George Margetts

George Margetts

George Margetts
Person	George Margetts
Title
First name	George
Middle name(s)
Last name	Margetts
Suffix
Spouse of
Widow of
Occupation	Ropemaker
Secondary shorebased occupation
Mariner occupation
Associated with ship(s)
Training	Not apprentice
Is apprentice of
Was apprentice of
Had apprentice(s)
Citizen	Unknown
Literacy	Signature
Has opening text
Has signoff text
Signoff image	(Invalid transcription image)
Language skills	English language
Has interpreter
Birth street
Birth parish
Birth town
Birth county
Birth province
Birth country
Res street	Thamesstreet
Res parish	Saint Dunstans in the East
Res town	London
Res county
Res province
Res country	England
Birth year
Marriage year
Death year
Probate date
First deposition age
Primary sources
Act book start page(s)
Personal answer start page(s)
Allegation start page(s)
Interrogatories page(s)
Deposition start page(s)	HCA 13/61 f.39v Annotate, HCA 13/61 f.491r Annotate
Chancery start page(s)
Letter start page(s)
Miscellaneous start page(s)
Act book date(s)
Personal answer date(s)
Allegation date(s)
Interrogatories date(s)
Deposition date(s)	Apr 19 1648, May 28 1649, Feb 21 1650
How complete is this biography?
Has infobox completed	Yes
Has synthesis completed	No
Has HCA evidence completed	No
Has source comment completed	No
Ship classification
Type of ship	N/A
Silver Ship litigation in 1650s
Role in Silver Ship litigation	None

Biographical synthesis

George Margetts [alt. Margets] (b.?; d.?1665). Ropemaker, though appears to describe himself as ironmonger in his probable will of 1665.

Margetts had a shop on Thamesstreet in the parish of Saint Dunstans in the East and a ropeground in Limehouse in the parish of Stepney

Hermione Hobhouse (1994) states that George Margett's ropeyard was on the northern side of eight acres of riverside land imemdiately to the south of the boundary between Limehouse and Poplar. This land was leased in 1633 to the shipwright John Graves, who had his yard at the north side of the boundary. This was later known as Limekiln Dockyard and then Dundee Wharf. George Margetts took out a sublease on the northern part of the property around 1650 and developed it as a ropemaking yard with a wharf, ropehouse, storehouse, houses and a ropewalk. In 1662 Margetts acquired the freehold to John Graves' eight acres with and additional two and a half acres in the east.

Evidence from High Court of Admiralty

1648

Twenty-eight year old Robert Hooker deposed on April 19th 1648 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined in the cause of "Margetts con Sweete and others".

The case concerned a ship named the Greene Dragon, whose master John Bowden was now deceased. During Bowden's lifetime goods and materials had been delivered to the Green Dragon, as per a schedule attached to the allegation. These were delivered on behalf of the producent George Margetts, partly by Joseph Stapeley, who was an apprentice of George Margetts, and partly by Robert Hooker. Margett's shop was located in Thames street "at the signe of the Rotterdam in the parish of Saint Dunstans in the East". The goods were collected from the shop by some of Bowden's men.

Robert Hooker stated that in 1646 he had been a servant of George Margetts, and still was at the time of his deposition in 1648. He had also delivered goods to Bowden's men on behalf of George Margetts. These he delivered "at Margetts his ropeground in Limehouse on the 22th of April 1646" and also on May 7th 1646. Hooker itemised the goods together with their prices. The goods included Hamburg lines, ropes of various weights, ropes of fine Rhine hemp, and buoy ropes.

1649

Twenty-nine year old Robert Hooker deposed on May 28th 1649 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined in the cause of "Margetts con Collet et Roberts".

The case concerned the delivery of goods and materials by the ropemaker George Margett to the ship the Endeavour (Master: Walter Davies). Robert Hooker attested to his expertise in the rope business, "having used the said trade about 13 or 14 yeares together".

1650

Twenty-five year old Joseph Stapeley, servant of George Margetts, deposed on February 21st 1650 in the High Court of Admiralty. The case concerned the newly built ship the Merchant Frigot (Master: Nicholas Phillips), which was bound for Guinea and needed fitting and furnishing. Stapeley reports delivering provisions, materials, tackle and cordage partly in Margett's shop in Thames Street "known by the sign of the Rotterdam" and partly from Margett's "ropeground at Limehouse". Stapeley describes his master as a "ropeseller", and himself as book keeper to Margett, who entered details of deliveries in his master's shop book. The goods had been delivered between March 1646 and November 1647. Margett's received payment from the ship's master for all but £50, for which he took a bond for payment.

Comment on sources

1650

C 10/5/51 Thomas Fosson, Thomas Chilston, John Cooke, Charles Crofts and George Margetts v Thomas Arnold and Mary Scott widow: money matters, Middx. Bill, plea and demurrer. 1650.

1654

C 6/150Pt1/59 Short title: Edwards v Forth. Plaintiffs: Adam Edwards, George Margettes, Thomas Browne, Thomas Daines and William White. Defendants: Hugh Forth. Subject: money matters. Document type: answer only. 1654.

1659

C 6/142/35 Short title: Canham v Margetts. Plaintiffs: Thomas Canham . Defendants: George Margetts . Subject: money matters, Middlesex. Document type: bill, answer. 1659

1665

PROB 11/317/148 Will of George Margetts, Ironmonger of London 28 June 1665.

PROB 4/11540 Margetts, George, of St. Dunstan in the East, London. 1665 23 Aug.

PROB 4/11540

1681

PROB 11/365/85 Will of George Margetts, Merchant of Stepney, Middlesex 18 January 1681