Seaton Lodge
Seaton Lodge, famed for being one of the most picturesque houses in the North of England, served as more than just a beautiful estate; it was a pivot point for influential families, including the Joblings. Originally the ancient seaside residence of the Delaval family until 1729, the lodge’s destiny changed with the development of the estate’s commercial interests.
After the Delaval family began exploiting the coal trade and operating the Bottle Works, Seaton Lodge transitioned into the private residence of the estate’s chief agent. It was within these historic walls, which boasted a famous thatched roof and an ancient lineage possibly tracing back to the Norman era, that the founders of three significant Northern commercial families were born: the Drydens, the Lamberts, and the Joblings. These names became “familiar as household words” in the commercial history of the North of England.
The Lambert and Jobling families were related and the association culminated with the Misses Joblings, who were the sisters of Mark Lambert Jobling. The sisters became the last residents linked to the lodge’s history. These women achieved a remarkable local fame for more than just their family name; they earned “undying fame” for their notable acts of charity and native patriotism. Adding to their unique social standing, they also shared the exceptional honour of being regarded as the two best swimmers in the North of England. Rain or shine, summer or winter, the Misses Joblings would take their daily dip in the sea, often swimming a full half mile out or along the coast.
Mark Lambert Jobling (1803-1870)
The story of the Jobling family is woven into the very fabric of Victorian Newcastle. The first part of this story shows the family being headed by Mark Lambert Jobling and his wife, Juliana Jobling nee Preston (1817–1904), who were married at Womersley, Yorkshire, on 18th August 1840. Together, they raised six children, primarily residing at the prestigious 27 Leazes Terrace in Newcastle upon Tyne.
A Man of Many Titles
A solicitor of high standing, Mark Lambert Jobling was a key architect of the family’s mid-19th-century success. His career was defined by a rare combination of civic duty and industrial enterprise. By 1851, he held an expansive list of titles, overseeing interests in coal, glass, and shipping while serving as the Sheriff of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. His prominent standing in society was mirrored by the family’s residences, moving between the city’s Leazes Terrace and Percy Street to the historic Seaton Lodge at Seaton Delaval.
The Estate of William Collinson Preston and the Decline of Mark Lambert Jobling
In 1869, a Chancery case regarding the estate of William Collinson Preston, Juliana’s brother, created tension between the Jobling and Preston families. Correspondence from Juliana Jobling to another brother, John Hughes Preston, reveals the toll this legal dispute took during a period of significant decline in Mark Lambert Jobling’s health.
“Barras Bridge 5th March, 1869.”
“ My dear John, I told you as soon as ever Mr. Jobling was able the matter you refer to will be attended to I must say I feel surprised you should again write about this matter. Are you aware my husband has two doctors attending him and has been on a bed of sickness for more than 6 weeks and his medical men said on no account he had at present to be troubled with business matters. I am very sorry William’s affairs have been so long in getting settled and shall as soon as possible impress on Mr. J. the subject. His life is a valuable one to me and his family and I assure you I have had a very trying time of it. Dr. Charlton hopes Mr. J. is doing favorably time and good nursing and care are the only things for him. I fear he will never be the same man again he is so reduced and weakly. J. JOBLING.”
Almost a year later, Mark Lambert Jobling died on 19 February 1870 at the age of 67 and his passing was marked with significant ceremony. The Newcastle Journal described the event:
The Next Generation
James Augustus Jobling was the fourth son of Mark Lambert Jobling and Juliana Preston. He was born in 1846 and his siblings included:
- (Major) Alfred Jobling (1841–1910)
- Mark Ernest Jobling (1844–1921)
- Julia Alice Jobling (1845–1922)
- John Edward Wilson Jobling (1848–1864)
- Susannah Elizabeth Mary Jobling (1854–1856)
Tragedy at Reedwater
The family was no stranger to grief. Following the untimely death of Susannah in 1856, James’s younger brother, John, died suddenly at the age of 16 in 1864. The local press reported it as a “melancholy and fatal accident” in the hunting fields near Reedwater. While hunting with the J.C.A. Beagles, John’s horse became bogged. In the struggle that followed, John was dragged and accidentally struck on the head by the horse’s hoof and died almost instantly from a concussion. The event sparked and outpouring of sympathy across Newcastle society.
The Competitive Pedestrian
In contrast to the formal legal and industrial world of his father, James Augustus Jobling first found fame as an athlete. He was well-known for travelling the country to compete in long-distance walking and cycling races.
One charming account from 1871 highlights his popularity. After a sharply contested two-mile handicap walking match, the ladies in the audience felt James had been unfairly treated by the race handicapper. In a show of support and faith in his abilities, they arranged among themselves to present him with a special trophy to honour his skill as a pedestrian.
The Scandalous Newcastle Assault of 1872
In the winter of 1872, Newcastle society was captivated by a shocking incident involving two young men, both considered men about town and of good family. The ensuing court case offered a rare glimpse into the explosive nature of Victorian honour and the stark class bias within the justice system.
The principal figures were James Augustus Jobling, a solicitor’s son, and Mr. Thomas Charles Grainger, whose father was the late eminent builder, Richard Grainger, renowned for shaping Newcastle’s streetscape, much of which remains today.
The Dispute Over a Lady
The feud began when Thomas Grainger insulted a young lady of James Jobling’s acquaintance, a woman in whom James Jobling held a romantic interest. The dispute quickly escalated and instead of retaliating instantly, James Jobling waited three days. He planned a confrontation, sending a note to his antagonist at the Central Exchange Art Gallery, requesting a meeting on the 16th November at the Watkins Royal Exchange.
Thomas Grainger kept the appointment and as he ascended the stairs into the Exchange, he was confronted by James Jobling who had laid hidden behind a pillar. The 26 year old James Jobling was considerably younger than the 45 year old Thomas Grainger and the attack was anything but a fair fight, James Jobling ambushed him, striking him violently on the face using the stock of a horsewhip. As the victim stumbled, James Jobling followed up with a further flurry of blows. The assault was described as a “shocking and unprovoked attack” and was carried out in a “brutal manner”. One blow left Thomas Grainger with a five inch wound to his face.
“Of the Better Sort”
The case was heard at the Newcastle quarter sessions on 1st January 1873 before the Recorder, William Selby Seymour Esq. Faced with the evidence, James Jobling initially offered to plead guilty to a charge of common assault, which was rejected. He was then advised by his Solicitor to plead guilty to the charge of unlawful wounding. James Jobling apologised to Thomas Grainger for the assault and the attack on his character.
After hearing the evidence, James Augustus Jobling was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment without hard labour. However, the judge’s reasoning for the relatively lenient sentence exposed the era’s class-based justice. The judge noted that he considered the sentence reasonable because both men were “of the better sort without previous blemish”. He then controversially added a stark warning, stating that “had the defendant been from the lower classes I should have dealt far more harshly!”.
In addition to the short jail term, James Jobling was ordered to provide sureties of £1,200 to keep the peace towards Thomas Grainger for two years.
The Rise of James A. Jobling & Co
James Augustus Jobling was a prominent industrialist and owner of the Tyne Grease and Oil Works. In 1886, he acquired the Wear Flint Glass Works from Greener & Co., renaming the firm James A. Jobling & Co. By 1902, facing financial challenges, James was joined by his nephew, Ernest Jobling Purser. Under Purser’s expert leadership, the company reached a historic milestone in 1921 by securing the licence from Corning Glass Co. to manufacture Pyrex across Great Britain and the Empire (excluding Canada).
The Joblings link to The Baron Decies and Bolam Hall
The Jobling family’s standing in Northern society was further cemented by their close personal ties to the British aristocracy. They shared a particularly deep connection with William Robert John de la Poer Horsley Beresford, the 3rd Baron Decies. . Such was the level of trust between the two families that it is believed James Augustus Jobling was Lord Decies’ own godson.
This lifelong friendship was revealed in detail following the Baron’s death at York on 2nd July 1893. When his will was proven later that year, the York Herald reported that James Augustus Jobling had been entrusted with the significant responsibility of serving as an executor of the estate, alongside the Baron’s son and Thomas Edmund Hornby.
The Baron’s esteem for the Joblings was also clear in his final bequests. He left the substantial sum of £1,300 (a small fortune in 1893) directly to James Augustus. Furthermore, he provided lifelong financial security for James’s mother, Juliana Jobling, who was now a widow, by granting her an annual annuity of £105.
The End of an Era
Juliana Jobling resided at the family’s long-term home, 27 Leazes Terrace, until her death at the age of 86 on 3rd February 1904. Her long life spanned the family’s ascent into Newcastle’s industrial and social elite and a journey marked by both great success and deep personal trial. Throughout many decades of change, Juliana remained a steady and resilient presence for the family.
James Augustus Jobling purchased property in Scotland in his later years and passed away on 6th January 1932 at Sonachan House in Port Sonachan, Argyllshire, a beautiful country house situated on the banks of Loch Awe. Like his mother, he reached the grand age of 86, leaving behind a legacy that stretched from the athletic tracks and courtrooms of Newcastle to the very top of the British glass industry.
From Sheriff’s Gown to Household Glassware
The story of the Jobling family is a remarkable journey through the highs and lows of Victorian and Edwardian life. From Mark Lambert Jobling’s rise as a powerful solicitor and Sheriff of Newcastle to the aristocratic connections shared with Lord Decies, the family occupied a unique space in North East history. They were a family of contrasts: where one brother, John, met a tragic and premature end in the hunting field, another, James Augustus, became a celebrated athlete and, a controversial figure in a high-society scandal that exposed the class biases of the Victorian courtroom.
Yet, beyond the headlines of horsewhips and gentlemanly justice, the Joblings left an indelible mark on British industry. When James Augustus Jobling took over the Wear Glass Works in 1886, he, and his nephew, Ernest, successfully paved the way for the production of Pyrex in the UK. A name that remains a staple in kitchens across the country today.
References:
- Newcastle Journal, 23rd September 1864
- Newcastle Journal, 25th February 1870
- The Newcastle Daily Chronicle, August 1870
- Newcastle Guardian and Tyne Mercury, 22nd July 1871.
- Leeds Times, 4th January 1873
- REDFERN, Barry. Victorian Villains. Prisoners from Newcastle Gaol 1871-1873, Tyne Bridge, Publishing, 2006, pp. 20-23.York Herald, 16th September 1893
- ROBINSON, John (1894), Illustrated Handbook To The Rivers Tyne ,Blyth,& Wansbeck; Also A Guide To Tynemouth, Cullercoats, Whitley, Monkseaton, St. Mary’s Isle, Hartley, Seaton Delaval, Blyth, Newbiggin, With The Legends And Traditions Of The Coast; And A Glance Guide To Newcastle. R. Ward & S
- The National Archives: Preston v Jobling. Ref: C16/666/P32
- The Glass Museum, Jobling Glass: https://theglassmuseum.com/jobling.htm
(c) Rooted Lines Genealogy 2025
