He is generally considered to have been a decorator or painter of tin-glazed earthenware (Owen 1873, 330 & Pountney 1920, 87 etc) although he was also a general house and sign painter.
| 1755 | 28 Apr. Possibly the Michael Edkins who married Elizabeth James, both of St Augustine-the-Less parish (APR). |
| 1756 | 21 Feb. He became a free painter because of his marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of William James, glassmaker, deceased (F). |
| 1761 | 13 May. He was described as a painter (A). |
| 1763 | Probably the ‘Michae. Edkins’, a victualler, for whom Thomas Taylor II stood surety to keep an alehouse in St Mary Redcliffe parish (AKL). |
| 1764 | ‘Mical Edkins’ was included in the list of persons holding alehouse licences in St Mary Redcliffe parish (BRO Wooden Box 1764 Bundle 11 no.4). |
| 1766-7 | Probably the Michael Edkins, a victualler, for whom Thomas Taylor II stood sureties to keep an alehouse in St Mary Redcliffe parish (AKL). |
| 1772 | 2 Jul. To be sold by auction two tenements next above the Hoopers Arms on Redcliff Hill, one in the possession of Michael Edkins, painter (BG). |
| 1774 | 7 Apr. The property on Redcliff Hill was again advertised for auction but was described as ‘lately in the possession of Michael Edkins, painter’ (BG). |
| 1777 | He painted a sign board for Joseph Flower (EL). |
| 1794 | 5 Apr. He was described as a painter (A). |
| 1795 | 31 Jan. He was described as a painter (A). |
| 1811 | 27 Jul. Died ‘Tuesday fe’nnight in his 78th year, at his house in Bridge Street, Mr Michael Edkins, painter; whose uniform affability and urbanity rendered him equally esteemed in life as lamented in death’ (FFJ). |
| Apprentices: With his wife Elizabeth Benjamin Williams, 13 May 1761 (A) John Reed, 1 Apr 1794 (A) Joseph Edkins, 31 Jan 1795 (A) |
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| Children: Jane, buried 20 Aug 1757 (RPR), Jane, buried 13 Jan 1760 (RPR), William, bapt 25 May 1764 (RPR), Ann, bapt 2 May 1766 (RPR), Susannah, bapt 10 May 1771 (RPR), Joseph, bapt 21 Oct 1774 (RPR) |
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| Rate book entries: Property 1: [29 Sep 1757-29 Sep 1762] Mich. Edlkins Redcliffe Pit/Hill/Mayors Paddock (SMR-PR,LS,W,Wa) [29 Sep 1762-29 Sep 1763 Michael Edkins void Redcliffe Pit/Hill/Mayors Paddock (SMR-W,LS,Wa) Property 2: Property 3: Property 4: Property 5: |