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Sir Edward Barkham (c. 1552 - 15 January 1633/34) was an English merchant who was Lord Mayor of London in 1621. He derived from the Barkham family of South Acre, Norfolk.

Origins and young life

Edward Barkham, the future lord mayor, was the son of Edward Barkham (died 1599/1600) of South Acre, Norfolk, and his second wife, Elizabeth Rolfe. He had an elder half-brother, Thomas, by his father's first marriage, and a full brother named Robert, and also two sisters, Margaret (died 1625), who married Henry Gallard (died 1614) of Norwich, and Mary, who married Edmond Hudson of Castle Acre. Edward was born in about 1552.

Barkham married Jane, daughter of John Crouch (died 1605, aged 86) of Corneybury, Layston, Hertfordshire, and his wife Joan, daughter and heir of John Scott of London. John Crouch, or Crowch, and his wife have a monument with a lengthy and informative inscription reciting the names and marriages of their surviving children, which was set up in the (now deconsecrated) church of St Bartholomew, Layston. The chapel of Alswick in Layston was, before the Dissolution of the monasteries, a possession of Holy Trinity Priory in Aldgate, London, and was held together with the manor of Corneybury and the church of St Bartholomew at Layston. This connection is probably significant in the light of Barkham's later role in rebuilding a church at the site of the former Aldgate priory (see below). He and his wife had many children: his eldest son, Edward, was born c. 1591.

Civic career

Barkham was a city of London merchant belonging to the Worshipful Company of Leathersellers. He was Master of the Leathersellers Company from 1605 to 1606, and from 1608 to 1609. On 28 February 1611, he was elected an alderman of the City of London for Farringdon Within ward. He was Sheriff of London from 1611 to 1612, a service which paved the way for his future election as lord mayor.

Owing to the customary requirement that the lord mayor should be a member of one of the "Great Twelve" livery companies, it became necessary for Barkham to negotiate the transfer of his membership from the Leathersellers to the Worshipful Company of Drapers. Although it was prestigious for a Company to be represented by the lord mayor, it also incurred notable expenses, and the Drapers were reluctant to make the admission, having very recently admitted two others for the same cause. However Barkham's move was made, late in 1621, and he was duly elected to the mayoralty. On 29 October his inauguration was celebrated with a pageant devised by Thomas Middleton. Exercising his mayoral prerogative, Barkham moved as alderman to the Cheap ward in that year. He was knighted on 16 June 1622 and became Master of the Drapers Company for the year 1622 to 1623.

On 3 July 1622 Sir Edward Barkham, Lord Mayor, and Sir Heneage Finch, Recorder, at a motion of the Court of the Virginia Company of London, "...in regarde of their well wishinge of this Plantacon and readines to doe this Companie seruice this Court haue made them free of the Counsell." This admission was simultaneous with those of Lord Marquess Hamilton, Dr Donne, Sir Edward Conway, Sir Henry Mildmay and Sir Thomas Coventry.

He was a prime mover in the development of the new parish church of Trinity Christ-church, also called the "Temple of St James" (i.e. St James Duke's Place), built in the ruins of Holy Trinity Priory in Aldgate. The church was new-built to accommodate the inhabitants of "The Duke's Place", who had formerly resorted to the old St Katherine Christchurch nearby. It was (says Anthony Munday) officially consecrated in a civic ceremony on the morrow of New Year's Day in the mayoralty of Sir Peter Probie (1622–1623). Barkham's arms appeared in glass together with those of the City in the east window, and a lengthy verse inscription celebrating his re-edification of the church was attached to the south wall of the chancel.

Between 1594 and 1601 Edward Barkham, citizen and Leatherseller, purchased the manor of Quarmby, in West Yorkshire, from the Blyth family: the manor and its mansion remained in his hands until his death in 1634, when it was sold by the first baronet to Thomas Thornhill of Fixby. Extensive land acquisitions were made by Sir Edward and his successors in Wainfleet All Saints, Wainfleet St Mary, Ingoldmells and Friskney, Lincolnshire, from the 1590s onwards. These are itemized in an Estate Book which is the subject of a recent research project. Early surveys were conducted in 1609 (Adlard Hubberd) and 1610 (the Landlawer). The second son, Sir Robert Barkham of Wainfleet, obtained a baronetcy in the 1660s. He held a share of interest in the estates at Tottenham acquired by his father.

Death and monument

Sir Edward died on 15 January 1633/34, in his 82nd year, at his house in the parish of St Mary Bothaw near Dowgate, and his body was conveyed to South Acre in Norfolk for burial, where he had erected a monument for himself and his wife during his lifetime. The monument at South Acre has no surviving inscription but is certainly to the lord mayor, because his recumbent effigy is shown wearing the magisterial gown and chain over a suit of armour. Francis Blomefield, who described the monument, made the mayor (who was knighted on 16 June 1622) to be the same Edward Barkham who was created 1st baronet in 1623, (an identification which is repeated elsewhere). However, as the Funeral Certificate makes entirely clear, that baronetcy was in fact first granted (on 28 June 1623) to the younger Sir Edward (1591–1667), son and heir of the persons above commemorated, and he was knighted two days later, at Greenwich. Many have been misled by this confusion.

Family

Barkham married Jane, daughter of John Crouch (died 1605, aged 86) of Corneybury, Layston, Hertfordshire, and his wife Joan, daughter and heir of John Scott of London. His children are shown in the London Visitation of 1633–1635 as follows:

• Sir Edward Barkham, 1st Baronet, of South Acre (1591–1667), MP, married Frances daughter of Sir Thomas Berney of Reedham, Norfolk. (issue)
• John Barkham (2 son), died an infant.
• (Sir) Robert Barkham (died 1661), of Tottenham and of Wainfleet, Lincolnshire; he married Mary Wilcocks of London and they had issue a son Edward and four daughters.
• John Barkham (4 son), died young without issue.
• Thomas Barkham (5 son), died young without issue.
• Hugh Barkham (6 son), died young without issue.
• Jane Barkham (eldest daughter), died young without issue.
• Elizabeth Barkham, married Sir John Garrard's son John (afterwards Sir John Gerrard, 1st Baronet, of Lamer, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire) in 1611. (issue)
• Susanna Barkham (died 1622), married Robert Walpole (1593–1663) of Houghton juxta Harpley, Norfolk. They are buried at Houghton. Their son was Edward Walpole (died 1668), grandfather of Prime Minister Robert Walpole.
• Jane Barkham, married Sir Charles Caesar of Benington, Hertfordshire. (issue)
• Margaret Barkham (died 1640), married Sir Anthony Irby (died 1682) of Boston, Lincolnshire. Monument to Margaret and three daughters at Tottenham High Cross.

His wife Jane (Crouch) and son Edward were executors of his last will and testament. Sir Edward is the 11th great-grandfather to renowned Canadian artist Christian Corbet on hos paternal mother's line.

References

1. Date of birth estimated from age stated by herald on his death certificate, i.e. in 82nd year.
2. ^ 'Barkham', in J.J. Howard and J.L. Chester (eds), The Visitation of London, anno domini 1633, 1634 and 1635, 2 vols, Harleian Society XV-XVI (London 1880), I, p. 50 (Internet Archive).
3. Will of Edward Barkham (nuncupative) of Southacre in the county of Norfolk (written 18 February 1599/1600, proved April 1600). Cited in R.G. Lang, 'Social origins and social aspirations in Jacobean London merchants', The Economic History Review, Vol. 27, No. 1 (February 1974), pp. 28-47 (Jstor - login required).
4. Will of Margaret Gallard, widow, of Norwich (P.C.C. 1625, Clarke quire).
5. Will of Henry Gallard, citizen of Norwich (P.C.C. 1614, Lawe quire). Alderman Edward Barkham, brother-in-law, an Overseer.
6. Abstracts of these and related Gallard family wills in 'Annotations to the heraldic visitations of London, 1633: Gallard wills', in J.J. Howard (ed.), Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, 2nd Series I (London 1886), pp. 157-59 (Google).
7. 'Gallard', in J.J. Howard and J.L. Chester (eds), The Visitation of London, anno domini 1633, 1634 and 1635, 2 vols, Harleian Society XV-XVI (London 1880), I, p. 298 (Internet Archive).
8. ^ 'Funeral Certificates. Sir Edward Barkham. 1633', in W. Brigg (ed.), The Herts Genealogist and Antiquary, II (William Brigg, Harpenden 1897), pp. 337-38 (Google).
9. ^ Will and Sentence of John Crowche, Gentleman of Layston, Hertfordshire (P.C.C. 1606, Stafford quire).
10. 'Acta of Richard of Ely: 24. London, City of, Holy Trinity Aldgate Priory - Confirmation', in D.M. Smith and D.P. Johnson, English Episcopal Acta 26, London 1189-1228 (British Academy/Oxford University Press, 2003), p. 24 (Google).
11. 'Edwinstree Hundred: Layston', in W. Page (ed.), A History of the County of Hertfordshire, Vol. IV (V.C.H., London 1914), pp. 77-88, at p. 87 (Internet Archive).
12. T. Hill, '"Ever obedient in his Studies": Thomas Middleton and the City, 1620-1622', The London Journal. A Review of Metropolitan Society Past and Present, Vol. 42, Part 2 (2017), pp. 137-50.
13. 'The London Pageant of 1621', in J. Nichols, The Progresses, Processions, and Magnificent Festivities, of King James the First (J.B. Nichols, London 1828), pp. 723-31 (Google).
14. Tracey Hill, Pageantry and Power: A Cultural History of the Early Modern Lord Mayor's Show, 1585–1639 (Manchester, 2017), p. 312.
15. ^ A.B. Beaven, The Aldermen of the City of London Temp. Henry III to 1912 (Corporation of the City of London, 1913), II, p. 52 (Internet Archive).
16. S.M. Kingsbury (ed.), The Records of the Virginia Company of London: The Court Book, 2 vols (Government Printing Office/Library of Congress, Washington 1906), II, p. 76 and p. 89 (Internet Archive).
17. D.S. Smith, John Donne and the Conway Papers: Patronage and Manuscript Circulation in the Early Seventeenth Century (OUP, 2014), p. 294 (Google).
18. J. Stowe, ed. A. Munday et al., The Survey of London: Containing, the Originall, Increase, Moderne Estate and Governance of that City, Methodically set downe, New edition (Elizabeth Purslow for Nicholas Bourne, London 1633), pp. 145-49, at p. 148 (Internet Archive).
19. See D. Hughson, London: Being an Accurate History and Description of the British Metropolis, 2 vols (J. Stratford, London 1805), II, pp. 363-64 (Google).
20. A.S. Ellis (ed.), 'Dodsworth's Yorkshire Notes: Wapentake of Agrigg', Yorkshire Archaeological and Topographical Journal, VIII (London 1884), at p. 520 (Google).
21. I.G. Simmons, Fen and Sea: The Landscapes of South-East Lincolnshire, AD 500 to 1700 (Windgather Press/Oxbow Books, Oxford 2022), pt 211, 212 and following (Google). This source provides a brief notice of the research findings of Dr Meryl Foster.
22. I.G. Simmons, 'Rural landscapes between the East Fen and the Tofts in south-east Lincolnshire 1100–1550', Landscape History 34 (2013), Issue 1, pp. 81-90.
23. A.P. Baggs, D.K. Bolton, E.P. Scarff and G.C. Tyack, 'Tottenham: Other estates', in T.F.T. Baker and R.B. Pugh, A History of the County of Middlesex, Vol. 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton, Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (V.C.H., London 1976), pp.330-33, at notes 60-70 (British History Online, accessed 15 September 2023).
24. 'South-Acre', in F. Blomefield and C. Parkyn, An Essay towards at Topographical History of the County of Norfolk, Vol. VI (William Miller, London 1807), pp. 82-83 (Google).
25. Nichols, Progresses, p. 723 at note 3, and p. 876 and note 1 (Google).
26. John Crouch, or Crowch, and his wife have a lengthy memorial inscription (flikr) in the church of St Bartholomew, Layston, now a private residence.
27. See 'Tottenham: Extracts from the Register. Family of Barkham', in D. Lysons, The Environs of London, Volume 3: County of Middlesex (T. Cadell and W. Davies, London 1795), p. 533 and pp. 541-42 (Hathi Trust).
28. Will of Sir Edward Barkham, bart., of Tottenham (P.C.C. 1677, Carr quire).
29. P. Watson/S. Healy, 'Barkham, Sir Edward, 1st Bt. (1591-1667), of Southacre, Norf. and Tottenham, Mdx.', in A. Thrush and J.P. Ferris (eds), The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629 (Cambridge University Press 2010), History of Parliament online.
30. Will of Sir Robert Barkham of Wainfleet Saint Mary, Lincolnshire (P.C.C. 1661, May quire).
31. A. Collins, ed. E. Brydges, Peerage of England: Genealogical, Biographical, and Historical, 9 vols (F.C. and J. Rivington, etc., London 1812), V, p. 649 (Google).
32. W. Robinson, The History and Antiquities of the Parish of Tottenham High Cross (Author, Middlesex 1818), pp. 98-99 (Google).
33. 'Abstract of will of Edward Barkham, 1633', L. Withington, Virginia Gleanings in England. Abstracts of 17th and 18th-Century English Wills and Administrations Relating to Virginia and Virginians (Reprint: For Clearfield Publishing, Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, Maryland, 1998), pp. 365-66 (Google).
34. Will of Sir Edward Barkham (P.C.C. 1634, Seager quire).

• 1634 deaths
• Sheriffs of the City of London
• 17th-century lord mayors of London
• 17th-century English merchants
• Merchants from London