François Marie Jaunay 1776–1838

An English interlude The story of François Marie Jaunay 5

Jaunay's Hotel was considered the most elegant hostelry in London, and it played host to the aristocracy, tourists, and, above all, the French community. François Marie remained there until his death when his wife, Madame Jaunay, went to France to live with her younger daughter, Mme Jacquesson at Châlons-sur-Marne. It is claimed that gradually the hotel declined and that on François' death, his wife was forced to sell up to cover the debts. Jaunay's was not alone, for the period, 1820 to 1850 was noted for the rapid decline in hotels in London. Their fall from favour paralleling the growth in popularity of the new phenomena of the London club.

In withdrawing from the public dining-room precisely the class of customers who were best able to stimulate and reward the ingenuity of cooks, the new clubs were disastrous to the London restaurants. The French hotels north of Oxford Street, died out one after another. Gloom and wretchedness settled on the hotels of Leicester Square and the Mayfair restaurateurs put up the shutters. [André Louis Simon, History of the Champagne Trade in London, Wyman & Sons Ltd, London 1905 pp92-93]

François was too trusting of his fellow man and he readily gave to those who did not merit his support and was easily duped. These failings often saw him in financial trouble. On at least one occasion he was financially rescued by his son-in-law, Adolphe Jacquesson.

In her old age, Ann spent six months of each year living with her daughters. She died on 1 July 1859 at the home of Joseph Krug and was buried in the Protestant Section of the North Cemetery at Reims.
times

The fate of François remained a mystery for many years. Some members of the family believed that the business fell on hard times and François Marie migrated to Australia. Other writers record that he in fact died in London at this time and his widow sold up the business and retired to France where all her children were living. One more glamorous account claims he died as the result of a duel. The reality is much more mundane. François died at his hotel, on 15 January 1838 from an abscess on the bladder. The fact that François' fate remained elusive for so long was partly the result of the fore-mentioned fanciful theories and that the registration of death names him as Francis Jannay. Whether this was the result of the incorrect spelling given by the informant, nurse Eliza Welsh or that the handwriting of the Deputy Registrar caused a confusion between u and n causing the name to be mis-transcribed into the index is not known. However, all other details, address and age, and personal notice in the Times confirm that the entry is that of our François.

François did not leave a will but there was a grant of Administration issued by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury which records he left an estate of £3,000

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