A monumental and deeply evocative piece of London high-Victorian history. This investment-grade archive chronicles the legacy of Charles Jacomb, Esq., the prominent London merchant prince and founder of All Saints' Church, Clapton.
The centrepiece is a magnificent, massive 1846 Holy Bible printed by Cambridge University Press. Bound in full luxurious dark morocco leather with heavy gilt-paneled spine and edges, the text block remains remarkably tight, clean, and bright. The front pastedown features the original gold-embossed blue bookplate commemorating the wedding of Charles and Harriette Jacomb in June 1849.
Following the title page are two full pages of meticulous copperplate handwriting detailing the family's lineage over two decades. It charts the births,  and baptisms of their children, serving as a pristine primary historical record of an elite Victorian household.
 
Completing the archive is the rare 1907 hardback volume, "Our Neighbourhood, Our Parish, and Our Church: A Simple Record Relating to All Saints', Clapton." This book formally codifies the family's legacy, featuring historical records and a portrait plate of Charles Jacomb as the grand founder of the parish.
 
Specifications:
Bible Publication: Cambridge University Press, 1846.
 
Provenance: Direct lineage of the Jacomb Family of Upper Clapton, London (With bookplate dated June 1849).
 
Companion Book: Published 1907, detailing the history of All Saints', Clapton.
 
Condition: Bible text block is in fine, tight, clean order; minor aesthetic scuffing and rubbing to the exterior leather corners and spine bands commensurate with age. Companion book is solid and complete.
 
In the tapestry of 19th-century London high society, few names commanded as much quiet respect in the halls of commerce and community as Jacomb. As premier merchant princes at the height of the British Empire, the Jacomb family epitomised the Victorian ideal: combining immense success in global trade with a deep, unshakeable commitment to philanthropy, faith, and the preservation of lineage. The bedrock of the family’s fortune was Jacomb, Son & Co., a powerhouse firm of wool brokers headquartered in the financial heart of London at Moorgate Street. Founded and steered by Charles Jacomb Esq., the firm operated at a pivotal moment in global trade. They acted as the crucial bridge between the expanding wool clip of the British colonies—primarily Australia and New Zealand—and the booming textile mills of Northern England. Through meticulous business practices and an iron-clad reputation for integrity, Charles Jacomb elevated the firm to the absolute pinnacle of the trade, cementing the family's status among the elite class of City of London merchants.
 
On June 7, 1849, the family’s social standing was beautifully codified when Charles Jacomb Junior married Harriette Anne Wood in the picturesque parish of Stroud, Gloucestershire. Harriette, the daughter of the prominent William John Wood, brought with her a lineage that perfectly complemented the Jacomb commercial empire. To mark the union, the couple was anchored by a grand tradition: the establishing of a monumental Family Bible. This sacred volume served as the literal and symbolic heart of their household. Within its pages, recorded in elegant, sweeping copperplate script, the family chronicled a deeply personal history. 
As their wealth grew, the Jacombs established their grand family estate in the affluent enclave of Upper Clapton, Middlesex. However, Charles Jacomb was not content to merely enjoy his success in private luxury; he was driven by a profound sense of civic and spiritual duty. Recognising the spiritual needs of his expanding local neighbourhood, Charles Jacomb stepped forward as the fundamental patron and patriarch required to reshape the community. He became the grand founder of All Saints' Church, Clapton, personally driving and funding its establishment. This act of monumental philanthropy transformed the local landscape. The church became the focal point of the neighbourhood's spiritual and social life, ensuring that the Jacomb name would not merely be remembered on balance sheets in the City, but etched permanently into the architectural and spiritual heritage of London.
 
Collector's Note: It is vanishingly rare to find a grand mid-Victorian family Bible accompanied by the exact published parish history that validates the family's philanthropic empire. A crown jewel for collectors of British social history, elite genealogy, or ecclesiastic antiquities.
 
The Bible measures  33 x  28 x 10cm (approximately 13" x 11" x 4") and weighs 6.5kg (approximately 14.33lb).