Thomas Blunt
Thomas Blunt of Nairne and Blunt
c1739 Born (although there is some discussion about this date), son of William Blunt, a shoemaker in Barnes, Surrey.
1760 Apprenticed to Edward Nairne
1769 became a member of the Spectacle Makers’ Guild.
1774 Married Mary Moys Fly.
1775 Birth of son Charles Fly Blunt
1774 Went into partnership with Edward Nairne. Nairne was already established at 20 Cornhill; the partners continued business at that location.
1788 Thomas Blunt, “widower”, married Margaret Fenn. Thomas and Margaret had 7 children: Thomas (born July 28, 1789), Elizabeth (born February 28, 1791), Henry (baptized April 28, 1793), Martha (baptized June 15, 1794), Edward (born January 11, 1798), William (born December 25, 1799), and Ann (born January 24, 1802).
Thomas Jr. and Edward trained with their father, and both were involved in partnerships with him.
Two of Blunt’s sons, Edward and William, became members of the Spectacle Makers’ Guild but William later became a teacher.
1792 Thomas Blunt served as Master of the Spectacle Makers’ Guild in 1792 and 1815.
1793 The partnership with Nairne was dissolved. Blunt opened a shop, later moving to 22 Cornhill, two doors down from Nairne.
By 1794, Thomas had acquired the honour of “Mathematical Instrument Maker to His Majesty”.
The business involved various of his sons at different times.
1823 Died
- Various optical instruments, including telescopes, made by Blunt are in the Science Museum