Person:Roger Honnyng (2)

Roger Honnyng was born circa 1495 - possibly in Algarkirk, Lincolnshire (his family ancestral home) or in Warwickshire were his father Thomas was working. Roger followed in his uncle William’s footsteps and became a London fishmonger. It is possible that Roger was apprenticed to William; he was no less successful, for when attending the funeral of the quondam Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Thomas LOVELL in 1524 he was described as a "gentleman", and in 1535 he was worth, like his uncle, £1000.

Roger HONYNG was listed in the 1537 register of the 109 freemen householders of the Mystery (ie company) of Fishmongers, and in the following year sold two plots of land in Algarkirk - presumably he could not see himself returning to his old roots now that he was so successful in the capital.

In 1541, when his eldest son William was only 21 and his other six children were still minors, Roger died. The Subsidy Roll for London of that year lists his widow Margaret as worth 100 marks (£33 4s), and it also lists that Roger HIMYNG, fishmonger, was responsible for the orphan of John HENRY.

Roger wrote his will on 2 May 1541, the day before he died, leaving three houses and a shop in Oldefisshestrete, a further house in the city and two farms in Berkshire. He was buried in the church of St Nicholas Coldabbey on Old Fish Street (which is now Knightrider Street) with the following inscription: "Pray for the soul of Roger Hunning, Fishmonger, somtime porveyor of Seafish to our Soveraigne Lord King Henry the eight, and Margaret his wyff, the which Roger, decessyd the third day of May An. Dom. 1541, whos soul Jesu pardon. Amen"

1. ↑ Weever, John. Ancient funerall monuments within the United Monarchie of Great Britaine, Ireland, and the islands adiacent, with the dissolved monasteries therein contained: their founders, and what eminent persons haue beene in the same interred, as also the death and buriall of certaine of the Bloud Royall, the nobilitie and gentrie of these kingdomes entombed in forraine nations. (London: T. Harper, 1631)
   p699, 1631.
2.   Barry, T. The Life and Family History of William Honnyng. (London, England: ISBN-13 978 0 9532685 3 5, 2008)
   p22.