Timothy Renou
London silversmith, no record of apprenticeship or freedom.
First mark entered as plateworker on 11th February, 1792. Address: 45 St John’s Street, West Smithfield.
Second mark 2nd August, 1800.
Third mark 8th August, 1800. Heal records him as Thomas (clearly a directory misprint), plateworker St John Street, 1792 and as Timothy, goldsmith, London , 1800-04.
Although the company records show no signs of his connections, it seems likely that Renou came from a considerable family of goldsmiths. The earliest recorded is Philippe Renou a refugee c. 1685; other London silversmiths working in the 1700s were Abraham Renou, Jacques Renou, James Renou, E Renou and Timothy Renou (grandfather?).
A Timothy Renou, perhaps son of the goldsmith, served as a midshipman in H. M. S. Colossus at Trafalgar. He was born at Berwick in 1789, which seems, however, to make the connection unlikely (The Nelson Collection at Lloyds, 1932 p. 10 footnote 25).
Renou’s mark is usually found on dinner plates, dishes and to a limited extent salvers, all of good quality and refinement of design.
