Edward Rogers Kett (b. c.1799)
Edward Rogers Kett was born in about 1799 in Melton, Suffolk, and was the son of William Kett, who had been Rector of Shottisham in Suffolk since 1781.
Kett matriculated as a "Pharmacopola" on 6 May 1829, at the age of 29, and just three days later on 9 May the following advertisement appeared in Jackson's Oxford Journal:
In Pigot's Directory of 1830, he is duly listed as a chemist in St Mary Hall Lane (Oriel Street) in All Saints parish.
On 18 August 1832 there was a notice in Jackson's Oxford Journal that the Revd William Kett, father of Mr Kett, druggist of Oxford, had died at the age of 75.
Kett married Sarah Plowman of Oxford at St Michael's Church on 15 September 1834, and shortly afterwards they moved to a new shop at 118 High Street. They had the following children:
- Sarah Charlotte Kett (baptised at All Saints on 9 March 1836)
- Edward Kett (baptised at All Saints on 15 September 1837)
- Mary Ann Kett (baptised at All Saints on 26 July 1839)
- Thomas Plowman Kett (baptised at All Saints on 4 February 1841)
- Miriam Kett (baptised at All Saints on 22 September 1842)
- William Kett (baptised at All Saints on 10 October 1845, died age 5, funeral at St Paul's on 6 September 1849, followed by burial at St Sepulchre's cemetery)
- John Garneys Kett (baptised at All Saints on 23 February 1847, died at age of three months, buried there on 2 March 1847)
- Charlotte Kett (baptised at All Saints on 14 March 1848)
- Elizabeth Garneys Kett (baptised at St Paul's on 9 March 1851)
- William Heber Kett (baptised at St Paul's on 19 December 1852)
On 9 December 1837, Kett was declared bankrupt, and the following notice was published in Jackson's Oxford Journal of 21 September 1839:
Robson's Commercial Directory of 1839 shows that Kett had moved to 118 High Street, and he is described as follows:
Kett Edward Rogers, 118 High st, Chemist & Druggist, Oil & Colourman, & Agent to the Naval & Military East India Company, & General Life Assurance Company
The 1841 census shows Kett and his wife Sarah living in the High Street with their first three children, a 15-year-old apprentice chemist, and a baby of five months, Thomas Plowman, who may be Sarah's nephew.
Rogers was still at 118 High Street in 1846, but some time after the baptism of Charlotte on 14 March 1848 he moved to Clarendon Place: Slater's Oxford Directory of 1850 lists him as a chemist there. He is described as an apothecary at the baptism of all his children except the last in 1852, when he is described as a "surgeon" of Clarendon Place.
The 1851 census shows Kett (now described as a druggist and grocer) living at 13 Clarendon Place with his wife and seven surviving children. The family has one servant.
Clarendon Place would have been named after the University Press in Walton Street, and is probably part of what is now Cardigan Street, as Gardner's Directory lists Kett as a chemist there in 1852.
All traces of Kett in Oxford vanish after 1852.