It appears that we have a very distant connection with a friend of Samuel Pepys the great diarist. We are related indirectly but by blood to John West as shown below. He and I are First Cousins 12 times removed. His connection to Samuel Pepys will be shown later.
What follows has been gleaned from researches carried out by Nigel Newbery and from my own trawling of the internet. There was a story handed down through the Benham and Shepard families that female descendants may be eligible for a pension at the time of dire need. In some papers passed down to Nigel when our grandmother passed away it became clear that her mother Alice Benham nee Froome had availed herself of this entitlement. The following letter from the Trustees of Christ’s Hospital confirm that she would receive a pension of £20 annually.
Nigel contacted Christ’s Hospital who confirmed that as his mother my Aunt Joan, was the oldest female child of Edith Alice Benham who herself was the oldest female child of Alice Benham the entitlement could pass down to Nigel’s own daughters. The following pedigree confirms the lineage back to John West the founder of the Trust.
The document contains a few inconsistencies which Nigel has subsequently corrected with Christ’s Hospital.
No. 1908 - Sophia Wyse is said to have been born 13.10.1841 but, as she had a son three months later, this must be wrong. The Clerk confirmed that the date is as it appeared in the Register but he agreed that it did seem suspicious. Since confirmed that her son Charles was born on 18.01.1842 so the 1841 date may relate to her marriage.
No. 1909 - There is only a two day gap between Alice Froome’s Birth and her parent’s Wedding. Research subsequently proved this to be correct.
No. 2593 - Queried the name Edith in brackets but did not get a satisfactory reply. This is the name of Alice Froome’s oldest daughter so there must be a mix-up in the Records.
No. 6346 - Reginald Shepard’s middle Christian name is James not Francis. The Clerk confirmed this was a typing error.
No. 6347 - Ernest Rupert’s surname is Newbery not Shepard. This is also a typing error
The document contains a few inconsistencies which Nigel has subsequently corrected with Christ’s Hospital.
No. 1908 - Sophia Wyse is said to have been born 13.10.1841 but, as she had a son three months later, this must be wrong. The Clerk confirmed that the date is as it appeared in the Register but he agreed that it did seem suspicious. Since confirmed that her son Charles was born on 18.01.1842 so the 1841 date may relate to her marriage.
No. 1909 - There is only a two day gap between Alice Froome’s Birth and her parent’s Wedding. Research subsequently proved this to be correct.
No. 2593 - Queried the name Edith in brackets but did not get a satisfactory reply. This is the name of Alice Froome’s oldest daughter so there must be a mix-up in the Records.
No. 6346 - Reginald Shepard’s middle Christian name is James not Francis. The Clerk confirmed this was a typing error.
No. 6347 - Ernest Rupert’s surname is Newbery not Shepard. This is also a typing error
The basis for qualification for the pension is set out below:
Christ's Hospital
Charities of John and Frances West for Pensioners
These Charities, founded in 1710, are now administered under a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners dated 20th July 1906, and Amending Scheme dated 20th July 1970.
The pensions are of £100 per annum (paid half-yearly in advance £50 in April, £50 in October), and are now paid to around eight hundred qualified persons.
The Scheme and Regulations made by the Governors of Christ's Hospital as Trustees provide that pensions shall be granted to candidates qualified as follows:
(a) Relationship by consanguinity to John or Frances West which must be proved by Birth and Marriage Certificates, as required;
(b) Age not less than 60 years;
(c) Total income to fall within the limits fixed by the Governors which are reviewed when the State Pension is increased;
(d) Residence in the British Isles.
The election of new pensioners normally takes place in April and October of each year, although in any particular year the decision as to whether an election can be held is dependant upon the sum of money available for distribution and upon the number of existing pensioners.
Pensioners are elected for a term of three years and at the end of that period if they remain eligible they may be re-elected for a further period of three years and so on.
Christ's Hospital
Charities of John and Frances West for Pensioners
These Charities, founded in 1710, are now administered under a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners dated 20th July 1906, and Amending Scheme dated 20th July 1970.
The pensions are of £100 per annum (paid half-yearly in advance £50 in April, £50 in October), and are now paid to around eight hundred qualified persons.
The Scheme and Regulations made by the Governors of Christ's Hospital as Trustees provide that pensions shall be granted to candidates qualified as follows:
(a) Relationship by consanguinity to John or Frances West which must be proved by Birth and Marriage Certificates, as required;
(b) Age not less than 60 years;
(c) Total income to fall within the limits fixed by the Governors which are reviewed when the State Pension is increased;
(d) Residence in the British Isles.
The election of new pensioners normally takes place in April and October of each year, although in any particular year the decision as to whether an election can be held is dependant upon the sum of money available for distribution and upon the number of existing pensioners.
Pensioners are elected for a term of three years and at the end of that period if they remain eligible they may be re-elected for a further period of three years and so on.
So who was John West and where did he come from?
What follows has been mainly paraphrased from information obtained from the Twickenham Museum records.
John West and his wife, Frances, are principally known for the series of charitable bequests that they established. One was a benefaction whereby places for up to six boys and two girls from Twickenham could be provided each year, at Christ's Hospital in London. Another, in which we have most interest is the provision of pensions to those who can claim a blood relationship to John West.
John West was from a family who settled in Twickenham early in the 17th century. A branch of the family moved to Hampton, remaining at least until the early years of the 18th century. The family appears to have migrated from near Guildford in Surrey.
Edward West 1564-1641
John’s grandfather Edward West (Senior) c1564-1641 is first recorded as living in Twickenham, with his family, in 1611. At a Court of the Manor of Isleworth Syon held on 4 February 1611/12 he was admitted to "one cottage with appurtenances, lying and being in Twickenham, abutting above, the land of Thomas Christmas on the Western and Northern sides and the land of John Guyldon the eastern side and the Kings Way on the Southern side”."
This imprecise description suggests that the property was on Twickenham Common, to the west of the town, with its southern boundary adjoining the road leading from Twickenham to Hampton. It was to remain in family ownership for over one hundred years.
Described variously as a weaver and yeoman, Edward served as a Churchwarden in 1616 having presumably worked his way up through the hierarchy of the Vestry for several years.
He married twice, first Agnes Mattris at the Church of St Nicholas Guildford on 18 November 1584. Of their five children two sons survived The first Reginald otherwise spelt Reinald or Rennold and the other Michael. Edward married a second time on 17 April 1605 to Katherine Loick at Wonersh whish is in Surrey some three miles south of Guildford and the two marriages so close suggest that Edward was probably living nearby. He probably brought his two sons from his first marriage, Reginald and Michael, together with his second wife Katherine and their first two sons with him to Twickenham. These two sons were Edward (Junior) and John. They were both baptised and married elsewhere but seem to have settled in Twickenham with their families. Edward and Katherine’s third son was Simon, baptised in Twickenham as Symon Weste son of Edward on 13 November 1614. Simon later became the father of John West. Their fourth son was George, baptised on 1 October 1618. George died young and was buried on 23 July 1628.
Edward West is noted as a Vestryman in 1636 when, on 18 April, he is recorded, with others, donating money to the parish, but then he seems to have moved to Hampton, perhaps to retire and live with his son Reginald who had settled there, and where he was buried on 7 February 1640 or 1641. Katherine, his widow, was buried two years later, also at Hampton, on 26 February 1642 or 1643.
Simon West 1614-1679
John’s father Simon West 1614-1679 was baptised on the 13th November 1614 at St. Mary the Virgin, Twickenham where he spent the first 15 years of his life in Twickenham, moving to London where he was apprenticed on 2nd November 1629 to John Bull, a Stationer. Completing his apprenticeship on 6th February 1636 he subsequently married Anne Keane by license on 25th May 1637. He became a bookseller at the sign of the Blackamore’s Head, Great Wood Street Cheapside. In 1647 he
is known to have published a book on shorthand writing entitled “Arts Improvement or short and swift writing By a New, Exact and Compendious Way Never yet Taught by any For the Ease of Memmory and Expedition”
In 1662 and 1663 Simon was churchwarden of St Peter’s Westcheap. In 1664 he paid for a vault in the church. Following the death of his first wife some time between 1637 and 1640 Simon remarried to Elizabeth Stare who is believed to be the mother of John West. Records are very scarce for this church between about 1599 and 1812 as most were destroyed during the Second World War. It is known that Simon married for a third time on 26th February 1677 at All Hallows, London Wall to Eleanor Eaton. Elizabeth must have died at some time between 1641 and 1677 as we know that John was born in 1641.
Simon died intestate in 1679.
John West 1641-1723
Turning now to the main subject of this story John West 1641-1723 he was probably born in London, being brought for baptism at St Mary’s, Twickenham on 1 November 1641 although there is no record of his residence in the Twickenham area living his life in London where, in 1658, he was apprenticed to John Parrey, a member of the Clothworkers Company for eight years on the 14th September 1658. He finished his clothworkers apprenticeship on the 6th March 1666. On the 23rd July 1673 he received the Livery of the Clothworker's Company and in 1707 he was made a Master of the Company. John Westbecame an eminent City of London scrivener and this was the source of his enormous wealth. The recognised definitions of a scrivener is one who is "A copyist or drafter of documents". "A notary (a person authorised to perform legal formalities)". "A broker". "A moneylender".
John seems to have kept in touch with both his uncle John and family in Twickenham and also the West families in Hampton. In a codicil to his will he left £20 to his godson there; this could have been the grandson of Nicholas who died in 1683, the son of Reginald.
Though non-resident, he bought three properties in Twickenham. Some time before 1718 he had acquired ownership of a Public House then known as The Queen’s Head, and now The Barmy Arms, on Twickenham’s riverside. He also acquired another Public House, bequeathed to his wife Frances by his Will of 1688. Described as The Kings Arms, this may actually have been The Kings Head which, rebuilt in 1747, stood at the corner of King Street and Water Lane. The building was demolished for road widening in 1928.
John West married Frances Mickell by license on 21stFebruary 1666 in the church of St Gregory-by-St. Pauls. At this time he was strictly still an apprentice and would presumably have needed clearance from his employer in order to marry.
Frances Mickell was born Frances Seakes or Sakes in about 1643. It is not known where she was born. It is however known that her ancestors included Sir Robert Belknap who died in 1399 and was a Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the troubled reign of Richard II; Sir Richard Chokke who died in 1483 and was a Judge of the Common Pleas. Also in her ancestry were the Cox family who were Mayors in Newbury and a very distant relationship by marriage to Oliver Cromwell.
At the time of her marriage to John West she was a widow of Robert Mickell, a scrivener who died on 17th September 1665 a victim of the Great Plague. The registers of St. Christopher-Le-Stockes Church in London note that he was buried there on the 25th of September 1665. This church is claimed to be the first rebuilt after the Great Fire in 1666 as it was completed in 1671.
After their marriage John and Frances lived near Stocks Market, which was on the site of the present day Mansion House.
In 1690 he acquired the family property on Twickenham Common. Entries in the Court Books of the Manor of Isleworth Syon show that he bought this from his cousin Robert
who had been admitted to it in 1686 on the death of his father, John (Senior). John conveyed the property to the Clothworkers Company either in 1718 or just before his death at the end of 1723.
He was twice recorded as being a deputy Alderman for the Ward of Wallbrook in 1701 and again from 1713 until his death in 1723. He was also a Governor of Christ's Hospital.
It is now that we discover the relationship between John West and Samuel Pepys.
Amongst his known friends and associates were:
What follows has been mainly paraphrased from information obtained from the Twickenham Museum records.
John West and his wife, Frances, are principally known for the series of charitable bequests that they established. One was a benefaction whereby places for up to six boys and two girls from Twickenham could be provided each year, at Christ's Hospital in London. Another, in which we have most interest is the provision of pensions to those who can claim a blood relationship to John West.
John West was from a family who settled in Twickenham early in the 17th century. A branch of the family moved to Hampton, remaining at least until the early years of the 18th century. The family appears to have migrated from near Guildford in Surrey.
Edward West 1564-1641
John’s grandfather Edward West (Senior) c1564-1641 is first recorded as living in Twickenham, with his family, in 1611. At a Court of the Manor of Isleworth Syon held on 4 February 1611/12 he was admitted to "one cottage with appurtenances, lying and being in Twickenham, abutting above, the land of Thomas Christmas on the Western and Northern sides and the land of John Guyldon the eastern side and the Kings Way on the Southern side”."
This imprecise description suggests that the property was on Twickenham Common, to the west of the town, with its southern boundary adjoining the road leading from Twickenham to Hampton. It was to remain in family ownership for over one hundred years.
Described variously as a weaver and yeoman, Edward served as a Churchwarden in 1616 having presumably worked his way up through the hierarchy of the Vestry for several years.
He married twice, first Agnes Mattris at the Church of St Nicholas Guildford on 18 November 1584. Of their five children two sons survived The first Reginald otherwise spelt Reinald or Rennold and the other Michael. Edward married a second time on 17 April 1605 to Katherine Loick at Wonersh whish is in Surrey some three miles south of Guildford and the two marriages so close suggest that Edward was probably living nearby. He probably brought his two sons from his first marriage, Reginald and Michael, together with his second wife Katherine and their first two sons with him to Twickenham. These two sons were Edward (Junior) and John. They were both baptised and married elsewhere but seem to have settled in Twickenham with their families. Edward and Katherine’s third son was Simon, baptised in Twickenham as Symon Weste son of Edward on 13 November 1614. Simon later became the father of John West. Their fourth son was George, baptised on 1 October 1618. George died young and was buried on 23 July 1628.
Edward West is noted as a Vestryman in 1636 when, on 18 April, he is recorded, with others, donating money to the parish, but then he seems to have moved to Hampton, perhaps to retire and live with his son Reginald who had settled there, and where he was buried on 7 February 1640 or 1641. Katherine, his widow, was buried two years later, also at Hampton, on 26 February 1642 or 1643.
Simon West 1614-1679
John’s father Simon West 1614-1679 was baptised on the 13th November 1614 at St. Mary the Virgin, Twickenham where he spent the first 15 years of his life in Twickenham, moving to London where he was apprenticed on 2nd November 1629 to John Bull, a Stationer. Completing his apprenticeship on 6th February 1636 he subsequently married Anne Keane by license on 25th May 1637. He became a bookseller at the sign of the Blackamore’s Head, Great Wood Street Cheapside. In 1647 he
is known to have published a book on shorthand writing entitled “Arts Improvement or short and swift writing By a New, Exact and Compendious Way Never yet Taught by any For the Ease of Memmory and Expedition”
In 1662 and 1663 Simon was churchwarden of St Peter’s Westcheap. In 1664 he paid for a vault in the church. Following the death of his first wife some time between 1637 and 1640 Simon remarried to Elizabeth Stare who is believed to be the mother of John West. Records are very scarce for this church between about 1599 and 1812 as most were destroyed during the Second World War. It is known that Simon married for a third time on 26th February 1677 at All Hallows, London Wall to Eleanor Eaton. Elizabeth must have died at some time between 1641 and 1677 as we know that John was born in 1641.
Simon died intestate in 1679.
John West 1641-1723
Turning now to the main subject of this story John West 1641-1723 he was probably born in London, being brought for baptism at St Mary’s, Twickenham on 1 November 1641 although there is no record of his residence in the Twickenham area living his life in London where, in 1658, he was apprenticed to John Parrey, a member of the Clothworkers Company for eight years on the 14th September 1658. He finished his clothworkers apprenticeship on the 6th March 1666. On the 23rd July 1673 he received the Livery of the Clothworker's Company and in 1707 he was made a Master of the Company. John Westbecame an eminent City of London scrivener and this was the source of his enormous wealth. The recognised definitions of a scrivener is one who is "A copyist or drafter of documents". "A notary (a person authorised to perform legal formalities)". "A broker". "A moneylender".
John seems to have kept in touch with both his uncle John and family in Twickenham and also the West families in Hampton. In a codicil to his will he left £20 to his godson there; this could have been the grandson of Nicholas who died in 1683, the son of Reginald.
Though non-resident, he bought three properties in Twickenham. Some time before 1718 he had acquired ownership of a Public House then known as The Queen’s Head, and now The Barmy Arms, on Twickenham’s riverside. He also acquired another Public House, bequeathed to his wife Frances by his Will of 1688. Described as The Kings Arms, this may actually have been The Kings Head which, rebuilt in 1747, stood at the corner of King Street and Water Lane. The building was demolished for road widening in 1928.
John West married Frances Mickell by license on 21stFebruary 1666 in the church of St Gregory-by-St. Pauls. At this time he was strictly still an apprentice and would presumably have needed clearance from his employer in order to marry.
Frances Mickell was born Frances Seakes or Sakes in about 1643. It is not known where she was born. It is however known that her ancestors included Sir Robert Belknap who died in 1399 and was a Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the troubled reign of Richard II; Sir Richard Chokke who died in 1483 and was a Judge of the Common Pleas. Also in her ancestry were the Cox family who were Mayors in Newbury and a very distant relationship by marriage to Oliver Cromwell.
At the time of her marriage to John West she was a widow of Robert Mickell, a scrivener who died on 17th September 1665 a victim of the Great Plague. The registers of St. Christopher-Le-Stockes Church in London note that he was buried there on the 25th of September 1665. This church is claimed to be the first rebuilt after the Great Fire in 1666 as it was completed in 1671.
After their marriage John and Frances lived near Stocks Market, which was on the site of the present day Mansion House.
In 1690 he acquired the family property on Twickenham Common. Entries in the Court Books of the Manor of Isleworth Syon show that he bought this from his cousin Robert
who had been admitted to it in 1686 on the death of his father, John (Senior). John conveyed the property to the Clothworkers Company either in 1718 or just before his death at the end of 1723.
He was twice recorded as being a deputy Alderman for the Ward of Wallbrook in 1701 and again from 1713 until his death in 1723. He was also a Governor of Christ's Hospital.
It is now that we discover the relationship between John West and Samuel Pepys.
Amongst his known friends and associates were:
Samuel Pepys is renowned for the diaries he kept between 1660 and 1669. He was also a renowned Naval Administrator and was appointed a Governor of Christ's Hospital in 1676 and to the school's Mathematics Committee.
John West was also a Governor at Christ's Hospital.
John West was also a Governor at Christ's Hospital.
John West was one of four witnesses to Pepys' will and to two codicils in 1703. He attended Pepys’ funeral and as his scrivener was presented with a ring worth 15 shillings to mark the occasion, as were Pepys’goldsmith and his bookbinder.
Pepys' bequests also included "In plate - to Mr. West, some small piece". This was realised in the form of a large pair of tumblers weighing over 23 ounces.
The following images are extracts from the beginning and end of Samuel Pepys Will dated 2nd August 1701 and a Codicil. The images are not his original Will but are from the Canterbury Probate Register as written following his death and the granting of probate. John West’s name appears as one of the Witnesses at the end of the Will and Codicil although the signatures are not original.
Pepys' bequests also included "In plate - to Mr. West, some small piece". This was realised in the form of a large pair of tumblers weighing over 23 ounces.
The following images are extracts from the beginning and end of Samuel Pepys Will dated 2nd August 1701 and a Codicil. The images are not his original Will but are from the Canterbury Probate Register as written following his death and the granting of probate. John West’s name appears as one of the Witnesses at the end of the Will and Codicil although the signatures are not original.
John West is believed to have died on the 29th November 1723 and was certainly buried on the 5th December 1723, aged 82, in St. Christopher-Le-Stocks Church. His will
is dated 2nd March 1688 and there are codicils dated 18th September 1706; 19th June 1716; 7th October 1717; 9th January 1719/1720 and 8th June 1721.
His obituary reads "1723 Nov. 29 - dy'd John West, Esq., deputy Alderman of Wallbrook Ward, an eminent Money-Scrivener". His widow Frances is believed to have died on the 19th January 1725 and was buried in the same church on the 27th January. Her will is dated 28th December 1723 with codicils dated 24th March 1723/1724; 9th May 1724; 2nd July 1724 and 12th November 1724.
In 1780, the church, crypt and churchyard of St. Christopher-Le-Stockes were cleared to make way for the extension to the Bank Of England buildings. The bones of those buried there were re-interred in Nunhead Cemetery, South London. A ledger stone marks the place near the South Wing of the Eastern Catacomb where they were eintered.
Unfortunately no contemporary memorials to John and Frances West survive.
The east end of St. Christopher-Le-Stockes is said to have contained "100 fine dwelling houses". The Wests owned 7 of them along with 2 yards, all close to the church of which they were benefactors. In accordance with her husband's and her own wishes in their wills and codicils, in December 1723, the widowed Frances gave properties in Ludgate Hill, Cannon Street and Walbrook to a body of trustees for specified charitable purposes after her death. However, upon her death, the named trustees refused to accept the trust and in 1736 and 1754, decrees of the Court Of Chancery gave effect to her alternative direction. This was to appoint The Clothworkers Company to act as trustees.
Among the charitable provisions of the West Trust was the payment of pensions to poor persons, with preference for the poor kin of John and Frances West. It was once loosely known as the "West Relation Trust". These pensions were initially paid by the Clothworkers' Company and latterly through their Clothworkers' Foundation, from the West Relief in Need charity, established in 1978. In 1984 the responsibility for the payments was transferred to the Trustees of Christ's Hospital, who already administered a similar but larger Charity under which the kin of John and Frances West might benefit for school places.
is dated 2nd March 1688 and there are codicils dated 18th September 1706; 19th June 1716; 7th October 1717; 9th January 1719/1720 and 8th June 1721.
His obituary reads "1723 Nov. 29 - dy'd John West, Esq., deputy Alderman of Wallbrook Ward, an eminent Money-Scrivener". His widow Frances is believed to have died on the 19th January 1725 and was buried in the same church on the 27th January. Her will is dated 28th December 1723 with codicils dated 24th March 1723/1724; 9th May 1724; 2nd July 1724 and 12th November 1724.
In 1780, the church, crypt and churchyard of St. Christopher-Le-Stockes were cleared to make way for the extension to the Bank Of England buildings. The bones of those buried there were re-interred in Nunhead Cemetery, South London. A ledger stone marks the place near the South Wing of the Eastern Catacomb where they were eintered.
Unfortunately no contemporary memorials to John and Frances West survive.
The east end of St. Christopher-Le-Stockes is said to have contained "100 fine dwelling houses". The Wests owned 7 of them along with 2 yards, all close to the church of which they were benefactors. In accordance with her husband's and her own wishes in their wills and codicils, in December 1723, the widowed Frances gave properties in Ludgate Hill, Cannon Street and Walbrook to a body of trustees for specified charitable purposes after her death. However, upon her death, the named trustees refused to accept the trust and in 1736 and 1754, decrees of the Court Of Chancery gave effect to her alternative direction. This was to appoint The Clothworkers Company to act as trustees.
Among the charitable provisions of the West Trust was the payment of pensions to poor persons, with preference for the poor kin of John and Frances West. It was once loosely known as the "West Relation Trust". These pensions were initially paid by the Clothworkers' Company and latterly through their Clothworkers' Foundation, from the West Relief in Need charity, established in 1978. In 1984 the responsibility for the payments was transferred to the Trustees of Christ's Hospital, who already administered a similar but larger Charity under which the kin of John and Frances West might benefit for school places.