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Facts and Events
John Plummer’s origins have yet to be established. His first confirmed sighting is on 2nd June 1697, when he married Frances Kitchener at Stotfold in Bedfordshire. They went on to have one daughter in 1699, although sadly she died when only about three months old in June 1699. Frances only survived her daughter by a couple of months, dying in August 1699.
Eight years later, John married again. His second wife was Elizabeth Wynne, and they married on 15th April 1707 at Stotfold.
After their marriage, John and Elizabeth left Stotfold for a time, having their first two daughters baptised in 1709 and 1711 at Campton, about six miles west of Stotfold. They then moved to nearby Shillington, where their only son was baptised in 1717. By the time their youngest daughter was baptised in 1721 they had returned to Stotfold.
In 1733 John took a lease for nine years on a farm in Stotfold, paying £80 per year rent. In 1742, when the lease expired John took on a new lease for 21 years, also for £80, which may suggest that it was the same farm, although the landlord had changed (the old landlord appears to have died in 1741). John was described as a yeoman when he took out these leases. The farm seems to have been quite substantial, being described in 1742 as including two houses, land, a dovecote, meadows and cow commons. As well as the £80 rent, John was expected to provide “three dozen good young pigeons” to the new landlord, Sir Anthony Thomas Abdy, who was a barrister and later a Member of Parliament.
John’s daughter Sarah married in 1736 and had six children, although two died young. Sarah then died aged 35 in 1746.
John died in 1755, being buried at Stotfold on 24th May. His age is not recorded, but he and Elizabeth had been married for 48 years.
References
- ↑ Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service. Transcript of Stotfold Parish Registers.
Burials 1755: May 24 Jn Plumber, sen.
- Bedfordshire Archives Catalogue (Bedfordshire Archives, Bedford)
AN7/20, 1 Nov 1700.
Copy court roll, Manor of Stotfold [in Latin]: admission of John Plomer to two acres and one rood, reciting: death of Frances, late wife of John Plomer who was admitted tenant on the surrender of Edward Crouch
- Bedfordshire Archives Catalogue (Bedfordshire Archives, Bedford)
AN7/21, 20 Apr 1705.
Copy court roll, Manor of Stotfold: surrender out of court by John Plommer by hands of John Cooper and Edward Crouch of two acres, one rood of arable dispersed in the common fields of Stotfold, formerly land of Edward Crouch and in occupation of Edward Burton to the use of Edward Burton of Stotfold, blacksmith
- Bedfordshire Archives Catalogue (Bedfordshire Archives, Bedford)
AN7/22, 2 Jan 1705/6.
Copy court roll, Manor of Stotfold [in Latin]: admission of Edward Burton to two acres, one rood of arable in the common fields of Stotfold, formerly of Edward Crouch and in occupation of Edward Burton; reciting surrender by John Plommer on 20 April 1705 by the hands of John Cooper and Edward Crouch
- Bedfordshire Archives Catalogue (Bedfordshire Archives, Bedford)
X95/411/104, 13 Nov 1733.
Lease [very fragile]
i) James Lawrence, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, schoolmaster
William Freeman, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, turner
ii) John Plommer, Stotfold, yeoman
…capital messuage etc. in Stotfold etc.
term – 9 years
rent - £80 per annum
signatures: i)
endorsed witnesses
- Bedfordshire Archives Catalogue (Bedfordshire Archives, Bedford)
BS137, B S & G Bundle 7, 1742.
Lease for 21 years: Samuel Brackley of St Andrew, Holborn, esquire, to John Plommer of Stotfold, yeoman. A capital messuage in the occupation of John Plommer; and a farmhouse with the lands dovehouse, meadows, etc [unspecified] and 20 cow-commons belonging thereto, in Stotfold. Annual rent: £80 and three dozen ‘good young pigeons’. Counterpart, with armorial seal (?of John Plommer)
- Bedfordshire Archives Catalogue (Bedfordshire Archives, Bedford)
BS139, B S & G Bundle 7, 1753.
Lease for 9 years: Christopher Gibson of Castle Yard, Holborn, to Richard Britain of Newnham, Hertfordshire, yeoman. A capital messuage in the occupation of John Plommer; and a farmhouse with the lands, dovehouse, meadows, etc [unspecified] and 20 cow-commons belonging thereto, in Stotfold. Annual rent: £80 and three dozen ‘good young pigeons’. Many interesting covenants as to courses of husbandry.
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