Charles Wentworth Wass

Complied for the benefit of Upper Norwoodians and Others by Anthony James Leahy

Charles Wass born around 1819 in London at St Martin’s in The Fields. He had been in partnership with Frederick William Hooper the father of Mary and her younger sister Emily. Their partnership had been the subject of bankruptcy on 23^rd April 1858. Charles Wentworth Wass was an engraver and art dealer and had premises in New Burlington Street, London. He became superintendent of the Crystal Palace Picture Gallery around 1858 a position he was to hold for 22 years. His stipple engraving of John Keats was published in “The poetical works of John Keats (1840)” and his stipple engraving of Princess Agusta Caroline along with engravings of Joseph Turner and Samuel Pepys are housed in the National Portrait Gallery.

Charles Wentworth Wass lived at 7 Kilburn Villas, Central Hill, Upper Norwood, with Miss Mary Hooper who was the elder  sister of his late wife Emily. In 1867 Charles W Wass is shown as living at 7 Kilburn Villas, Central Hill. In 1891 Wass at no.22 Central Hill. Often the earlier Victorians would put in short sections of housing with titles like 'Terrace', 'Cottages' or 'Villas', with their own separate numbering. Later on the authorities would simplify things by renumbering the whole road from one end to the other; this seems to have been what has happened in this case.

The relationship between Mary and Charles is unclear though it is possible that they were living together as man and wife. It would not have been possible at that period for them to marry as it was considered taboo for a man to marry the sister of his dead wife. It would have been illegal for them to marry prior to 1907 when "The Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act 1907 (7 Edw.7 c.47) was an enact in Parliament of the United Kingdom, allowing a man, if his wife had died, to marry her sister. The Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act 1907 removed the prohibition (although it allowed individual clergy, if they chose, to refuse to conduct marriages which would previously have been prohibited), but the Act did exactly what it said and no more. Both Mary Hooper and Charles Wentworth Wass died prior to 1907.

Engravings of Turner, The Blossoms, Keats, The Judgement of Paris, Pharaoh's Horses

The Wass Collection

Exhibited by

Thomas Goode & Co.

May - June - July 1898

Catalogue of a Collection of Royal, Historical Armorial China and Coronation Glass

the property of C. Wentworth Wass, Esq.

Lent for Exhibition at the Galleries of Messrs. Thos. Goode & Co. 19 South Audley Street, London 1898.

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22. PLATE, the centre richly emblazoned with the Royal Arms and supporters, surrounded by light blue and rich gold borders.

Mark-John Ridgeway. Part of a dinner service made for Her Majesty in 1855.

27. COPELAND PLATE of a Dessert Service ordered by H.R.H. of Prince of Wales shortly before his marriage. In the centre is a monogram of Their royal Highnesses the Prince and the Princess of Wales, the initials of the Princess being of festooned roses, and those of the Prince in raised gold. The broad border is perforated, and has four panels in which are grouped fruit and orange blossoms enclosed by ribbons of raised and chased gold.

17. DAVENPORT PLATE. very richly gilt, and Royal Crown with City Arms on border. The centre painted with monogram "V.R," surrounded by a wreath of flowers.

24. ROYAL WORCESTER PLATE, with a broad openwork border exquisitely gilt and interlaced with turquoise panels, enamelled by Thomas Bott after designs by Raphael. the centre painted with a crown and the Royal monogram "V.R," Mark Kerr and Binns. 1859.

28. MINTON PLATE of the Dessert Service made for H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. on his marriage, January 1874, In the centre is a cupid, coat-of-arms with a crown, monogram of the Duke and Duchess, and four designs of cupids, allegorically treated on the broad turquoise border, with bands and scrolls richly gilt.

23. COALBROOKDALE PLATE, turquoise border, with four beautifully painted panels. The Royal and the City Arms, trophy of English and French flags, and initials "N.E." painted in roses. In the centre, French crown and badge surrounded by richly gilt wreath of oak an laurel leaves. Made for Her Majesty and the Prince Consort's visit to the city with the Emperor and Empress of the French, in April 1855.

8. COALBROOKDALE DINNER PLATE. Richly chased gold border, elaborately emblazoned with the Royal arms of H.R.H. the Duke of Kent and Princess of Leiningen, on their marriage, May 29, 1818.

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3. WORCESTER PLATE, one of the Dinner Service made for H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, 1790. In the centre is printed a Female figure leaning on a anchor, emblematical of "Hope," surrounded with rich gilding, the border of bleu-du-roi, gold and white.

Mark-"Flight" with crown above the crescent below,

14. ROCKINGHAM PLATE,

One of the Dessert Service made for H.M. King William IV. The centre richly painted with the Royal Arms and supporters, surrounded by bands of flowers (Rose, Shamrock and Thistle), deep border in pale blue, with elaborate gold netting and heavily gilt branches of acorns and oak leaves. The Service was made for His Majesty on his succession in 1830.

18. COALBROOKDALE PLATE, one of a Dessert Service made for H.I.M. the emperor of Russia, Nicholas I., In 1845. The centre is painted with the Order of St. Andrew, with broad light green border, ornamented with medallions. introducing the Orders of St. George, Alexander Newsky, and St. Vladimer, surrounded by elaborate gilding.

5. WORCESTER PLATE, one of the Dinner Service made for H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, afterwards King William IV., about 1812. In the centre is the Lion of England, Surmounted by the Royal Crown, below which, is the Rose, Shamrock and Thistle. On the outer rim, in gold, is the motto "Honi soit qui mal y pense" on bleu-du-roi, ground. The Service was presented to H.R.H. the Duke of York and H.S.H. Princess Victoria Mary of Teck as a marriage gift, by the Royal Warrant Holders in 1893.

13. TWO WORCESTER PLATES, of the Dinner Service made for H.M. King William IV., The ground of the finest bleu-du-roi, richly gilt and jewelled. The centre emblazoned with the Royal Arms and supporters, surrounded by six medallions representing the insignia of the Order of the Knighthood. The Service was made for His Majesty on his accession to the Throne in1830.

19. COALBROOKDALE PLATE, one of a Dessert Service made for H.I.M. the emperor of Russia, Nicholas I., with bleu-du-roi ground enriched with gilding. The centre painted with the Order of St. Andrew the border ornamented with Russian Orders painted on ivory coloured ground in six compartments. The Service executed by command of Her Majesty for presentation to the Emperor of Russia and exhibited in the Great Exhibition of 1851.

10. WORCESTER PATTERN PLATE. Made for H.M. King George IV. on His accession to the Throne 1820. The centre beautifully painted with the Royal Arms and supporters, burnished gold bands and broad turquoise border.

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39. WORCESTER CHOCOLATE TWO-HANDLED CUP, COVER AND SAUCER. Tea and coffee cups and saucers, part of the Royal Service at Windsor, made for His Majesty King George. Decorated in royal blue richly gilt and emblazoned with the Royal Arms

Mark-Barr, Flight & Barr.

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    Nelson Relics

58. WORCESTER  CUP AND SAUCER. Part of the Breakfast Service ordered by Lord Nelson when he visited Mssrs, Chamberlain's works at Worcester, August 27, 1802. Rich red, blue and gold, Japan pattern with viscount ducal coronets and Order of San Josef emblazoned in panels.

59. MILK JUG Part of same Service.

60. SMALL DISH Part of same Service.

61. TWO WORCESTER  BREAKFAST CUPS AND SAUCERS. Parts of the second Service made for Lord Nelson, decorated with oak-leaf and acorn border in green and gold, with the arms and supporters emblazoned in centre; and a Coffee Cup of the same Service with the dates of His battles.

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79. COMPANION BOTTLE. "Orphan in Hades," by T. Bolt after Ary Scheffer.

81. EWER. with oxidised figure handle, "Cupids and Heads," by T. Bolt 1854

88. TAZZA. "The Reading angel," by T. Bolt after Raphael, 1853.

78. PILGRIM BOTTLE. "Francesca de Rimini," by T. Bolt 1866, after Ary Scheffer. Exhibited in the International Exhibition , 1871.

80. CHALICE. with three medallions, by T. Bolt, 1866. "Ecco Homo," after Guido; "The Madona," "The Magdalen,"

77. COMPANION VASE. "Figure of Helen," by T. Bolt after Flaxman R.A.

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82. VASE. with oxidised figure handles, "Hector taking leave of his Wife and child," by T. Bolt 1863, after Flaxman, R.A.

83. COMPANION VASE. "Hector improving Paris,"  by T. Bolt 1863, after Flaxman, R.A.

65. PATERA. allegorical figure of "Night," by T. Bolt 1850, after Thorwaldsen.

64. PATERA. "Cupid and Psyche," by T. Bolt 1867, after statue by Gibson, R.A.

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Compiled for the benefit of Warwickians and Others by Anthony James Leahy