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Richard Dew, the eldest son. He married before 1561, Margaret, possibly the daughter of Edward Sawyer. Richard and Margaret had three children, the eldest of whom was Edward. After Margaret's death in 1568, Richard married Edith Dormer, a widow, of Sutton Courtenay. She had a lease (which her husband formerly held) to a house in that village. But instead of his new wife coming to live at Didcot, Richard moved to Sutton Courtenay. The move was forced on him by a situation that he had created, for it is probable that he literally had to flee Didcot to escape from his creditors there. He was hardly a typical Dew, and did not come from the same mould that had fashioned his father or even his own son, Edward, who was obviously a throwback to the grandfather. Richard was the 'black sheep' of the family, a spendthrift, and very possibly a man who loved alcohol. To his descendents the 'skeleton in the cupboard', one whom they just did not care to remember. One can almost picture him. He was most probably a handsome man, attractive to both sexes, especially women, and possessing great personal charm. He was the eldest son, and probably spoilt from childhood. Despite his failings, and a reputation that his mother must have been well aware of, both parents made generous bequests. His mother even made this unusual bequest: 'I geve unto my sonne Rycd Dew xxs for the wch i bynd hym to kepe drinking at a place called Mungewell once in the yere continnallye', which must shows that she knew he had a drink problem. His money troubles followed him into the grave: when he died at Sutton Courtenay in 1573, he was hopelessly in debt. His inventory gives a list of forty-six creditors. The amounts owed ranged from sixpence up to £17 18s 4d. Most items were less than one pound, and many in pence. The total amount of his debts was £43 19s 6d. By contrast, his estate had dropped in value to £53. Only his house and copyhold, which seems to have consisted of two yardlands, or thirty-two acres of arable land, at Didcot was valued, his wife?s house at Sutton Courtenay not included. He borrowed from everybody at Didcot?it literally does seem like that. The list almost constitutes a population return, for nearly everybody is included. From his four brothers, his uncle Henry, and even from his mother?s servant, Margery Pryde? part of the debt owing to her was a 'petticote to be made to her backe'. His creditors at Didcot extended from a fellow yeoman, Robert Tyrrold, down to the lowest labourer, like John Tompkins. Then there were creditors in surrounding villages, Milton, Sutton Courtenay, and at Abingdon, where he owed money to the 'tanner of Abbington, to ye dyer of Abbington', and to 'Swiffe ye shoemaker', plus many others. These particular items are especially interesting in that they show that even then Didcot was orientated toward Abingdon as it is today, rather than to Wallingford. The range of these debts supports the supposition that he must have had great personal charm and popularity with fellow villagers to be able to persuade so many of them to lend him money on this scale. And this charm obviously extended out-wards beyond Didcot to the surrounding villages. At the same time, he would have possessed an infamous reputation in both Didcot and neighbouring villages. Many must have felt the loss when he died, though an equal number probably gave a sigh of relief. His will directed that the lease of his house at Sutton Courtenay with all goods and chattels be given to his wife, and his copyhold at Didcot should be surrendered into the hands of Robert Sawyer and John Dew, to be used to pay all the debts. Afterwards, the copyhold presumably passed back to his son Edward, when he came of age in 1583.
Text: The Dews of Didcot Brian Lingham [email protected] |