| Notes |
- Peter Passmore [excerpts from notes compliled by Lola Falconer]:
Peter Passmore was a customs officer in Plymouth in 1814 and in Liverpool in 1818; there is a leather case with the inscription "Mr. Passmore, Customs, Liverpool, 1818. The 1822-23 Piggot's Directory of Devon and the 1823-24 "London and Provincial New Commercial Directory" listed him as a Customs landing waiter at the Custom House quay in Bideford, Devon. He was listed as "principle [sic] officer, Ousegate, in the Custom House in Baines Directory and Gazetteer Directory for Selby, Yorkshire, in 1822 [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/WRY/Selby/Selby22Dry.html]. Although Selby is inland, it is situated on the River Ouse, and was an important trading and shipbuilding port.
Peter was also listed as "collector and surveyor of the port, Quay", in the Pigot & Co. Directory for Maryport, Cumberland of 1828-29. Maryport is on the northwest coast of England, on the Solway Firth, near the Scottish border. There was a short article about him in the "Liverpool Mercury" newspaper of 15 April, 1825: "The great inconvenience which the masters of vessels at Maryport have hitherto laboured under, that of having to travel to Workington for the purpose of clearing out their vessels, for either Ireland or coastwise, has just been removed. Mr. Passmore, having been appointed principal-coast officer at Maryport, a power so far as clearing of vessels, similar to that enjoyed by the officers at Workington, is vested in him",
The National Archives in London has Customs records back through several centuries. A search of some of them [CUST 18, CUST 19/5, CUST 28/78, CUST 39/46,175,182, CUST 66/16-19, CUST 69/80, CUST 83/82-86] turned up no records of Peter Passmore.
There are interesting stories told by his grandson, A.C. Passmore - of articles being smuggled from France and other places. There was a shipment of walnuts, each of which was found to contain a fine white kid glove, made in France.
Peter was married to Maria Downing in Chester in 1819. The bishop's transcript of the marriage describes Peter as a gentleman, of the Parish of Bideford, in Devon, and Maria as a spinster of this (i.e. St. John the Baptist, Chester) Parish. There is a copy of a rather long and sentimental poem from Peter to Maria from Plymouth in 1814, 5 years before they were married. Its title is "My own Character Addressed (owing illness) to a Lady", and ends with "And if ever sincerity glow'd in my Breast,
'Tis now when I swear xxx xxxxx x x x xxxxxx".
Our family has their silver Sheffield tea service, serving spoons and tea spoons, which have the initialed monogram "P.M.P" - Peter and Maria Passmore. We also have a Crown Derby tea and coffee service, which may or may not have belonged to them. There is a set of plates and tea cups without handles, which must date further back. When his daughter Mary Ann, was asked in later years where the saucers were, she said "there were no saucers in those days". There is also some old pewter, including a teapot with the data (or some designation) 1790,and the signature Tyler Sheffield.
The children of Peter and Maria, who survived to adulthood, were Maria Louisa (b. 1822, Selby), Frederick Fortescue (b. 1824, Selby), Mary Ann (b. 1826, Maryport) and Harriet Fortescue (b. 1828, Maryport, shortly after Peter died). There is also a 24 May, 1820 baptismal record, in Bideford, Devon, of a Frederick Fortescue Passmore, born to Peter Passmore, Officer of the Customs (no mother's name is given). This first-born Frederick Fortescue died in 1822 in Selby, Yorkshire, two years before his brother was born and given the same name.
There is a letter, dated 18 Oct., 1821 from a Mr. R. Wilson in the Customs House, Bideford, to Peter Passmore, Principal Coast Officer, Selby, Yorkshire. It contains several topics:
(1) Repairs needed for Peter's house, which had been rented to a Dr. Chanter.
(2) Matters concerning the property that Peter's father had leased from Mr. Kekewich - probably part of the Manor of Broad Parkham. It appears that the Manor is about to change owners - from a Risdon to a Turner. Most lessees will be served Notices of Ejectment. He has not had success in collecting rents from tenants Mr. Camp and Mrs. Short. It may be that Peter Passmore is a steward of all or part of the estate, and that Mr. Wilson is acting as his bailiff in Peter's absence.
(3) A report of local Customs activities. (The letter is "On the Service of Customs", so perhaps this bit was inserted to justify having the postage paid by the government.)
(4) Local news, including a recent storm and maritime disaster.
The letter ends with a statement of Peter's account: salary of 20 pounds plus Mrs. Chanter's rent of 5 pounds, less a small amount deducted for received post.
Obituary in "Liverpool Mercury", 20 June, 1828:
"On Monday, the 9th instant, Mr. Passmore, Collector of Customs, in his 45th year".
This obituary was found on the British Newspaper Archive Internet site. Other newspapers that might have more information: "Whitehaven News", "Cumberland Pacquet".
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1784 - 1828 (43 years)
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