Benedict Barnham (baptised 1559 – 1598) was a London merchant, alderman and

sheriff of London Two sheriffs are elected annually for the City of London by the Liverymen of the City livery company, livery companies. Today's sheriffs have only nominal duties, but the historical officeholders had important judicial responsibilities. They have ...

and MP.

Life

Barnham was born the fourth son of the merchant Francis Barnham (died 1575), a draper, alderman and sheriff of London in 1570, and Alice (1523–1604) daughter of William Bradbridge (d. 1546). He was baptised in 1559. Barnham along with his elder brother Martin (baptised 1548, died 1610) was educated at

St Alban Hall, Oxford St Alban Hall, sometimes known as St Alban's Hall or Stubbins, was one of the medieval halls of the University of Oxford, and one of the longest-surviving. It was established in the 13th century, acquired by neighbouring Merton College in the ...

, but left apparently without a degree. Barnham became a liveryman of the

Drapers' Company The Worshipful Company of Drapers is one of the 110 livery companies of the City of London. It has the formal name The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Dr ...

. He was elected Member of Parliament for

Minehead Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the boundary with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National P ...

in 1589. On 14 October 1591 he was chosen alderman of Bread Street ward (a position he held for the rest of his life). In the same year he was third warden of the Drapers' Company, but surrendered this post on election as sheriff for the year 1591 and 1592 (At 32 he was considered young to be sheriff but thirteen men more senior than he had declined to serve owing to the financial demands of the office). He served two terms as Master of the Drapers' Company in 1592–1593 and 1596–1597. In 1597 he sat in Parliament for the second time, this time representing

Yarmouth, Isle of Wight Yarmouth is a town, port and civil parish in the west of the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. The town is named for its location at the mouth of the small Western Yar river. The town grew near the river crossing, originally a ferry ...

. Barnham was a member of the Elizabethan

College of Antiquaries During the early part of the 17th century, and persisting in some form into the early 18th century, there were a number of proposals for an English Academy: some form of learned institution, conceived as having royal backing and a leading role in ...

. He died 3 April 1598, aged 39, and an elaborate monument was erected above his grave in

St Clement Eastcheap St Clement Eastcheap is a Church of England parish church in Candlewick Ward of the City of London. It is located on Clement's Lane, off King William Street and close to London Bridge and the River Thames. Clement was a disciple of St Peter the ...

. cites

John Stow John Stow (''also'' Stowe; 1524/25 – 5 April 1605) was an English historian and antiquarian. He wrote a series of chronicles of English history, published from 1565 onwards under such titles as ''The Summarie of Englyshe Chronicles'', ''The C ...

's ''London'' (ed. Strype), ii. 183. Barnham was acquiring estates by 1575 and by his death he held property in London, and land in Essex, Hampshire and Kent valued at £20,100. The chief beneficiaries were his wife and daughters, but Wood tells that he left £200 to St. Alban's Hall, Oxford, to rebuild "its front next the street", and that "as a testimony of the benefaction his arms were engraved over the gateway and on the plate belonging to the house".

Family

Barnham married

Dorothy Dorothy may refer to: *Dorothy (given name), a list of people with that name. Arts and entertainment Characters *Dorothy Gale, protagonist of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum * Ace (''Doctor Who'') or Dorothy, a character playe ...

(died 1639), daughter of Ambrose Smith of Cheapside (the silkman to Queen Elizabeth), at St Clement Eastcheap on 28 April 1583. They had eight children. Three girls and a boy died in infancy. The remaining four girls lived to marry: Elizabeth the eldest married

Mervyn Tuchet, 2nd Earl of Castlehaven Mervyn Tuchet, 2nd Earl of Castlehaven (1593 – 14 May 1631; also spelled ''Mervin, Touchet''), was an English nobleman who was convicted of rape and sodomy and subsequently executed. He is the only member of parliament to be executed for a ...

, Alice married Sir

Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...

in 1606, and Bridget married Sir William Soame of Thurlow, Suffolk. Dorothy survived her husband, and became, a year or two after his death, the wife of Sir John Pakington.

Notes

References

* * * * * *''Wills Proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury 1584–1604 1584 to 1604''. County: General Country: England 1598 Barnham, Benedict, citizen and alderman of London. Lands in Middlesex, Hampshire, Essex 39, 40 Lewyn.

Life

Family

Notes

References

Further reading