PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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John Burnell was born at Plymouth Dock (Devonport) in around 1792. Along with his older brother, Mr William Burnell, he ran a large grocery business at number 4 Bilbury Street, Plymouth. The business dated from 1797 but it is not yet clear who founded it. It would appear that Mr Eldred Roberts Brown was taken on by the Burnells as a clerk. He is shown as such in the 1841 census. The 15-years-old Master John Brown was also living with them at number 4 Bilbury Street. By 1850 the Burnells had taken Mr Eldred Brown into partnership and they had also been joined by Mr Thomas Nicholson. The business as wholesale grocers was recorded as Messrs Burnell, Brown and Nicholson. In the 1851 census Mr John Burnell, the aged 57 and still unmarried, was living at 31 Portland Square, Plymouth, with Miss Mary A Burnell, his sister, and Miss Eliza Trout, his 35-years-old niece. Both ladies are shown as "House Proprietor" so there must have been money in the family. During his life Mr Burnell had been a partner in the British and Irish Sugar Company, whose premises were in Mill Lane, and he was chairman of the South Devon Shipping Company until about 1855. In 1859 he was elected an Alderman and chosen to become Mayor of Plymouth for 1859-60, as the result of which he became a Justice of the Peace. Mr John Burnell died at about 10asm on the morning of Saturday October October 22nd 1864 at his home in Windsor Villas, Lockyer Street. He was survived by his older brother, Mr William Burnell, and his sister, Mary. The funeral took place the George Street Baptist Chapel on Friday October 28th 1864 and Mr Burnell was interred in the Burial Ground there.
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