George Willdey

Willdey was born in Staffordshire in 1676. He was apprenticed to John Yarwell and belonged to the trade guild Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers. Throughout his career he took on a number of apprentices, notably including many female apprentices which was unusual for the time. His apprentices included William Gibbons, Peter Elvin (1712), Hannah Martyn (1714), Susanna Ball (1715), Martha Short (1716), Walter Ray (1717), Edward Watkins (1717), Esther Sarazzin (1720), Isaac le Plastrier (1721), Rachel Jourdain (1722), Thomas Clarke (1724), Frances Willdey (1726)), Susanna Passavant (1728), Elizabeth Dupuy (1733) and Isaac King (1736).

Willdey died in 1737 at the age of 61. The business was carried on for two years by his wife Judith Willdey and from 1739 by his son Thomas Willdey.