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Noteworthy naturalist

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Isaac Chalkley Gould (1845-1907) Wholesale Stationer, Publisher and Essex Antiquary

Isaac Chalkley Gould was born on 16th September 1845, died on 11th October 1907 and was cremated on 16th October 1907. Isaac was born and died in Trap'™s Hill House, Loughton. He was sociable but had a retiring disposition and deferred to the views of others. Gould was scholarly, enjoyed reading George Borrow and had an exceptionally retentive memory. He had a natural infinity with his native county, Essex. Gould also had London links. In 1869 his address was 4 Ave Maria Lane, Ludgate Hill in the City of London. His address in 1884 was 37 Old Bailey, again in the City of London. In later years he endured serious ill health, became a confirmed invalid, and died in his 62nd year. His funeral took place at Loughton and was attended by representatives of societies, friends and neighbours.

His father, George Gould (1793-1869), a landed proprietor, was born in Loughton and christened a Baptist at Epping on 18th December 1793. He died on 6th May 1869 leaving personal effects valued at under £7,000. Isaac's paternal grandparents were Chalkley Gould and Mary Wilson, who had married at Loughton, Essex on 21st September 1779. His mother, Elizabeth Cleaver (1804-1884), was born in Benson, Oxfordshire. She died on 18th May 1884 leaving a personal estate valued at £4,345. Isaac Chalkley Gould had an older brother George William Gould who was born in 1842. Isaac never married.

Isaac Chalkley Gould was a wholesale paper merchant stationer, publisher and library supplier. He was associated with the firm of E. Marlborough & Co, wholesale newsagents of the Old Bailey, London. Later he founded the wholesale stationery firm of Marlbrough, Gould & Co. In 1903 he took out a provisional patent specification (18577), with Joseph Pewtress, for an improved letter card. He was founder and director of the Library World from 1898. Gould did much field work, especially connected with the history, topography and physical features of Essex. On the 1861 census he was enumerated as a 15 year old scholar. Gould amassed a large library of Essex books. His book catalogue was posthumously published in 1910. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1906, vice-president of the Essex Archaeological Society to which he had elected in 1892, and the British Archaeological Association. Gould joined the Essex Field Club in 1882. President Miller Christy made him a Vice-President of the Club under Rule III. Chalkley Gould helped arrange and organise the Field Club's Epping Forest Museum. He wrote the Club's second handbook entitled Notes on the Romano-British Settlement at Chigwell, Essex with a description of the articles exhibited in the Epping Forest Museum (1892) 16 pages (with supplement, 1902) which sold at 3d (1p) and later bequeathed this collection to the Club in 1907. Gould contributed 17 short notes and articles to the Essex Naturalist including notes on bird catchers, otters, a supposed earthwork near Harlow Station, the Romano-British settlement at Chigwell, straw plaiting and hops in Essex. He was also chairman of the Committee for the Exploration of the Red Hills of Essex formed by the Essex Field Club and Essex Archaeological Society in 1906. Chalkley Gould acted as honorary secretary of the Committee for Recording Ancient Earthworks and Fortified Enclosures and compiled their annual reports. From the 1880s he published articles in the Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society, Essex Naturalist, Essex Review, Journal of the British Archaeological Association and the Essex volumes of the Victoria History of England. He wrote the chapters on ancient defensive earthworks for the Essex, Durham, Herefordshire and Kent for the VCH and helped with the articles for Derbyshire, Devon, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, Leicester, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Shropshire. Gould's best work was done on earthworks. According to an obituarist his knowledge on this subject was masterly and comprehensive. He contributed at least 15 papers to the journal of the Essex Archaeological Society between 1892 and his death. In 1905 he successfully campaigned by speaking and writing against proposed changes to the Essex County boundaries. In his will, dated 29th June 1907, in which he is described as a gentleman, he bequeathed 'to the Essex Field Club my collection of Romano British Remains now on exhibition in the Essex Forest Museum'. His estate was to be divided between his nieces Isabella Lucy Gould and Beatrice Mary Gould subject to the life interest of his brother George William Gould.

Sources
Anon. 1907. Obituary: Isaac Chalkley Gould. Journal of the British Archaeological Association New Series Vol. 13.

Anon. 1907a. Obituary: Isaac Chalkley Gould. New Library World Vol 10(5) page 160.

Anon. 1908. An Essex Antiquary. Essex Review Vol 17 pp. 31-34. With photographic image.

Cole, W. 1906. The Essex Field Club Yearbook & Calendar for 1906-. 36 pages.

Gould, I Chalkley. 1910. An Essex Library: A collection of books relating to the county of Essex made by the late I. Chalkley Gould, and added to by I.L. Gould, B.M. Gould and H.W. Lewer. Published Chigwell Lodge. 61 pages.

Wealth at death: Gross value £26,995.47

Account provided by Mr William George
page last edited on Wed Mar 17th 2010 by site user 68