Ann Soltau

ANN SOLTAU seems to have become known as ANNA later in her life. ANNA’s father, WILLIAM HODGSON was a warehouseman and wine merchant of 9, Bush Lane, Cannon Street, London, and is listed as such in the commercial directories for 1770 and 1775. A WILLIAM HODGSON married ELIZABETH BOWERS on 6 June 1745 at St Helen’s, Bishopsgate, but as yet we have not been able to positively identify these as ANNA’s parents. ANNA was born in 1757.

Following GEORGE’s untimely death in 1790, ANNA continued her husband’s merchant business, helped by her late husband’s close friend and former book-keeper, NICHOLAS ALBERT MARTINIUS. The London Directory for 1795 lists the business as: “SOLTAU, George William’s Widow & Co.” In 1809 they were trading under the name “Soltau, Martinius & Gottau”. [Ref: Univ of Illinois – Emmanuel H Brandt Collection – London Merchant of Hamburg]

When ANNA’s two sons, GEORGE and WILLIAM, reached adulthood, they took over the business from their mother, and she left Suffolk Lane, probably in the early 1800s. By 1817, THOMAS MOULE, wine and spirit merchant, is listed in the P.O.London Directory at 1 Suffolk Lane, and “SOLTAU, G.W. & Co. , merchants” is listed at 15, St Helen’s Place, London.

After GEORGE’s death in 1790, ANNA continued to live at 1, Suffolk Lane, Cannon Street, with the three children, GEORGE then aged 15, WILLIAM 12 and SOPHIA AMELIA 11. When the children had grown up and married, ANNA moved out to Strand-on-the-Green in Chiswick, and there she remained until her death. She outlived her husband by about 39 years, dying on 2 December 1829, at the age of 72, at Strand-on-the-Green, Chiswick, where she had been living with an unmarried grandchild, FRANCES AMELIA HARRISON. She was buried in the same vault as her late husband, at St Mary Bothaw.