Marrin's Bookshop

Synopsis

Questions submitted to mr. thos. martyr regarding mr. henry northover pink.
dated at greenwich this 2nd day of feb. 1849.

Item Description

Printed form with manuscript entries folding into franked prepaid envelope of The Experience Life Assurance Co., stamped King William [St?], addressed to Thomas Martyr Esqr Greenwich.

Notes

Eleven questions sent on behalf of a life assurance company to a witness to report on his knowledge of the state of health of his friend of twelve year's standing - judging from the replies the latter appears to have been in the pink of condition. Both men were in fact well known citizens of Greenwich and were neighbours living at Croom's Hill. Thomas Martyr (1776/77-1852) appears to have been a pupil of the London based architect, S. P. Cockerell (1753-1827) and was also the father of a local architect. He was described in a local newspaper report at the time of his burial in the family tomb in the crypt of St Alfege's Church : 'Perhaps there are no persons more identified with the town of Greenwich than the respected family of which Mr. Martyr was the oldest representative.' Henry Northover Pink, M.R.C.S. was a surgeon who served as Medical Officer of Health for the Greenwich district from at least 1859 to 1883 or later. In 1876 he appeared as a witness in the Central Criminal Court in connection with the theft of his case of surgical instruments worth six or seven shillings. Mina Jury, the accused who had attempted to pawn them in Deptford, was sentenced to seven years penal servitude for this and other offences.