues: Old Frames Re-gilt Old glasses polished and re-silvered Gilt Mouldings for rooms and cornices of all descriptions Paintings, Prints, Drawings, all kinds of Ladies' Needle Work framed and glazed in the neatest manner Funerals Furnished I should be very grateful if anyone can locate W.Greening in place and time. And while I do understand most of Greening's work, what would he furnish for funerals? Anthea Fleming Melbourne

hello Anthea, The 1846 London Directory has: ........... William Greening (carver and gilder and looking glass maker) 79 Coleman Street =================== Cheers, John Drewell in Vancouver B.C. ============================ ----- Original Message ----- From: "brian fleming" <flambeau@labyrinth.net.au> To: <london@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 3:53 AM Subject: [LON] W.Greening - Carver and Gilder >A mysterious small portrait (roughly 6 in. by 5) descended to us from my > great-great grandfather, who emigrated to Victoria in 1858. It shows a > military officer, the face finished but red coat and cloak rather > sketchy. He could perhaps date from the Napoleonic Wars. As far as I > know there were no soldiers in a largely legal family. > > My ancestor lived in Broad St for much of his life. He was a solicitor > and had an office in Kings Arms Yard. > > I hope to at least find the picture's date. It is in its original frame > with the framer's label on the back. It reads: > W. GREENING > Looking Glass Manufacturer > Carver, Gilder and Picture Framer > > The next line giving the address was unfortunately printed in > copperplate script and is now illegible. > > The label continues: > Old Frames Re-gilt Old glasses polished and re-silvered > Gilt Mouldings for rooms and cornices of all descriptions > Paintings, Prints, Drawings, all kinds of Ladies' Needle Work > framed and glazed in the neatest manner > Funerals Furnished > > I should be very grateful if anyone can locate W.Greening in place and > time. > And while I do understand most of Greening's work, what would he furnish > for funerals? > > Anthea Fleming > Melbourne > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > This mailing list works in parallel with the London surname interest list > on the web at http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~hughw/london.html . Check for > matching interests and add your own ! > > Any problems, please contact the List Admin: LONDON-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > LONDON-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

Brian, it means he was in effect an undertaker. Such work was often done as a sideline by various tradesmen, notably carpenters [and - mostly on the country - by wheelwrights]. Greening worked in wood and coffins would therefore not be a technical problem for him. He probably hired in the providers of a vehicle and horse, or hired them himself. As the 19th century went on, organising funerals became rather more specialised [not lest because of the demands of heavy-duty Victorian funeral practice] and in London you start to see specialist firms like Dotteridge. Hope this helps Valerie in hot and sunny Sheffield UK ----- Original Message ----- From: "brian fleming" <flambeau@labyrinth.net.au> To: <london@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 11:53 AM Subject: [LON] W.Greening - Carver and Gilder >A mysterious small portrait (roughly 6 in. by 5) descended to us from my > great-great grandfather, who emigrated to Victoria in 1858. It shows a > military officer, the face finished but red coat and cloak rather > sketchy. He could perhaps date from the Napoleonic Wars. As far as I > know there were no soldiers in a largely legal family. > > My ancestor lived in Broad St for much of his life. He was a solicitor > and had an office in Kings Arms Yard. > > I hope to at least find the picture's date. It is in its original frame > with the framer's label on the back. It reads: > W. GREENING > Looking Glass Manufacturer > Carver, Gilder and Picture Framer > > The next line giving the address was unfortunately printed in > copperplate script and is now illegible. > > The label continues: > Old Frames Re-gilt Old glasses polished and re-silvered > Gilt Mouldings for rooms and cornices of all descriptions > Paintings, Prints, Drawings, all kinds of Ladies' Needle Work > framed and glazed in the neatest manner > Funerals Furnished > > I should be very grateful if anyone can locate W.Greening in place and > time. > And while I do understand most of Greening's work, what would he furnish > for funerals? > > Anthea Fleming > Melbourne > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > This mailing list works in parallel with the London surname interest list > on the web at http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~hughw/london.html . Check for > matching interests and add your own ! > > Any problems, please contact the List Admin: LONDON-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > LONDON-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >