John Latham (1830-1880), Henry Wilkinson Latham (1864-1903), Enderby Wilkinson Latham (1890-1925)
The origins of Wilkinson Sword were in a company founded by Henry Nock as Nock, Jover & Co in the year 1775. Originally a gun maker from Birmingham, he then moved to London. On his death in 1804, Nock passed on the business to his apprentice and son-in-law, James Wilkinson, who had worked for the last ten years as Nock’s foreman and general manager. The company then became James Wilkinson & Son, not becoming Wilkinson Sword until 1891.
It was only when his son Henry Wilkinson took over the company in 1824 did the business really become successful by making quality swords for the military, and some very famous people including the Prince of Wales.
Shortly before Henry died in 1860, his manager John Latham took over the business. A sword and fencing expert himself, the company stopped making guns as the government had begun making it’s own firearms by that time. Management of the company then followed through the family line, maintaining the fine quality swords, but also diversifying into other areas such as razors and even motorcycles in 1903.
John Latham (1830-1880) married Anne Dove (1830-1882) on 21st December 1855 at St. Pancras. Together they had eight children: John Francis (1857-1898), William Arthur (1859-), Annie Violet Frances (1860-1863), Beatrice Mary (1862-1949), Henry Wilkinson (1864-1903), Thomas Augustus (1866-), Charles Edward (1869-) and Annie Victoria (1871-1946).
Beatrice Mary Latham married Maurice William Greiffenhagen (1862-1931) who was to become a very famous portrait artist. Their son Rider Greiffenhagen was born in London on 8 February 1892. Joining the navy as a cadet in 1905, he was promoted to First Lieutenant in January 1916 on HMS Submarine E24. Unfortunately it was lost with all hands during the Battle of Jutland on 24 March 1916. It is believed that the submarine was lost after hitting a mine.
Henry Wilkinson Latham married Ellen Leak Enderby (1866-1939) in 1889 at St George Hanover Square. They had five children: Enderby Wilkinson (1890-1925), Violet Wilkinson (1891-1971), Nellie Wilkinson (1893-), Stanley (1895-1980) and Minnie Beatrice (1900-1986). Enderby married Eileen Winifred Reffell (1893-1935) and Minnie married Frank Mortimer Reffell (1891-1978). So a Latham brother and sister married a Reffell brother and sister.