MRP: Dramatis personnae

Dramatis personnae

Editorial history

19/08/11, CSG: Created page

This page is at an early stage of development. It is likely to be restructured and to receive considerable new content

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Overview

This page provides thumbnail portraits of key merchants, lawyers, and family members involved in the commercial life and litigation of Sir George Oxenden in the 1650s and 1660s.

More complete biographical profiles are being prepared for a number of families and individuals. Examples at various stages of development are available at People.

The page does not provide a complete list of Oxenden and related family members.

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Thumbnail biographies

The following sample dramatis personnae profiles are provisional and require further work on content, style, notes, and links to primary and secondary documentation

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Captain Jeremy Blackman

b.
m.
d. c.1656

According to Foster, Captain Jeremy Blackman [senior] was associated with William Courteen Junior as commander of the William on a voyage to India and China in 1643-45. Following his return, Blackman joined the EEIC, and was elected in August 1647 a committee of the Second General Voyage. Prominent in the planning behind the Assada scheme, which sought, ultimately unsuccessfully, to establish a plantation on an island off the island of Madagascar. Became a committee of the United Joint Stock, when it was formed in XXXX. Declined offer in February 1650 to become President in Surat, but accepted in November 1651, in succession to President Merry. Took his wife and children with him to Surat.

Sources

Jeremy Blackman senior will

p. vii, Calendar, 1650-1654; Will of Jeremy or Jeremie Blackman of Saint Andrew Undershaft, City of London 25 November 1656 PROB 11/259 Berkeley 363 - 412; [PROBABLE MATCHED RECORD OF SON OF CAPT. JEREMY BLACKMAN] Will of Jeremy Blackman, Gentleman 31 August 1668 PROB 11/327 Hone 58 - 112

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Christopher Boone

b. ca.1615
m. N/A
d. 1686

Christopher Boone (b. c.1615, d. c.1686). Merchant. Originally from Taunton, Somerset. Member of the Merchant Taylor livery company.

Cousin to George Oxenden and Elizabeth Dalyson; five years older than Oxenden. Factor in Seville (XXXX), prior to return to London. Residence at St Leonard, Bromley, Middlesex (1666) and at All Saints, Lee, West Kent (1686).

Brother or cousin of Thomas Boone, merchant, they were both involved in the Spanish trade,. Both Christopher and Thomas Boone appear frequently in the correspondence of the Spanish merchant, John Paige. Paige was associated with Maurice Thompson in the 1650s in several ventures in the East Indies. Thomas Boone had been involved with Maurice Thompson in the late 1640s in advancing the Asssada plantation off Madagascar.

Christopher Boone expanded his commercial reach into the East India trade, and had some commercial interest in West Africa. The extent of his West African trade is unclear, beyond a definite venture associated with the Guinea trade in the company of Elizabeth Dalyson’s close advisor, the merchant Thomas Papillon, and of the merchant Thomas Tyte, one of Elizabeth Dalyson’s two nominated referees required by the Court of Chancery.

Christopher Boone was elected a committee of the New England Company of 1649 in September 1677

Sources

Christopher Boone will

LETTER TO GO FROM ELIZABETH DALYSON: Aprill y:e 1:th (sic) 1663:ff.74-82: Oxenden Papers, Vols. XIII-XVIII: Volume: “ In Ano 1663”, Add MSS. 40708-40713; John Evelyn’s Diary; Introduction', The letters of John Paige, London merchant, 1648-58: London Record Society 21 (1984), pp. IX-XXXIX; p. 70, 93; PRC11/385 Lloyd Quire Numbers: 136 – 181; PRC11/389 Foot Quire Numbers: 133 – 172; p. XXX, 'The New England Company of 1649 and John Eliot: The ledger for the years…' (XXXX:XXXX, XXXX)]

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Thomas Burnell

b.
m.
d. 1661

Thomas Burnell (b. ?, d. 1661) subscribed 1200 shares in the William and 500 shares in the SVJS. This suggests a merchant of some capital. I have provisionally identified him as the clothworker, whose will was proved in 1661.

The family appears in Towerstreet ward in The Visitation of London, Anno. Domini 1633, 1634, and 1635. In the Visitation Thomas Burnell, "of London marchant," is shown as married to Hester, "da. of Henry Wollaston of London sometime fined for Alderman of London," in a marriage which appears to have been in 1633.

His father is shown as John Burnell, "of London, gent. a° 1570", married to Barbara "da. of Peter Camberlin of Dansicke." He is shown with an elder brother, John Burnell "of London marchant marr. Anne, daughter of M:r Sebright," who had two sons and three daughters, and with a younger brother, William Burnell "of Stanmore Magna in com. Midd," who is shown as married to Elizabeth, daughter of John King of London, merchant.

His brother John Burnell may have had a second wife, Mary, since Thomas Burnell refers in his will to "the parish church of Allhallows Barkinge London neare Tower hill under the grave stone there lyinge where my deare brother John Burnell and his vertuous wife Mary (of worthy memory) lyeth buried."

The grandfather is shown as Thomas Burnell of Dover gent., so this is a family which moved to London one generation before the Oxenden venture subscriber generation.

Valerie Pearl identifies the clothworker, Thomas Burnell, as a royalist in the early 1640s.

DATA TO BE CHECKED

"March 17 Thomas Burnell s’vant to Mathue Sharpe, clothworker" (appears to be a burial) (p.136, The Publications of the Harleian Society: Registers, Volume 5 (The Society, 1880)
The Burnell family, Tower Ward, is displayed on p. 123, Joseph Jackson Howard, Joseph Lemuel Chester (eds.), The Visitation of London, Anno. Domini 1633, 1634, and 1635 (London: Harleian Society, 1880)

WILLS OF POSSIBLE RELEVANCE

Will of John Burnell, Clothworker of London of Great Stanmer, Middlesex 16 August 1605 PROB 11/106 Hayes 55 – 90 [CSG: This looks related to the later Thomas Burnell, clothworker, will proved 1671, since there is a separate reference in a list of clothworkers charities to the father of Thomas being John Burnell, and mother Barbara Burnell, both of Stanmore, Middlesex
Will of John Burnell, Clothworker of London 02 December 1605 PROB 11/106 Hayes

Sources

Thomas Burnell will

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Sir Richard Ford

b. ? 1613
m.
d. ? 1678 (def. By 1681, when Grace Ford, relict, in probate suit)

Sir Richard Ford (b. ? 1613, d. ?1678) was a naval supplier, working in partnership with his son-in-law, Peter Proby, who had married Grace Ford. Proby was the grandson of the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Peter Proby.

Ford was an associate in the 1650s of Nathaniel Temms, John Dethick, John Bancks and Martin Noell, all men rising rapidly. He was one of the new subscribers to the New General Stock in 1657 and was appointed to the six person committee which was established to negotiate with a six person committee of existing subscribers. His associates on the committee are revealing – they were Maurice Thompson, Alderman Temms, Alderman Noel, Thomas Kendall, and Samuel Moyer. He was thus an ally of Thompson as Thompson inserted himself at the apex of the EEIC hierachy.

He was appointed an EEIC committee in XXXX, knighted by Charles II in XXXX, and appointed by Charles to the Council for Trade and Foreign Plantations formed in 1660 under Charles II, together with his associate Martin Noell, who was similarly knighted. On March 14th [CHECK] 1662/3 he wrote with moderate familiarity to Oxenden, requesting a small favour.

Steven Pincus asserts that Sir Richard Ford was one of the most important London merchants in the Restoration period. This is a bold and decidely unproven statement.

Add comments by other historians on Sir Richard Ford

Sources

14th March (poss. 19th) 1662/63, Letter from Richard Ford to Sir GO, London

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James Maddiford/Modyford

b. 1618, XXXX
m.
d. 1675 (or 1673?, according to ODNB), Jamiaca

James Maddiford or Modyford (b., 1618, d. 1675 (or d. 1673). Invested £500 in the SVJS in 1655. In 1662 he was a part owner with Sir George Oxenden of the Loyal Merchant, as revealed in a 1665 Chancery case. He sent a friendly letter and small gift to Oxenden in March 1662/3. Knighted around October 1660. Created a baronet in 1660/61.

Born in 1618 in Exeter, son of John Modyford, alderman and mayor of Exeter. He married in 1657 Elizabeth Slanning, daughter of Sir Nicholas Slanning, of Maristow, Devon, who died at the battle of Bristol in XXXX, and who was the step-daughter of Richard Arundell, Baron Arundell of Trerice, County Cornwall.

Four children by his wife, Elizabeth - Mary, Elizabeth, Grace, and Thomas. His brother, Thomas Modyford, was appointed governor of Jamaica in 1664, and James Modyford became his London agent.

In 1666 James Modyford was appointed lieutenant-governor of Providence Island, or Santa Catalina, and travelled to West Indies without his wife and children, to discover that the island had been recaptured by the Spanish. In compensation his brother Thomas appointed him Deputy Governor of Jamaica. James Modyford purchased a small cocoa plantation on the island, with slaves, and by 1670 held 530 acres in St Andrews parish, 1000 acres in St. John’s, and 3500 acres in St.Katherine’s. ODNB entry states that his offices probably relapsed after the replacement of Thomas Modyford as governor, but that he stayed in Jamica, and was joined by his wife and children.

Burke (XXXX) states he died in Jamaica on 13th January 1675, and was buried at St. Andrews, Jamaica. However, the ODNB entry states that he died in January 1673. The ODNB suggests that Sir James Modyford died intestate.

Sources

10th March 1662/63, Letter from James Modyford to Sir GO, London

'Modyford, Sir James, baronet (1618–1673), merchant and colonial agent in Jamaica. Oxford Biography Index Number 101018870' [ODNB]

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Beniamine Morewood

b.
m.
d. betw. 1655 & 1664
Investments: SVJS (£500)

Beniamine Morewood [alt. Morwood] was a younger son of John Morewood, of the Oaks, Bradfield, co. York, gent. (d.1647). He had eight brothers and seven sisters. He was apprenticed to his uncle, the London merchant and member of the Grocer’s Company, Gilbert Morwood (b.1586, d.1650), and was still an apprentice at the time of Gilbert’s death.

Beniamine may have had useful commercial contact to the rising merchant Thomas Rich through Rich’s marriage to Gilbert Morwood’s daughter, Barbara. Rich was nominated one of the two executors’s to Gilbert Morewood’s will (though Barbara Rich had died by 1647), but appears to have declined. Beniamine was explicitly asked in Gilbert’s will to assist Ffrances Morwood, Gilbert’s widow, as well as seeing that his debts were honestly paid, but in fact it was Beniamine who was granted the administration on June 21 1650, Frances, the relict of Gilbert, having also died. For the original service in Gilbert’s will he was named residual heir of Gilbert’s property in Cornhill in the parish of St. Christopher, London after the death of Ffrances, so he will have come into the property immediately. (1) Separately he inherited £400 at the age of 25 from his father’s will (2).

Interestingly, Thomas Rich and Beniamine Morewood were both investors in the SVJS. (3)

No will has been discovered for Beniamine, and he may have died intestate, since C10/109/102 appears to refer to an adminstratrix, possibly a married sister, or alternatively his cousin Frances Greseley, who m. Thomas Greseley, and who was dau. of Gilbert Morwood. He was dead by 1664, so it is likely that he would have been in his mid to late thirties at the time of his death. (4)

It is not clear in what commercial areas Beniamine was active in 1650s, other than than the East Indies through his investment in the SVJS. Gilbert Morwood, to whom he had been apprenticed, had been a committee of the EEIC at his death, and had been involved in trade with Brasil in 1649, and in trade possibly with Guinea and West Indies in 1648 (5)

Sources

(1) Will of Gilbert Morwood of London 21 June 1650 PROB 11/212 Pembroke Quire Numbers: 55 - 109 (2) Will of John Morewood, Gentleman of Oaks in Bradfield, Yorkshire 11 May 1648 PROB 11/204 Essex Quire Numbers: 53 - 107; p. 14, Thomas Noble (ed.), 'Pedigree of Morewood, of the Oaks in Bradfield, and Alfreton', The History of the County of Derby (Derby: Henry Mozley & Son, 1829) (3) C10/109/102 (1663) (4) C10/82/2 (1664) (5) Table 4.2, p.192, Robert Brenner, Merchants and Revolution (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992)

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Nicholas Read

b.
m.
d. c.1671

Nicholas Read (b. XXXX, d. 1671). Read invested £2000 in SVJS, and was the captain of the ship the Smyrna Venture during the 1650s. He retired to Stoke Hall, near Ipswich, after the return of the ship from Surat at the end of the SVJS trading voyage.

A different commander of the Smyrna Merchant, Captain XXXX, was at the helm when Read's former ship went aground and caught fire off Madagascar in XXXX.

Read corresponded with great friendliness with Oxenden in March 1662/63. Indeed it is noteworthy in Oxenden’s correspondence that Oxenden maintained friendly relations with many captains with whom he had been associated during his career.

He died in 1671.

Sources

Will of Nicholas Read of Stoke Hall next Ipswich, Suffolk 29 August 1671 PROB 11/337 Duke 102 - 158;
17th March 1662/63, Letter from Nicholas Reade to Sir GO, Ipswich

Nicholas Read will

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=Index=

A

Robert Abdy
Edward Ashe

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B

John Banks
Henry Barnard
Samuel Barnardiston
Thomas Bendish
Captain Jeremy Blackman
Thomas Bludworth
Christopher Boone
Francis Breton
Thomas Breton
Thomas Bromfield
Edwyn Browne
Thomas Bronkit
Nicholas Buckeridge
Sir John Buckworth
Thomas Burnell
Abraham Bush

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C

Sir Dudley Carleton
Sir Thomas Chambrelan
James Clitherow
Nicholas Cooke
Captain Peter Cooze
Robert Cranmer

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D

Elizabeth Dalyson
Francis Dashwood
Simon Delboe
John Dickons

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E

Symon Edmonds
Daniel Edwards
Robert Ellis

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F

Thomas ffarington
Sir Richard Ford

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G

Sir John Gayer
Michaell Godfrey

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H

Robert Hawes
Thomas Hodges
Mathew Holworthy

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I

Sir Arthur Ingram

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J

John Jolliffe

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L

James Lane
Thomas Lee(gh)
Edward Lewis
Charles Longland
William Love

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M

James Master
James Man
William Meggs
Samuel Mico
Peter Middleton
James Modyford
John Moore
William More
Beniamine Morewood

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N

Sir Martin Noell
Jane Noke
William Noke

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O

Christopher Oxenden
Sir George Oxenden
Sir Henry Oxenden

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P

Thomas Papillon
Edward Pearce
Thomas Pearle
Daniel Pennington
William Pennoyer
Samuel Pixley

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R

Robert Raworth
Nicholas Read
Andrew Riccard
Thomas Rich
Thomas Roberts
William Robinson

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S

Abraham Sayon
George Smith
Richard Spencer
Henry Spurstow
Thomas Stile
John Swift

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T

John Taylor
Nathaniell Temms
Job Throgmorton
Thomas Tyte
Richard Turgis

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W

John White
Steven White
William Williams
John Wilmott
Hugh Wood

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