Briginshaw One- Name Study
Founded 1984
Newsletter No 4
JACK SAUNDERS
DATE May 1990
Contents
- Editorial
- Article 1 Shoppenhangers Manor and Farm - by Jack Saunders
- Article 2 The Briginshaw Origins - The Other End of the Line - by Geoffrey Briginshaw
- Additional Editorial A Dictionary of British Surnames - Entry for Briginshaw
- Article 3 Heraldry Today and the Period 1500-1700 - by Jack Saunders
EDITORIAL
Let me
start by thanking all family members who were kind enough to write to me
expressing their appreciation of the last Newsletter. Before
coming to the main contents of this issue I must update Newsletter No 3.At the
time I wrote page 14, with its references to John and Mary Maria Briginshaw and
their connection with 'Shoppenhangers Farm' I had also written to Maidenhead
Library, enquiring if they could help with any information, but by the time
published the Newsletter I had not had a reply. Later I received an apology
for the delay; as usual they had gone to a lot of trouble in trying to
obtain details for me and I acknowledge, with thanks, the help of Mrs P M
Curtis (Reference Library).This help was in the form of photocopies of pages
from old issues of the Maidenhead
Advertiser. Articles in a 1937
edition on the history of 'Shoppenhangers Manor' and it's surroundings
(interesting as they are) are far too long to reproduce here in full but they
did indicate that the Manor certainly existed as far back as 1204 and that
there would have always been a farmhouse, no doubt, rebuilt several times. The
first farmhouse shown is on a plan drawn up in 1771. However, extracts from
reminiscences which appeared in the issue of Wednesday 15th December 1937 under
the initials IF.J.B.1 are worth reproducing:
Return to Top.
SHOPPENHANGERS MANOR AND FARM
THE OLD FARM-HOUSE
A VICTORIAN FARMER WINS VICTORIAN
CUP
When most of us old stagers over 65 years of age first remember
the farm Mr Richard Webster was the farmer.
Then the old farm house had much the same appearance it has in the
illustration herewith and which it retained until after the Great War.
Earlier in the Reign of Queen Victoria the farm was in the hands
of a Mr John Brigenshaw, who besides being a farmer had a Butcher's business in
the Maidenhead High Street - the name is not now known, he has not left a trace
behind of his progeny (Ed. He had not
heard of family history research!).
Mr Webster did not follow his (Mr Brigenshaw's) lead in a town
business, but he did a little business in retail farm produce at certain times
of the year with some of his town associates or customers. To the writers knowledge and youthful
pleasure as a lad, on several occasions, both at Michaelmas and Christmas, my
elder brother and myself would be sent up to 'ShoppenhangersFarm' to fetch the
seasonable goose
Whilst Mr R Webster was at 'Shoppenhangers' he was twice awarded
the Prince Consort's Silver Challenge Cup, namely in 1869 and 1873 for the best
cultivated farm within the area covered by the Royal East Berks Agricultural
Association. This cup was presented by
the late Queen Victoria. Those of us who remember the acres and acres of golden
corn and the fresh and healthy looking root crops will agree that the late Mr
Webster deserved his award....
The mention of the Butcher's Business ties in with the 1851
Census Returns showing two of John and
Mary Maria's sons running the same:
Maidenhead
High Street 1851
Richard Briginshaw Head 23 Unmarried 'Butcher Born Bray
Thomas Briginshaw Brother
19 Unmarried 'Butcher Born Bray
James Wells Servant
28 Unmarried 'Butcher Born Cookham
Mark Andrews Servant
16 Unmarried 'Butcher Born Bray
Ann White Servant
22 Unmarried House Servant Shinfield
To-day most of those same fertile farmlands of
'Shoppenhangers' are covered by modern housing, a golf course and a
motel. Let us dwell for a few moments
on a brief outline of the history of the manor. It first emerged by
sub-infeudation or division of lands by Norman Kings. Nothing is known of the first manor house which would have been a
timber framed one and which would have been altered or rebuilt over the next
few centuries. The first known one was a 17th century brick building which.is
pictured on the title of an 1810 document.
It is believed that this was demolished in tile 19th century when in the
hands of the Grenfell family. The
present building, a replica of a 16th century merchants house "was built
on the foundations of the original manor house during the 1914-18 war by Walter
George Thornton-Smith, a very wealthy antiques dealer and art collector. A wing was added some years later and he
filled the house with art treasures from all over the world. In 1931 a fire caused considerable damage to
the first floor and roof.£15,000 was spent on 'restoration. Thornton-Smith died in 1963 and in 1965 it
was sold to Esso Petroleum and a three day's auction of the contents took
place. A new Esso Motel was built on
the site of our old farmhouse and the manor house was converted into a palatial
restaurant reached by a separate drive, or a short walk through the surrounding
gardens. In 1973 tile motel was taken over by the Crest Hotel Group and so this
is what stands to-day on the site of the original manor house, the farmhouse
and the rich farmlands from which John and Mary Maria obtained their living and
where they walked in fields unspoilt by bricks and mortar. Some of the old farm buildings, covered in
ivy and creeper, still stand between the motel and the restaurant, forming an
attractive screen and hiding the rather ugly exterior of the motel, from the
restaurant and gardens.
I recently visited the motel and spent some time looking over its
surroundings set in 18 acres of grounds.
The motel is beautifully appointed to to-day's best standards with every
facility, including swimming pool and restaurant, but for tilat special
occasion there is the magnificent and unique restaurant which the old manor
house provides - with menue and prices to match! 1 resisted the temptation to lunch there at around £54 a head!
The quite extensive farm buildings include a timber framed archway
with room over, which might have been a coach house and entrance to the farm,
and to-day provides a delightful exit from the back of the motel into the
gardens and a path leading to the Manor House Restaurant. These buildings, whilst obviously barns,
do have features that are unusual. I understand
that during the restoration of the Manor House after the fire some of these
buildings were converted into work rooms and it is possible that odd bits of
decorative material were added by the workmen, to enhance the appearance from
the manor, as most of them are on the side facing, the manor while the backs
are quite rough.
CONTRIBUTIONS
FROM FAMILY MEMBERS
Ever since producing the first Newsletter I have appealed for
short articles or just odd items of interest from family members, for inclusion
in these publications, so I was delighted when, recently, Geoffrey responded in
magnificent fashion with a contribution on the origins of the Briginshaw
name. We must all be grateful to him
for this invaluable article. In his own
words 'It can hardly be described as short' but it is far too important to our
research for me to do other than reproduce it herein full. 1 hope, too, that it will be an inspiration
to others to write something for future issues. It need not be long - perhaps reminisances of days gone by, family
anecdotes, or in the case of those branches who sought a new life abroad,
something of the conditions they met and the struggles of those early years.
Geoffrey's article on the origins of the family name covers the
13th and 14th centuries and is mostly pre the first recorded appearance of
the name Brigenshaw so far found in Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire around
1488. There is, as yet, no direct
evidence of the migration of our family South which must have taken place, but
Geoffrey speculates on possible reasons.
Many of us had, for a long time, suspected that with the name ending of
'shawl an origin in Yorkshire or thereabouts but, like Geoffrey, had previously
found no reference to the family name in any of the many publications on the
origins of English Surnames. It is
interesting, at this point, to recall that Anthony Wagner, Garter King of Arms,
made tile following observations in a letter to Richard in 1975:
'I am going to chance my arm with an indicationof what seems to me
the probability. -I shouldguess that
the family originated from a place,possibly a small farm of the name, in the
North, possibly the West Riding of Yorkshire, in the14th century, and may have
come South then or inthe i5th century in circumstances in which it could'be possible
to discover since much work has been done quite lately on trends of this kind.'
Return to Top.
THE BRIGINSHAW ORIGINS - THE OTHER END OF THE LINE
By
Geoffrey F Briginshaw (Mississauga Ontario Canada)
Introduction
I am sure that all readers of 'The Briginshaw One-Name Study'
Newsletters will agree that Jack Saunders has been performing a magnificent
labour of love in dedicating so much time and effort in investigating,
discovering, co-ordinating and writing up the family history.
This is in response to his appeal in the last paragraph of page 1
of Newsletter NO 3.
Let me briefly introduce myself.
I'm the scion of the Briginshaw dynasty mentioned in Newsletter NO 3
page 1 paragraph 4; born in Dulwich Village, London, England December 20 1921,
only son of Frank Frederick (born 1888 and one of the pioneers of mechanical
refrigeration in the first decades of the century) and Ethel, ne'e
Pinhorn,(,born 1892, an accountant at a time when women were not exactly
welcomed in the business world, and one of whose great-uncles fought at the
Battle of Waterloo with the 52nd Regiment, later the Oxfordshire and
Buckinghamshire Light Infantry).
After attending Imperial College of Science and Technology,
University of London, Qualifying as a Chartered/@ofessional Engineer, working
14 years with the Aero Engine Division of Rolls-Royce and 21 years as an
Anti-Aircraft Battery Gun Control Officer in the Second World War, the rigours
of post-war Britain became just too much to tolerate. Canada exerted a positive pull and in April 1952 I emigrated
with my new wife Betty, n'ee Rabley, but without a job to go to. However, we established ourselves in short
order, raised a family:
I retired in January 1987 after 15 years with Ontario Hydro, the
third largest (after CEGB in Britain and TVA in the United States) electrical
power utility in the world, with 23,000 employees, sales of over $6 billion and
assets of over $30 billion.
Return to Top.
The Buckinghamshire Briginshaws
During our last few years of permanent residence in England, my parents,
my then - fiancee and I had followed up a lead to Taplow from my paternal
grandfather George, born 1847, and in 1950 we unearthed (literally) the
gravestones described on pages 7 to 10 of Newsletter NO 3. With the help of Taplow Church records graciously
provided by Robert, Bishop of Buckingham, we were able to track back to 1700.
Of necessity, further research lapsed when we were involved in our
establishment in Canada and the start of another generation. But interest was revived in 1956 when an
article in a British magazine caught our eye, featuring a young genealogist,
Rosemary anches, who had worked with the College of Arms as assistant to Sir
John Reaton Armstrong, the Cheater Herald, before starting her own business
'Heraldry Today in Chelsea, London.
Her researches during the following year got us back two more centuries
when the economic law of diminishing returns began to take effect - those old
documents are both difficult to discover and to decipher!
Return to Top.
The Yorkshire Briginshaws
Further activities remained in a state of suspended animation
until the dormant project was, fortuitously, revived in 1962, when I was in
Halifax, Nova Scotia on business.
One Saturday morning I took refuge in the Public Library from.the wind
and pouring ra:Ln of the tail-end of Hurricane Daisy which had ravaged the
Caribbean. . There.I found a copy of P H Reaney's *A Dictionary of British
Surnames' ('Routledge & Kegan Paul, London 1958). Most of us have checked similar volumes for our unusual and
elusive surname, with negative results, but lo! and behold, a listing under
'Birkenshaw (West Riding, Yorks) with no less than 22 other spelling variations
including our Briginshaw and the earliest mention "William de Birkenschawe
- 1274--- Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield"
Our 1970 visit to England provided the opportunity to pursue
personally the trail in Yorkshire. The
apparently-logical start was the City of York as the supposed 'county seat'
where records would be available but, after 18 years in Canada, we had
forgotten that the county had been divided into "thridings" (ridings)
for the previous 1100 years and were advised, very tactfully, that almost all
the records of the West Riding were located in Leeds. On arrival in that city, we found no central records office as
such; the City Library had an archives section but nothing prior to 1600 and
the helpful staff referred us to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society.
The Society's work is by no means limited to digging holes in the
ground. Since 1885 it has produced many
publications on all aspects of life in the county. Our 'cause' was helped considerably by David J H Michelmore,
B.A., then Librarian and Chairman of the Court Rolls Series, who turned out to
be the nephew of one of my contemporaries at Charterhouse School. I was then able to review existing
transcripts of the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, joined the Society
and since then have obtained further transcripts. Excerpts from 1274 to 1351 are appended.
Some
Background Highlights
- The name (de) Birkens(c)haw(e)- is a place-name from
Birken (a birch tree) and Schawe (a copse/coppice, grove or small wood - from
Old English scaga or sceaga) hence Birchwood.
- Wakefield -
The Manor was one of the great lordships of Yorkshire from Anglo-Saxon times
until the present century. It was
originally a Saxon settlement known as Plegwyk; 'Wackefeld' was the manor owned
by Edward the Confessor (1042-1066) - 'Wake' comes e'ither from the personal
name 'Waca' or Old English 'Wacu'; 'Feld' is Old English for field or,open
land. Unfortunately the Domesday Survey
gives little information about agriculture in Yorkshire because the results of
the great devastation of 1069 were still very evident in 1066 when the recovery
of the land had not proceeded very far.
Not until the late 13th century can any major document be produced which
is comprehensive enough; between the
llth and 13th centuries there are many scattered sources such as monastic
registers, feet of fines and inquisitions but the information is local and
diverse. Fortunately we have the
Wakefield Court Rolls.
The Manor occupied most of the Wapentakes which were the
equivalent in Danelaw of the 'hundreds' subdivisions of a shire imposed between
900 and 939, based on groups of estates adding up to one hundred - to called
from the 'weapon-grasping' or 'weapon-shaking' by which representatives
signified their assent to decisions reached at public assemblies - of Agbrigg
and Morley. It stretched from
Eccleshill in the north to Hobdirth in the south, from Normanton in the east to
the Ioancashire border in the west (see maps pages 17 & 18). It contained 36 sub-manors and was divided
into 13 graveships or prepositura (each had a prepositus called a grave or
reeve, from Old English 'gerefa').
One of these is Alverthorp(e) where our ancestors were living from
at least 1274. 'Thorp' derives from the Danish lporpl meaning a settlement or
outlying farm and indicates a place which is dependent upon a neighbouring
village e.g. in Derbyshire, Staveley Netherthorpe and Staveley Woodthorp
belonged to Staveley (closer to 'home' in Buckinghamshire, Stoke Mandeville and
Stoke Poges relate to Stoke). I visited
Alverthorp - as well as Wakefield of which it is now effectively a part - in
1970 but the church$ St Paulle was only built in 1822 (and closed) and was not
likely to be a fruitful source of early data anyway.
After the Conquest in 1066, the Wakefield complex became Crown
Land. By the end of the llth century it
was in the possession of one of the leading aristocratic families, the Earls of
Warenne. By the 1270's Yorkshire was 'a
land of feudal and ecclesiastical land-ownership and manorialization' and
Wakefield was thoroughly organized on lines which had stood the test of
time. John, the eighth and last Earl
(also Earl of Surrey and Sussex) was born in 1286 and died - without
(legitimate) heirs - on June 30, 1347 leaving a widow, Joan of Bar(r), the
granddaughter of King Edward I from whom he had been separated for over 30
years. The Countess held dower rights
in some of Wakefield until June 30, 1359 when she accepted £120 per year in
exchange.
On August 6, 1347 King Edward III granted the Earl's to
North-Trentine lands to his own son, Edmund of Langley - then a child of six -
with the remainder going to John of Gaunt and, failing these lines, to Lionel
of Antwerp. Because of Edmund's
minority, the custody - and profits - of the earl's lands were vested in Queen
Philippa. Specifically, the first eight
graveships (see. manor map page 17 )were administered by the Countess and the
other four (warley had not yet been added) by the Queen, presumably reflecting
the territorial separation of the dower land.
Since the earliest times, the lord had hunting rights in their
chases and parks, as well as control over the exploitation of the forest. Foresters preserved these rights in the Old
and New Parks in the Wakefield and Stanley areas north of the town, in
Holmfirth south of Huddersfield and in Sowerby towards the western extremity of
Wakefield lands where Erringden Park was also located. Queen Philippa had a chief forester, Peter
de Routhe, who paid £20 to farm agistments of the Old and New Parks for a year
in 1350.
The courts whose activities for the B ... family were of two
kinds:
- Courts Baron - were held three-weekly at Wakefield, usually on
Fridays with free weeks at Christmas and Easter (17 courts/Year). They generally dealt with land transactions,
property inheritance, tenurial matters and civil pleas. The first after Michaelms and Easter were
called 'great courts' or helmotes which all free tenants were expected to
attend. The suitor might appear in
person or send a representative. If he
had a valid excuse for absence, he 'essoined'; when he simply defaulted, he was
fined, the amount being noted by the clerk and determined by status. Free tenants might also be required to
attend the lesser courts as jurors; their duty was to testify as to the customs
of the manor and as to whether any land transfers were in violation of these customs.
- Tourne or Leets - were held twice yearly on the Saturday after
Michaelmas and Easter at Wakefield, Halifax on the following Monday, Brighouse
in Hipperholme on the Tuesday, Bastrick and Kirkburton on the Wednesday. They generally dealt with criminal cases and
breaches of commercial regulations. The
most common of the offences were the drawing of blood, raising of the hue
justly and unjustly, making -of nuisances and other anti-social behaviour. Apart from routine entries $for the trespass
of drawing blood', one of which was termed 'with violence', there is only one
serious felony, that of a theft of 20 shillings which resulted in the hanging
of a thief, Richard del Rode, in June 1333 (it was later suggested that this
was an example of a man being hanged because he was caught red-handed and not
in consequence of a judgement).
Wakefield would appear to have been an island of calm in a (14th)
century which was prone to violence. True
falonies of course were crown pleas and should not have occurred In the
Wakefield courts; indeed, crimes committed at Wakefield in these years would
have found their way into the royal courts.
The gaol delivery records of York Castle show several entries in the
period 1317-1327 for Wakefield residents, including the acquittal of Roger de
la Rode (relative of Richard above) who had been. indicted for a death at
Wakefield
Fines
and Amercements were the two broad categories of payments among the
lord's fiscal per quisites:
- Fines were 'offered' by his tenants.for favours at his
discretion, such as marrying off a daughter or leaving the manor.
- Amercements were exacted for offences-committed within
his jurisdiction such as services omitted, affray, trespasses, escapes of
cattle and removal of vert or dry wood.
Nicholas de Birkinschawe (sic) is not mentioned in the Wakefield Court Rolls but does appear in
Yorkshire Inquisitions (Postmortems) 'Theobald le Boteler and Joan his wife -
extent of lands and assignment of dower.
Writ directed to Thomas de Normanville dated at Westminster 5 Jan, 1286
by Nicholas de Birkeinschawe. who say by their oath that Theobald held of the
king in chief at Scheple (modern Shepley?) a messuage worth by the year 2s.'
Return to Top.
The 'Interregnum'(between the reigns sounds better than 'vacuum')
The two-century gap after Yorkshire in 1351 is tenuous and we may
never know how 'our' Briginshaws (gradually?) moved southwards over 100 miles
and five counties to Buckinghamshire at a time when most people lived, worked
and died within a few miles of their birth-place, and long-distanoe travel was
unusual and hazardous.
It's possible that male Briginshaw a went into battle during the Hundred Years, War (1337-1453) but
it is far more likely that they left as a result of the Black Death. There were three Great Plagues
('pestilenoias') during the reign of King Edward III;
- May
31 - September 29, 1349
-
August 15, 1361 - May 3, 1362
- July
2 - September 30, 1369
The national death rate in the first is believed to have been
between 30% and 45% (it carried off the first Vicar of Wakefield, Thomas de
Drayton, within a month of his institution June 21, 1349). There are no specific references to plague
in the Court Rolls but there are signs of an abnormally high mortality such as
increased land transfers. The effects
were so drastic that yeoman farmers and small landowners, like our ancestors,
were able to move on and command higher incomes from labour services as free
men.
Other
events which occurred at this time and which could be relevant are:
1381 The Peasants' Revolt-or Wat Tyler's
Rebellion.
The January 1381 Poll Tax was intended to extract from every adult
in the land the sum of three groats (about one shilling) before June 1381 at a
time when a free labourer was earning 2d or 3d a day. Local disturbances took place as far north.as York but local
forces soon rallied against the rebels.
1455 - 1485& The
Wars of the Roses between Yorkists and Lancastrians left this region of the
north of England with a weakened nobility.
Between 1450 and 1550,,.nearly 3000 villages are known to have
disappeared when the arable land was turned over to grass for (mainly) sheep
and (some) cattle because the squire found that these were more profitable to
him. The population drifted away to
find other employment.
1529 -
1534t The Dissolution
1536 The Pilgrimage of Grace
These two events are connected, In 1529, King Henry VIII began hie
series) of measures to replace the Pope as the head of the Church of England,
including the dissolution of the monasteries which was not popular with the
people of the north. The opposition found an outlet in a rising known as the
Pilgrimage of Grace which, in a few short weeks, took York, Pontefract, Hull
and Doncaster and the whole north-east from Lincolnshire to the Scottish
border. It was unsuccessful; its
leader, lawyer Robert Asks and 216 rebels and sympathizers were put to death.
A Footnote
although it occurred after our direct ancestors were established in
Buckinghamshire another plague reached York in 1604 and the Assizes were
transferred to Wakefield. Here,
Elizabeth Birkinshaye and Ann Brigg of Calverley were 'arraigned by the vicar
and five parishioners of the place as being vehemently inspected of the
devillish art of witchcraft'. We don't
know if they were found guilty but 23 prisoners were condemned to death and all
were executed on Westgate moor.
Return to Top.
Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield
Excerpts from 1274 to 1351 made by Geoffrey F Briginshaw between
1970 and 1987.
-Court at Rastrik on the Monday after the feast of St. Edmund of
Pontigny (Nov 22) in the said year (1274):
Soursby
- The inquisition touching the evildoers in the Forest of Bouresby. - WM del
B.. who say on their oath that John of Migeley who is charged with taking a
stag is quit thereof because he took nothing but is in all things a good and
true man towards the Earl and others....
Court there on the morrow of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Sep
14) in the first .year of King Edward, son of King Edward (1307):
Alverthorpe
- John Thorold v. Robert the Carpenter of Wakefield for trespass. Pledge Geoffrey de Birkynschawe.
- Alice wife
of Roger v. Alice de Birkynschawe... for trespass.
Pledge: Richard a of Broun.
Alice wife of Roger 6d. for false claim against Alice de Birkynschawe
-Tourn at 'Wakefield on Friday the Morrow of St Clement the Pope
(Nov 23) in the year aforesaid (1307),
- Nalle
de Birkenschagh has disturbed the township of Alverthorpe in their common in
her croft, where they were accustomed and ought to have it, as they say in open
time. She is to be attached.
-Court held at Wakefield on the Friday night after the
Annunciation BVM (Mar 25) in the year above said (1308):
Alverthorpe
- Quenilda de Alverthorpe v. Henry del Bothem for trespass. Pledge Geoffrey de Birkenschawe.
-Court at Wakefeld on Friday before the Pentecost (May 31) 1308
Alverthorpe - Adam Gerbode is amerced 3d. for unjustly detaining
8d. from. Geoffrey de Birkenschawe
-Court at Wakefield on Friday before the Nativity of St. John the
Baptist (June 24) 1308
Geoffrey de B.. v. Adam Gerbode for debt. Pledge Wm. Taillour.
-Tourn at Halifax on Sunday after the Feast of St. Luke the
Evangelist (Oct 18) 1313:
- Juliana, wife of Adam de Birkinschagh drew blood from
Margery d. of Thomas a. of Vilbert - 6d.
-Court
at Wakefield on Friday after the Feast of St. Ambrose (Apr 1) 1314;
- Alice
de Birkinschagh ~ -,sues Alice Gerbot for trespass.
-Tourn at Wakefield on Friday after the Feast of St. Luke the
Evangelist (Oct 18) 1315:
Alverthorpe - William a. of Walter sues Richard Bunny for seizing
a cow. Surety: William de Birkynchaye
-Court at Wakefeld on Friday after the Feast of the Epiphany (Jan
6) 1316.
Alverthorp - William de Birkinschagh gives 12d. to take an acre of
land the meadow in Alverthorp from Alice d. of Gerbot.
(Dec 6) 1315
John Swan gives 6d. for leave to take 1/2 rood land in Alverthorp
from Geoffrey de Birkenschawe .and Juliana his wife and his heirs, doing
the services thereon.
Geoffrey de Birkenschawe. gives 18d. for leave to take 1 acre of land in Alverthorp of
Quenilda daughter of Hugh to himself and his heirs.....
Geoffrey de Birkenschawe complain of Christiana of Alv. in regard to many trespassee.
Pledge of prosecution Richard of Colloy
Morrow of Circumcision of Our Lord 1315/16
Geoffrey de Birkenschawe plaintiff and Christiana,; of Alverthorp have leave to -make 'a
concord,In a plea -of trespass Said.
Christiana puts herself.....Pledge: Henry
of.the Bothem 12d.
(Jan 22) 1316
Geoffrey de Birkenschawe sues John Swan on a plea of trespass. Pledge of prosecution Adam of Flansowe. Found by inquisition of jurors that John Swan made an assult on Geoffrey
de Birkenschawe , therefore it is decided that he make satisfaction and
that he be amerced 3d.
(Nov 6) 1316
Adam of the Schagh for buying stocks (cows) from the fencer?
(Stouros de Paliciar) 40d. Henry Tytyng, Geoffrey de Birkenschawe and
Robert Tytyng for selling such stocks 40d.
(Nov 16) 1316
Geoffrey Ruddok to be taken for stealing 12 sheaves of oats
belonging to William de B
(April 10) 1317
Richard Withenoundes, John of Hall, Geoffrey de Birkenschawe John of Craven, Henry Tyting and Robert his
brother and William of Thornes 3s 6d. because they were fighting together at
night, they unjustly raised the hue upon one another, to the terror of the
people.
(July 7) 1317
Peter Spynk sues Geoffrey de Birkenschawe and Alice his mother for debt. Pledge a John
SibbeBone
(May 13) 1323
Alverthorp - Geoffrey de Birkenschagh gives 12d. as a heriot on a
toft and 7 acres in Alverthorp after the death of Alice de B... his mother.
(Aug 24) 1323
William de Byrkynschagh,sues Geoffrey de B... his brother for mowing a meadow belongin to
plaintiff while he was ill, carrying away grass worth 5s. Geoffrey sues said
William for 6 3/4 acres in Alv. as his inheritance after his father's death,
which land his father acquired from Alice his mother before they were married
and Geoffrey is her heir. William says
their father had no rights therein, excepting marriage with their mother whose
inheridance was...
John Torald and Edusa his wife sues Geoffrey de B... for closing
up the pathway they were accustomed to have through his courtyard. G. cross-charge trampling corn.
(May 6) 1324
William de B... sues Geoffrey de B... for trespass.
(July 13) 1324
Inquisition finds Geoffrey de B. carried away two cartloads of hay belonging to Alice, after
said Alice's death, to the damage of William her executor, 3d. Fine 2d.and 2d
for detaining two cows, value 18d. from said William.
(Oct 28) 1324
Stanneley - John Attebarre sues Richard Colloy and William de
Birkinschagh for debt.
(Dec 6) 1324
(Re Oct 28) Debt 14s. 4d. acknowledged. Fine 2d.
(June 7) 1325
Thomas Broun sues Richard Withoundes, John Atbarre and William de Birkynschagh for 13s.
for a horse sold to Richard de.Colley for whom they were surety; they
acknowledge the debt fine 6d.
Christian widow of Adam de Flansnou sues Henry Tashe for trespass.
Surety
Geoffrey de B...
(July 5) 1325
Stanneley.-
Inquisition taken by the oaths of the 12 jurors of the graveships of Horbiry,
Alvirthorp, Thornes and Osset ......
(including) Geoffrey de B...
(Oct 10) 1:326
Alvirthorp
- Inquisition finds that Henry de Swyllington-had a right to impound the cattle
of-Geoffrey and William de B... in a place called Brounrode.- fined-4d. each
for false claim - also that Henry did not impede Geoffrey access to his land in
Brounrode - G. fined 4d. for false claim and Henry fined 4d. for
false claim against Geoffrey.
(Nov 1) 1326
Alice daughter of William de B... raised the hue with cause on
Henry de Gardiner who fined 12d.
(blay
26) 1327
Geoffrey de B... sues Thomas Thore for assault at Wodhall
(June 24) 1327
Geoffrey de B... sues German Bell for assault at Wodhall. William de B...acknowledges he broke a
cattle fence at Wyrunthorp - Surety: Geoffrey his brother for fine 3d.
Geoffrey
in mercy under an inquisition for false claim against Thomas Thore.
(Nov 6) 1330
Geoffrey de B... complains that on a certain day Richard Withoundes entered
complainant house and beat his wife, his son and his serving maid to his
damage. Richard acknowledges the fact
- damage 2d., fine 3d.
(May 17) 1331
Robert Malyn, complainant offers himself against William de
B... William is a born bondman and
does not come when summoned - fine 4d.
(June 8) 1331
Inquisition whether William de B... undertook the custody of 22
sheep belonging to Robert Malyn and that72 sheep worth 5s. died by his default.
(july 13) 1331
(Re June 8) Malyn fined 4d. for false claim against William de
B...
1331
October 18
Order given to attach-Simon servant of Thomas le Roller to answer Geoffrey
de B... and Alice his wife in a plea of trespass.
November 8 (as above) and
November 8 Geoffrey de B... for escape of a pig 1d.
For escape of cattle Richard de Colloy, Roger Dunning, William de
B..., Geoffrey de B, John Swan,..John Gerbod, 2d., each.
November 29
Simon, servant of Thomas le Roller, defendant essoins for the first time by
William Castelford against Geoffrey de B... and Alice his wife in a plea
of trespass; pledge, William de Lockewode.
And because Geoffrey and Alice offer themselves, therefore etc.
December 15 Geoffrey de B ... :and Alice his wife plaintiffs do not prosecute against Simon
servant of Thomas Roller in a plea of trespass; therefore amerced 2d.
1332
February 21
For vert: William de B... 3d.
June 5
Inquisition to come to enquire regarding the concealment of Amabilla de Reton, thief
(received as a guest) by Geoffrey de B... and of the chattels of the
same, that is 4 sheep taken by the same Amabilla.
June 26 (as above)
September 18
Geoffrey de B... sues Alice formerly the wife of John de Wragby in a
plea respecting an agreement, and because Alice has not yet been summoned,
therefore summon.
October 16 Geoffrey de B... plaintiff offers himself against Alice'formerly the wife of John
de Wraggeby in a plea respecting-an agreement.
And because Alice, summoned, does..not come, resummon. Claim of Court.
October 23. Geoffrey de
B... plaintiff
(who does not prosecute)-Offers himself against Alice formerly the wife of John
de Wraggeby in a plea respecting an agreement.
And because Alice, resummoned, does not come,-distraint.
November 13 Geoffrey de B... plaintiff does not prosecute against the wife of John de Wragby
in a plea respecting an agreement.in a plea respecting an agreement; therefore
amerced 4d.
1333
April 9 John Gerbot and Matilda his wife and Cecily and Alice
sisters of the same Matilda sue Geoffrey de B... for the surrender of half a
rood of meadow which should fall to them of the tenements which belonged to
Adam de Alvirthorp, grand-father of the said Matilda, Cecily and Alice as their
reasonable share etc Geoffrey says that he is not deforcing the plaintiffs for
any meadow. An inquisition.
April 23 An inquisition of 12 jurors, that is Robert Hode, William
de Ouchethrol Robert Malyn, William de B.... John Swan, John Isbell, Robert
Peger, William son of Thomas de Thornes, William Attetounend and Robert Lepar,
finds by assent of the parties who say on oath that (Geoffrey de B...)ia not
deforcing the plaintiff from the meadowland.
Therefore he is to take nothing by his suit and is amerced 6d for false
claim.
May 14 John Gerbot and Matilda his wife and Alice Torald sue
Geoffrey de B... in a plea of trespass; pledge, the grave. Inquisition.
May 21 Alice the wife of Geoffrey de B... drew blood from Amabilla
daughter of Agnes Prestdoghter, 12d.
June & Geoffrey de B... and Alice his wife sue John Gerbot and
Matilda his wife and Alice his sister, charging that they stole a mazer cup
from the house of John Robson to his damage, 12d. John, Matilda.and Alice say that they are not guilty; therefore
inquisition.
June 25 An inquisition finds that Matilda wife of John Gerbot and
Alice her sister defamed the wife of Geoffrey de B... to her damage 3d. Therefore satisfaction is to be made and
they are amerced 2d, afterwards the parties were prohibited from slandering one
another under pain of 5s. And
thereupon Matilda comes and charges the said Geoffrey's wife with stealing a
cup; Matilda amerced 12d.
June 25 Geoffrey de B... sues Margery daughter of Henry Mariot in
a plea of debt. Order is given to
summon ('distraint').
July 16 Order is given to distrain the son of Henry Mariot to
answer Geoffrey de B....in a plea of debt.
August 6 Order is repeated to dietrain Margery daughter of Henry
Mariot to answer Geoffrey de B... in a plea of debt.
August 27 Geoffrey de B... and Alice his wife sue Hugh de
Dissheford in a plea of trespass; pledge for the prosecution, Robert de Mora.
September 17 Geoffrey de B... and Alice his wife offer themselves
against Margery daughter of Henry Mariot in a plea respecting an agreement. They complain that they hired Margery to
serve them and she did not do so, to their damage etc. Margery comes and says that it was not her
fault and asks for an inquisition therefore an inquisition Is to come.
September 17 Geoffrey de B... and Alice his wife sue Hugh de
Dissheford for assaulting them at Woodkirk on Wednesday the Nativity of Mary in
the seventh year (September 8, 1333), wounding and ill-treating them and
inflicting other enormities to their damage 20s. Hugh says that he is not guilty therefore an inquisition.,
1334
April 25 William de B...
on first inquisition between Henry Bcounsmith and Christiana his wife and
Thomas Torald who later withdraws suit.
1335
Whitsun Week Alice de B... sues Robert Salman for debt.
July 3 Robert Salman
fined 4d for not coming to answer Alice de B... to be distrained.
August 10 Alice de B...
complainant and Robert Salman (2d) compromise for debt.
1336
April 12 Beatrice de B...
fined 6d for brewing.
1348
October 21 Robert Malyn and others his neighbours present that
Geoffroy de B..held his land by the rod, so order' is given that it be taken
into the lord's hand and to distrain Thomas.
Geoffrey's to be at.the next court to show how he holds the tenement.
November 18 Order is given to distrain Thomas son of Geoffrey de
B*.* (respite) to show how and by what services he holds land which was
Geoffrey's in Alverthorpe because it is presented by Robert Malyn and other
neighbours that the said land is villein.
December 9 Thomas son of Geoffrey de B... to show by what services
he holds lands which were Geoffrey's in Alverthorpe, because Robert Malyn and
other neighbours present that the land is villein.
1349
January 20 William de
Donnom essoins of common suit the first time by Thomas Erl, John de Mora of
Thornes the second time by J. Hode, John Drak and Thomas de B.... the first
time by John del Raghe, Robert de Grotton by William Cussing. (The entries are
bracketed 'pledge faith and have day').
March 3 William de B... of Henry Stut (summons)........ Order is given to distrain William de B...
to answer William Wright of Middleton in a plea of debt.
May 26 An inquiry of six jurors finds that William de B...
unjustly detains from William Wright of Middleton 2 carts of hay which he
promised to him with Alice his sister to damages taxed at 3s. He is to satisfy
and is amerced 3d.
July 14 William son of William de B... who recently died held of
the lord 12 acres of land and meadow with buildings in Alverthorpe, after whose
death Beatrix, daughter of Adam son of Jordan, relative and heir of William,
took the tenement to hold for herself and her heirs according to the custom of
the manor for services, heriot 5s.
November 10 Thomas de B... essoins of common suit the first time
by Peter Whitlof, John de Mora by the bailiff, John de Sayvill the second time
by J. de Fery.
December 22 Alice de B.,.
plaintiff and Adam Judson are reconciled in a plea of dower. Adam puts himself
in mercy 2d.
1350
January 12 Thomas de B... essoins of common suit the first time by
Peter Whitlof, Thomas de-Birstall by the bailiff. (The two essions are bracketed 'pledge faith and a day is
given')
February 9 Brian de Thornhill knight gives the lord 2s. fine for
respite of suit until Michaelmas next, Richard son of John de Steyncliff and
Thomas de B... 6d. each for the same....
April 9 John son of John Gerbot gives the lord 38 4d for licence
to take all the lands and tenements which William son of William de B... had in
Alverthorpe, of William, to hold to himself and hie heirs until the term of
twenty years next following fully completed, on this form and condition, that
John sustain Beatrix daughter of Adam Judson, William's heir, reasonably in
food and clothing through the period, and also maintain all the buildings on
the tenement, and cultivate the lands, and demise them at the end of the term
in as good a state as when he first received them without doing any waste;
pledges Thomas son of Ralph Bate and Robert de Hiperom.
June 11 Thomas de B... complains of John Gerbot that he unjustly
deforces him of a messuage and 12 acres of land and meadow in Alverthorpe,
which he claims is his right after the death-of Beatrix daughter of Adam Judson
his relative, whose heir he is etc., and in which John has no entry except by
the demise which William son of William de B.,,made to him while under
age. John says that at the time of
the demise of the tenements William was of full age and he seeks an inquiry of
the four graveships concerning this. 'The other similarly. Order is given to
the four graves to make an inquiry come from their bailiwicks at the next
court.
July 2 Adam Judson cannot deny that he unjustly detains from Alice
de B... a' table worth 4d and l/2d for lentils. He is to satisfy and is amerced ld for unjust detention. Adam is
amerced.ld for false claim against Alice.
The inquiry on which Thomas de B... petitioner and John Gerbot
defendant put themselves at the last court finds that William de B ... was under
age when he demised his tenements in Alverthorpe to John for a term of twenty
years, the which Thomas claims to be his by hereditary rights as in the
preceding court. Thomas is to recover against John all the tenements and John
is amerced 4d for deforcement. Thomas gives 5s for heriot.
Richard de Southwod takes here in court an acre in Alverthorpe
which came into the lord's hand as escheat after the death of Alice daughter of
William de B..., bastard, who died without heirs of the body, to hold to himself
and his heirs according to the custom of the manor for the customary services;
entry fine 2s 6d.
August 13 Thomas de B... gives the lord 40d fine for licence to
have custody of Beatrix daughter of Adam Judson and her lands and tenements in
Alverthorpe until she comes of age, so that he makes no waste or destruction
therein.
September 10 (Anota daughter of William Sparowe gives the lord 3d
for licence to heriot on a cottage in Flanshaw after the death of William her
father to hold likewise). Thomas de B... gives likewise 4s for the same on a
messuage and 12 acres in Alverthorpe after the death of Beatrix daughter of
Adam Judson his relative, whose heir he is, to hold likewise.
1351
March-5 Thomas de B... and Margery his wife,examined, surrender in
court the reversion of half a bovate in Horbure which Margery del Grene holds
for the term of her life. This reversion is granted to Robert del Grene to hold
(etc) by the aforesaid service; and he gives ? ? for entry.
Editor
Return to Top.
A Dictionary of British Surnames Entry for Briginshaw
The full entry from P H Reaney's 'A Dictionary of British
Surnames' reads:
Birkenshaw, Birkinshaw Bircumshaw, Birtenshaw, Berkenshaw,
Burkenshaw, Burkinshaw, Burkinshear, Burkimsher, Burtinshaw Burtonshaw,
Buttanshaw, Buttenshaw, Buttonshaw, Brigenshaw, Briggenshaw, Briginshaw, Brigginshaw,
Brockenshaw, Brokenshaw, Brokenshire, Bruckshaw: William dcl Birkenschawe 1274
Wak (Y); Roger Birchynshawe 1408 LLB I; Richard Brekynshaw, Burtenshaw 1500,
1637 PN Sx 314; Leodard Byrkenshay, Byrtynschaw, Byrkynshay 1542-58 Rothwell PR
(Y); Thomas Birkenshire 1739 FrY.: From Birkenshaw (WRYorks). 1
Abbreviations:
Wak (Y) - Ct Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield,
LLB I - Calendar of.letter books of the City of London,
PN Sx - Place Name of Sussex, FrY - Register of freemen of the
City of York,
WRYorkE; - West Riding of Yorks,
Rothwell PR (y) Rothwell Parish Registers (York)
Other variants that I have so far come across in my research are
Bregynshaw, Brickenshall, Brickenshaw, Briganshier, Briginshier, Brigynshaw,
Brinkenshawe, Brychinshaw, Brykynshaw, Byrkynschaw and perhaps the most amusing
- BrigandShaw!
Return to Top.
The Map of the Manor of Wakefield
Return to Top.
HERALDRY TODAY AND THE PERIOD 1500-1700
In the last Newsletter I referred briefly to what I considered to
be the most exciting development in our family history i.e. a pedigree
purporting to take us back from our John Briginshaw of Taplow (born 1707
Halton) to the marriage of one William Briginshaw with Ann Sharp in 1564 at
Aston Clinton. You have already read, in the introduction to Geoffrey's article
on the origins of the family, the circumstances under which this pedigree was
produced for him by Heraldry Today. Geoffrey originally sent a copy of this
pedigree to John in Tasmania and in turn John kindly sent me a copy. I then
communicated direct with Geoffrey and he sent me copies of other notes and
correspondence from Heraldry Today.
Our family history research can now be divided very roughly into
three periods:
1. Pre 1500
2. 1500-1700
3. Post 1700
All that is so far known of the first period is contained in Geoffrey's article 'The Briginshaw Origins
- The Other end of the Line'.
A small part of the third period has been covered in detail in my
Newsletters to date with much remaining to be featured in future issues.
The second period is to be looked at in part in this Newsletter.
It is going to differ from other articles in that it will contain a much
greater degree of speculation than hitherto and must be considered to be no
more than a preliminary look at the material so far available.
At first I was reluctant to publish anything until I had been able
to carry out considerably more research. It has always been my policy to do my
best to see that anything published in my Newsletters has been thoroughly researched
and authenticated as far as possible. However, I soon realized that this would
certainly result in a very long delay. I asked myself if it was fair to hold
back information from family members when they could also enjoy the chase! 'The
excitement of research as new evidence is unearthed! - The disappointments as
brick walls are met!
It is interesting that many of the copy documents, letters, wills
and notes that make up my collection of those early years has come to me from
many sources besides my own research. There may well be further record in the
hands of members that I have not yet seen. There is no doubt that keen interest
in their family roots by so many individuals over many years has resulted in
these records being photo-copied and redistributed time and time again. In many
cases I no longer know who first found them. They have gone round the world and
come back again! There are some copy documents that come to me that I recognise
before I read them: I am sure family members will forgive me if I sometimes
quote their own work! As Jenny said to me in a recent letters
'It never fails to amaze me how many of the family are, and have
been,'not only interested in their roots, but have actively researched them.'
Much of the material used by Heraldry Today, in producing their
pedigree, is already known to us but has, perhaps, been put together in better
chronological order than any of us had attempted.
I propose to approach an examination of this period by firstly
reproducing on page 20 a copy of Heraldry Today's pedigree as it first came to
me but after some minor adjustments and additions which I was able to make from
material already in my hands. There seemed little purpose in producing the
pedigree twice in order.to show these differences which, in the main, added to
the work already done rather than altering it.
Before taking a closer look at the pedigree it would be only fair
to record two paragraphs from letters written by Rosemary Pinches when carrying
out the research
'There is one further point on the pedigree about which I may be
wrong, and that is whether the William who died in 1646 in fact had two wives
or whether there were two Williams, one of whose baptisms was not entered. As
the second marriage took place five months after Margaret Kene's death I
thought it more likely that it was one man. I was slightly worried, however, by
the fact that he apparently had a son William by his first wife and another
William by his second, but it is quite possible that the William baptised in
1600 died young. Unfortunately these Parish Registers are never complete......
'Going backwards in the pedigree our one weak link - and I doubt
if we shall ever be able to prove it more definitely - is the Thomas
Brigginshaw buried 1683 against whom I have put a question mark. As you may
know during the Commonwealth period the Churches went through a very difficult
time and were in fact not allowed to keep a record of baptisms etc. In a
very few cases one finds records of births,
but as a general rule, and Aston Clinton is no exception, there are only one or
two odd entries between about 1640 and
1660. Thomas is likely to have been born at this time and we will not be able
to find a record of his birth or baptism
One must appreciate, too, that only a limited amount of time was
spent by her on this research and that leaves a tremendous amount of work that
can still be done. Only time and dedicated research will show how far we can
get.
I am not going to deal with the whole of the pedigree in this
Newsletter. Eventually this will probably take many issues. I am going to
confine myself to five items and only the first of these has a direct
connection with Heraldry Today's pedigree. The other four cover just one
additional line of descent.
1. The will of William Brigginshaw proved 22.2.1609
2, Richard Brigginshaw proved 18.1.1661
3. Richard Briggenshaw proved 4.1.1675/,86
4. Robert Brigginshaw proved 26.2.1717
5. Boyd's Inhabitants of
London
These five records seem to connect four generations and cover the
origin of at least one line who became Cutlers in the City of London. Sundry
other records with probable connection add interest.
Return to Top.
The Will of William Brigginshaw 1609
Whilst I cannot say definitely that the William Brigginshaw and
his wife Ann whom he married 23.10.1564 at Aston Clinton are not the correct
couple to head the pedigree produced by Heraldry Today, I would suggest that it
is highly unlikely that he was the William who was buried Aston Clinton
23.1.1609 and whose will was proved 22.2.1609.
My reasons for this assertion are based on the relationships shown
by the contents of this will. However, I accept that it would be possible if William
married twice but in that case the children attributed to him by Heraldry
Today would be wrong.
The will of 1609 gives us:
There is some indication in the will that Joan was in fact a
second wife for William makes small bequests to five of his children i.e.
Richard, Silvester, Parnell, Elizabeth and Mary stating that they are all under
21 years of age.
Richard is serving an apprenticeship and provision is made for
Silvester to do the same. In leaving articles to his wife, Joan, he specifies
certain items that 'she brought'. In leaving other items to his sons Thomas,
William and Robert he refers to lone fine sheet which was his mother's' in the
case of Robert. He left silver. spoons to Thomas, William and Robert and all
the rest of his goods to William who is made sole executor.
I have not yet found the marriage of William with Joan or the
baptism of most of the children.
It is quite possible for Ann Sharp to have been his first wife as
it would seem that she died in 1597, giving 12 years before Williamls death,
and during which he could have been remarried to Joan and she could have given
him a further five children. It is unlikely that any of the five youngest could
have belonged to Ann, for to be under 21 in 1609 as indicated by William, even
the eldest of the five could not have been born earlier than 1588 or 24 years
after the marriage of William with Ann in 1564.
There is an alternative and that is that Joan brought these
younger children with her from a previous marriage. In fact there are pointers to this possibility; Note the names
Parnell and Silvester - not usual Briginshaw names. They were Baldwin names (another prolific local family) and we
see from the Parish Registers and the Pedigree that there was at least one
marriage between these families (Thomas Briginshaw with Jane Baldwin 1643),
then Parnell married William Rolphe 29.4.1611 at Aston Clinton so she must have
been born before Ann died in 1597 and yet, as we have seen, if she was under 21
in 1609 she was unlikely to be Annls child.
In passing it is interesting to note that the book 'Hilltop
Villages of the Chilterns' by David and Joan Hay, tells us:
'Dunridge (one of the Manors connected with Aston Clinton) was
bought in 1544 from the King by Sir John Baldwin, Chief Justice of the Common
Pleas, but the identity of name with that of the tenents may be accidental extensive
research has failed to find any connection between the eminent branch of the
family and the humbler yeoman of our village who remained in possession'
Or was there perhaps some connection? 'The Victoria County History
for Buckinghamshire' says that Sir John Baldwin's youngest daughter (who
married a Borleas and bore a son John) was named Parnell! Or was our Parnell
just named after her for prestige purposes?
I now need to find the marriage of William with Joan which might
also give her maiden name or previous married name. Then the baptisms of the children could be sought and perhaps
the mystery solved.
Of course, the possibility must not be overlooked that the William
who married Joan was another William who has no connection with the pedigree
produced by Heraldry Today, the,only certainty being that he was the one whose
will was proved in 1609. Such are the problems of research! In future
Newsletters I shall deal with evidence prior to 1564 that would indicate the
probability of many other lines from which this descent might have originated
Return to Top.
The Will of Richard Brigginshaw 1661
The next helpful will is that of Richard Brigginshaw, Gentlemnn
of Hayes, made 20.11.1661 and proved in PCC 18.1.1661. It seems almost certain that he waa, Richard
the son of William who had apprenticed him. There are earlier references to
Briginshaws who were Cutlers in the City of London so it.seems likely that he
was apprenticed to an older member of the family already established in the
trade. Perhaps'the strongest clue that we have the right Richard who became a
Citizen and Cutler of the City of London is a reference in his will to his
'sister Rolphel (Parnell married William Rolphe as we have already seen).
Richard made bequests to daughter Ann Hackett widow (£20) and Richard her
son.£300 to son Christopher. Gave tenements etc., in Lyme Street City of London
to son Richard, also Citizen and Cutler of London, and his issue reserving 1/3
of rents for Ann his wife. Gave sister Rolphe annuity which, after her death,
was to go to her daughter Mary Witham. Gave goods to wife, and to his son
William, 40/- for a ring. If Richard his son had no issue then tenements to go
to William and his issue in default. Made Richard sole executor and his
brother-in-law, Peter Sparks, Overseer.
This will gives us:
We can look at his children and enlarge upon this outline:
Ann
The Parish Registers of St @y's Woolnorth gives us her
marriage:'Cuthbard Hackett of Mildred Poultry married Ann Briginshaw 7.5.1645.
Christopher
Tile Parish Registers of St @y's Hayes gives us the baptism of his
children'Children of Christopher and Ann Briginshaw: Anne 5.1.1671, Charles
4.3.1673 and William 8.5.1676'
Richard
There are two marriage licences issued by the Faculty Office of
the Archbishop of Canterbury:
A.
1665 21st July Richard Brigginshaw of Hayes Middlesex Gentleman Batchelor 35
and Elizabeth Justice Spinster 17 daughter of William Justice Eaq of St
Lawrence Jewry London who consents at Stoke Newington Middx.
B.
1667 31st December Richard Brigginshaw of Hayes Middlesex Gentleman Batchelor
35 and Mary Dunkan Spinster 20 daughter of William Dunkan of St Botolph
Aldersgate London who consents at St Botolph.
It rather looks as if the first marriage did not take place. The
second application shows Richard to be, still be a batchelor.
Return to Top.
The Will of Richard Briggenshaw 1675/6
At present I only have a photocopy of notes made from a translation
of the next will which is that of Richard Briggenshaw, the son of Richard who
died in 1661. Describing himself as Citizen and Cutler of London it is dated
8.1.1674/5 and proved in PCC,4.1.1675/6 by Richard Bayley Executor. Letters of
Administration were later granted (30.3.1776) to Mary Briggenshaw, widow, on
death of.Executor.
The will:
1. Secured œ200 pa to Mary his wife out of all his real estate
2. Secured payment of œ500 owing to Richard Bayley
3. All freehold and copyhold for his eldest son Richard, paying
above £200 per annum to mother
4. Bond of £500 from his father Dunker to his daughter Mary and
£1000 in addition on marriage or attaining 21 years
5. £1500 to son Robert at 21 years
6. Appoints Richard Bayley Executor and his father Dunker Overseer
and Guardian of his three children
7. All household goods, plate, jewels and pearls to wife Mary
during widowhood
8. To Richard Bayley and Mr Dunker £50 each for mourning
I think the 'father Dunker' is a translation error and refers to
his father-in-law William Dunkan or Duncan. I must extract the original will.
This will gives us:
Again we can enlarge upon this outline:
The Parish Registers of St Mary's Hayes show the following
baptisms as sons of Richard Briginshaw Gent and Mary:
Richard
23.11.1671 born 6 Nov)
Robert 16.
2.1672 {born 30 Jan)
The Burial Register of the same Parish shows a Richard Briginshaw
(son of Richard, deceased) was buried 18.8.1685. We have no proof at present that
it was the above eldest son but it seems likely.
Before coming to the next generation we will look at three other
items affecting this branch.
There is a sword displayed in the London Museum and listed in
their catalogue 'Arms and Armour in Tudor and Stuart London'
'Broadsword dated 1636 made at Hounslow by Johann Hoppie for
Richard Briginshaw'
It seems likely that this was Richard Briginshaw who died in 1661.
I will see if more details can be obtained.
After the death of his son Richard in 1675 his wife Mary
remarried. We have the Marriage
Allegation dated 5.5.1679 'John Mould of Inner Temple Gent Widower, about 35
and Mrs Mary Brigginshaw of Hayes Widow, about 28 in the Charter-House Chapel
-and the marriage is recorded 6.5.1679 at Charter House Chapel Finsbury.
Then'The College of Heralds In their letter to Richard, and
referred to already on page 6,, expressed the opinion that 'Richard who died
1661 and owned property in Lime Street was the same man whose pedigree and
claim to arms,were recorded at the Heralds Visitation of the County of
Middlesex in 1663. He claimed arms of-a fees counter embattled ermine between
three lions passant (tinctures unspecified) with' crest; in a mural crown a
demi lion. The claim was not allowed immediately but was respited to London and
no more seems to have been done in the matter. The eldest son of this Richard
is described in the visitation record as of Earles Court Worcestershire'.
I am a little unhappy that this Richard died in 1661 whereas the
Heralds Visitation took place in 1663 and wondered if it was not perhaps the
son but on the other hand maybe the claim was made before his death and 1663
was the earliest the Heralds could deal with the matter and could it be that
the respite was on account of his death? I must see if anything further can be
unearthed here.
I am not an expert in either Latin or Heraldry but taking the
above description of the claim to arms I drew up the following achievement:
It is only an approximation and must not be accepted as anything
other than that.
Return to Top.
The Will of Robert Brigginshaw 1717/1718
Now to continue with the next generation. Knowing from a copy of a
report by the Charity Commissioners that one Robert Brigginshaw was buried in
Hillingdon Churchyard I recently paid a visit to the Parish Church of St John
the Baptist Hillingdon and with the kind assistance of John Shepherd, one of
the Churchwardens whom I was lucky enough to find in the Church,we located the
tomb of Robert.
After the passage of 273 years the tomb is, of course, well
weathered and the inscription, in Latin, very difficult to read. However it is
fortunate that, those monumental inscriptions still legible, have been recorded
by West Middlesex Family History Society and the copy deposited with the Church
was produced for me by John Shepherd in the vestry and solved this little
difficulty.
Hic Jacet Robertus Brigginshaw
Generoaus qui natus erat in parochia
de Heese in Comitatu Middledexiae
Tricessimo Januarii Anno Domini 1672
Obiitq Vicesimo Sexto die Mensis
Januarii Anno Domini 1717
(with Coat of Arms)
Tomb No 268
This I translate as:
Here lies Robert Brigginshaw
Gentleman who was born in the Parish
Of Hayes in the County of Middlesex
30th January in the year of our Lord 1672
He died the 26th day of the Month of
January in the year of our Lord 1717
The.tomb, shown below, is a table tomb with the inscription
carved on the top surface and the exciting thing was that, although very badly
eroded, enough of the achievement could still be seen to show that it was very near
to the one I had drawn up a few days before. So whether the claim to arms by
Richard was ever granted or not it seems that his grandson Robert, or those who
erected his tomb, used it.
Tomb of R Briginshaw (large file, click here to view picture)
Achievement on Tomb (large file, click here to view picture)
No mention of a coat of arms appears in Robert's will, although he
dictates in detail the inscription to be carved on his tomb.
4. I then extracted the will of Robert Brigginshaw proved in PCC
26.2.1717.
This will, a long one, proved to be most interesting. Drawn UP
17.10.1715 with a codicil added 21.1.1717 it showed Robert Brigginshaw to be of
Heese (Hayes) in the County of Middlesex with property there and Lyme Street in
the City of London.
Born 30.1.1672 he died at the age of 45 and apparently never
married. He left most of his estate to his sister, Mary, wife of Mr Perris.
After the decease of his sister his estates in Hayes and the City
of London to go to her issue, or in the case of want of such issue, same to go
to his kinsman Timothy Brigginshaw of Barles Court in Gloucestershire and in
turn to his issue, or in the case of want of such issue,.to Robert Brigginshaw,
son of Charles Brigginshaw, and his heirs.
So here is Earles Court cropping up again. It is not clear who
Timothy was but Robert, son of Charles, could have been grandson of
Christopher. I must next examine the parish registers covering Earles Court and
see if I can sort out these cousins.
We have already seen that Mary, the wife of Richard and mother of
Robert, remarried one John Mould. It would seem that she produced at least four
daughters by that union. Robert mentions four sisters-in-law, daughters of his
late mother, Mary Mould. The title 'sister.,-in-law' for a half sister was
often used at that period. I prefer the other expression sometimes used sister
of the half blood'.
Robert left to these four girls, Beatrice, Deborah, Hannah and
Martha Mould an annual annuity of £20 each to be charged against his property
in Lyme Street, City of London.
He bequeathed to his friend Mathew Williams of Sarrat in the
County of Hertfordshire, Gentleman, the summe of ten pounds to be merry with.
He also made a bequest of ten pounds to the rather strange
'Brigginshaw Brownjohn' if alive at my decease'. It is quite clear -
'Brigginshaw Brownjohnl. One of the witnesses to his will was ffrancis Brownjohn.
I do not know the answer to this.
He appointed William Entwisle of London, Gentleman, and Mathew
Nicholas of Botwell in the Parish of Heese, Yeoman, as his executors, leaving
them £50.each for this duty.
Then on 21.1.1717 he added a lengthy codicil to his will.
He revoked his appointment of William Entwisle (who had died) as
an executor and replaced him with Henry Perris.
He revoked the demise of the remainder of his estates to Robert
Brigginshaw, son of Charles Brigginshaw, in default of his sister Mary or his
kinsman Timothy having issue and replaced him with his kinsman William
Brigginshaw of (Southall?) in the parish of Heese in his stead.
He then directed that his corps be interred in the Churchyard
belonging to the Parish of Hillingdon in the County of Middx between the style
and the yew tree and ordered that the stonecutter Captain William Tuffnoll
should direct and order the place for digging of his grave and that he 'doe
make and errect a handsome monument and cause the same to be placed over my
grave and that there be no other inscription than this
(Hic Jacet Robertis Brigginshaw
Generoaus qui natus erat in Parochia
Tricesimo Jannuary anno domini
............. . die mensis
. Anno Domini
For which he was to be paid £100.
He continued:
'and it is my will and pleasure that my corps be removed to the
Crown Inne in Uxbridge and from thence be carried to the Churchyard at
Hillingdon there to be interred'
He names six Pall Bearers and continues:
'I doe direct and appoint my said executors to provide a handsome
dinner and other entertainment at the Crown Inne in Uxbridge aforesaid for the
said Pall Bearers and such other persons they shall think fit to invite to my
funeral strictly charging and forbidding them to invite any other parishioners
of Heese (Hayes) or person living in the said Parish to my funeral or to the
said entertainment'
He left to the Charity of the Poor of the Parish of'Hillingdon
yearly the sum of thirty shillings to be distributed amongst such poor decayed
housekeepers who do not receive alms from the Parish either in money or bread.
It appears that his half sister Beatrice Mould was living with him
at this time, and in his will, makes provision to protect her from any claims
in respect of charges for lodging and gives her liberty to continue to reside
in his house for a year free of all costs. Gave her £50 for mourning and many
household items which were itimised and included:
'The black cabbinet in the parlor, bedds with furniture and
bedding belonging thereto, six cane chairs, half the household linen, a dousen
plates, seven silver spoons, six each of knives, forks, teacups and sawcers,
brasse tea kettle and lamp, looking glass, two sawcepanns, pewtor dishes and
the great porridgepot'
He gave his gray mare to John Walker of Hillingdon -and his brown
colt to William White. To Anne, his servantmaid and Richard, his Gardener, both
now living with him £5 each to buy them mourning. Makes various other bequests including £50 to his kinsman William
Brigginshaw
Return to Top.
Boyd's Inhabitants of London
'Boyds Inhabitants of London', held by the Society of
Genealogists, seem to have listed only one Briginshaw - a William baptised
16.5.1647. This gives details of his lineage as follows
It may be possible to obtain further confirmation but there seems
little doubt that this entry fits into our family tree and with the wills I
have listed helps to extend it as follows on the next page.
Interesting as these connections are they do not help very much
with the continuation of the Aston Clinton lines but they do establish pretty
clearly one line which came to reside in Hayes and were Cutlers in the City of
London.
I hope to devote the whole of Newsletter NO 5 to one Richard
Briginshaw (born circa 1805 and as yet unidentified on the family tree) who
emigrated' to Van Dieman's Land at the expense of His Majesty!! John first stumbled upon record of him in
Tasmania and further reaearch is proving very interesting.
Then in Newsletter No 6 I hope to return to the 1500-1700 period
and deal with further evidence already possessed or to be unearthed by
research.
Return to Top.