MRP: 10th April 1667, Letter from Thomas Fox to Sir GO, London

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10th April 1667, Letter from Thomas Fox to Sir GO, London

Editorial history

06/02/09, CSG: Completed transcription
22/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted transcription to wiki




Abstract & context


Thomas Fox wrote to Sir George Oxenden from London in a letter dated April 10th 1667.

In this letter Thomas Fox referred to his son, also Thomas Fox, having gone to Guinea on the Eagle. This was a ship in which Sir William Ryder was a part-owner.[1] Ten years earlier there is a Court Minute of Thomas Fox, possibly the writer of the letter to Sir George Oxenden, and Thomas Ryder, possibly Sir William Ryder's son, trading with Guinea:

[January 2, 1658] twenty tons of iron and 360 pieces of calico have been entered by Thomas Ryder and Thomas Fox for Guinea, and the iron and half the calicoes (the latter belonging to Captain Connis) laden aboard the Marigold[2]

Thomas Fox was probably a London merchant. This is supported by several records in the Court Minutes of the English East India Company in the 1660s.[3]

A hearth tax record exists for a "Mr Fox 13 hearths,"of "Cammerwell Liberty" dated Lady Day 1664, who may be the later deceased merchant, Thomas Fox.[4]

Thomas Fox' will identifies his wife as Ann. The will also identifies his son Thomas Fox, who had already received his full portion. Two further sons are mentioned. John Fox, who like Thomas, had received his full portion, and the presumably younger Stephen Fox, who was to received one thousand pounds as his portion when he reached the age of twenty-five. Stephen was nevertheless already married, to Hesther Fox, by whom Thomas had grandchildrem Two daughters, one married and one widdowed, are mentioned.

Thomas Fox left bequests to the poor both of Camberwell and of Allhallowes Staining.

Various London properties were identified in the will, including the XXX, and property on with Rich Beckford had built.

Although no post-mortem inventory survives for Thomas, there an inventory exists in the name of Ann Fox, widow, of Camberwell, Surrey, dating form 1680 or 1681.[5] Unusually, Thomas Fox left it to his wife to decide in her own will how to devide the estate he endowed her with, suggesting that: 

"the whole Estate and interest to be purchased shall goe and be devided unto and among such of my children or grandchildren as my said wife shall thinke most dutifull and deserving thereof in such shares and proportions as to my wife shall seeme meete



Suggested links


See Thomas Fox will


To do


(1) Check transcription against physical document at BL


Transcription


This transcription has been completed, but requires checking


[f. 119]

Right Wor:ll

And much honoured S:r Salute, ?viz yo: kinde Courtious & frindlylines, P:y Affrican I reced & for yo:e friendly advice, & love to my sonne Tho: heartily thanke yo:w, & were it my power, I would not be wanting in requitall, Sir if anythinge I might bee service able

[f. 120]

to yo:w here, freely Comand me, & be assured of faithfull performance, my son Tho:m is gon for guiney on ship Eagle God send him home in safety Times are here very badd occationed pty by these unhappy warrs, & partly by a dreadfull fire, w:ch began in Pudding layne sep:t 1:th Sunday morning 2 a Clock & Continued till Wensday y:e 4:th at night w:ch burnt & consumed in howses goods & Merchandize attending y:e best Calculations at least : 7500000: [could be 150000, but less likely] here are six: kn:ts, & Aldermen marcht of y:e Change sence Christmass & severall otheres eminent Marchts (as reported) besides more very much feard to followe; The Lord put an end to these unhappy warres w:ch in these ten dayes, here are going Ambassa:s to Breda to Treat w:th y:e French, Dutch, & Danes, Y:e Persons to goe are y:e L:d Hollis & my S:r Coventrys sonne, The sweed to bee y:e Umphire, they goe in great state, & great preparations, are made for y:m at Breda, The Lord give a happy shue [???] & send us a firme peace, I have not to enlarge, but my humble service, desiring of God y:e Continuance of yo:e good health, & to send yo:w in safety to yo:w native Country, are y:e earnest desires & hearty prayers of

[RH SIDE]
Yo:e most humble servant
Thomas: Fox


Notes


Thomas Fox & East India Company


Thomas Fox and Thomas Ryder (eldest son of Sir Wiliam Ryder [TBC]) were trading in Guinea in 1655-59 period:

"[January 2, 1658] On hearing that twenty tons of iron and 360 pieces of calico have been entered by Thomas Ryder and Thomas Fox for Guinea, and the iron and half the calicoes (the latter belonging to Captain Connis) laden aboard the Marigold, the Court orders this to be noted in the Black Book and the owners of the ship to be charged with 20l. per ton freight..."[6]

"[November 1663] Quilts bought by Thomas Fox to be delivered on payment of the principall money, the interest due to be charged to his account."[7]

"[September 1667] James Hill, Thomas Fox, and Robert Woolley promise to clear their goods shortly."[8]


Possible primary sources


PROB 4/2281 Fox, Anne, of Camberwell, Surrey, widow 1681 13 Jan. (1680)

PROB 11/339 Eure 55–107 Will of Thomas Fox, Merchant of Camberwell, Surrey 31 July 1672

PROB 11/362 Bath 1-59 Will of Thomas Fox, Mariner now bound forth on a voyage to Guinea in the Ship Arthur of Saint Paul Shadwell, Middlesex 03 April 1680
  1. ↑ Edward Gibbon, a gentleman of London, brought a Chancery suit in 16XX against Martha Hendra, widow of Thomas Hendra deceased, the former captain of the Eagle, and a number of co-defendants. A number of the co-defendants were co-owners and/or freighters of the Eagle. The co-defendants named were Thomas Heatley, John Sandys, John Buckworth, Sir William Ryder, Sir Richard fford, Nathaniel Herne, Thomas ffoxe and Sir William Ryder's son-in-law, Richard Middleton. (C10/86/36 f. 1)
  2. ↑ 'A court of committees for the New General Stock, January 2, 1658' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 40), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury, (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), p. 207
  3. ↑ 'A court of committees, November 4, 1663' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 697) in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of the court minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), p. 352; 'A committee of debts, September 18, 1667' (Court Book, vol. xxv A, p. 39) in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of the court minutes of the East India Company, 1664-1667 (Oxford, 19XX), p. 374
  4. ↑ 'Cammerwell Liberty,' in Anon, Surrey hearth Tax transcript, Lady Day, 1664] A will exists for a merchant of that name, residing at Camberwell, Surrey, proved in 1672.[[FootNote(PROB 11/339 Eure 55–107 Will of Thomas Fox, Merchant of Camberwell, Surrey 31 July 1672
  5. ↑ PROB 4/2281 Fox, Anne, of Camberwell, Surrey, widow 1681 13 Jan. (1680)
  6. ↑ 'A court of committees for the New General Stock, January 2, 1658' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 40), in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury, (ed.), A Calendar of the Court Minutes of the East India Company, 1655-1659 (Oxford, 1916), p. 207
  7. ↑ 'A court of committees, November 4, 1663' (Court Book, vol. xxiv, p. 697) in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of the court minutes of the East India Company, 1660-1663 (Oxford, 1922), p. 352
  8. ↑ 'A committee of debts, September 18, 1667' (Court Book, vol. xxv A, p. 39) in Ethel Bruce Sainsbury (ed.), A calendar of the court minutes of the East India Company, 1664-1667 (Oxford, 19XX), p. 374

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