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Masters genealogy |
13 Nov 2020 |
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Dr Geoffrey Mann |
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11 George MASTERS c1640-1707 |
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m Martha SHARPE 1662 |
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George Masters was born around 1640 and became a nursery gardener at Chiswick, probably inheriting the business from his father. He married Martha Sharpe at Southwark in 1662 and they had at least seven children probably born at their house in Strand on the Green along the River Thames. In 1685 he leased the Great Garden of Holland House in Kensington in addition to his many leases of land in Chiswick and Strand on the Green.
George died in 1706 four years after the death of his wife, and both were buried in Chiswick. His son George took over the business, the scale of which can be judged from a 1734 Inventory of plants for sale, which included flowers such as lilies lilacs anemones and jonquils, trees such as hawthorn, chestnuts, elms and yew, most plants stocked in hundreds some in thousands. |
I am grateful for a description of George Master's nursery business
found on the website Nurserygardeners.com devoted to
nursery gardeners 1650 to 1850
particularly along the Thames. Much information was taken from this interesting
source
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age DATE GM MS |
EVENT |
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1740 26Oct1662 22 22 ? 1664 24 24 ? 1666 26 25 ? 1668 28 28 ? 1670 30 30 ? 1673 33 33 ? 1676 36 36 9Apr1679 39 39 6Apr1681 41 41 26Oct1685 45 45 1Apr1702 62 62 15Jan1706 66 |
assumed birth date
married Martha Sharpe at Southwark
son George born dau Martha born
? unknown child born dau Mary born son Thomas born dau Catherine born
son Richard bap at Chiswick
dau Rebecca bap at Chiswick leased garden at Holland House
wife Martha buried at Chiswick |
b=born m=married d=died
C=Christened B=Buried
If George were married in 1662 and died in 1706 a birth date around 1640 is expected just before the civil war, but no baptism has been identified. If he were baptised at Chiswick then any such record has not survived. The Chiswick register has a burial of George Masters in 1679 who is probably George's father.
The first known baptism to George was in 1679 but there were certainly earlier children so a marriage before 1670 is expected and his wife's name was Martha. Only one suitable m of George Masters to Martha found:
m 26Oct1662 George Masters & Martha Sharpe at Southwark St George
This is earlier than expected but still possible to have a last child in 1681. The 1673 will of Henry Sharpe of Clapham mentions His daughter Mary Master and her five children. The will also shows that he held the White Hart Inn in Clapham. There was a 17thC pub of this name in Kingston Rd Merton less than half mile from Merton St Mary where Mary Masters married Robert Burton in 1694. Was this the pub though it is a mile or two from Clapham? If so it supports the above marriage as that of George Masters of Chiswick. Further support comes from the will of George's daughter Rebecca who appointed Peter Sharpe as executor. Peter was a cooper of Queenhithe in the city of London but no connection with Martha Sharpe is yet known
From the will of Henry Sharpe, his daughter Mary Masters had five unnamed children before December 1673.
Richard and Rebecca are known from their baptisms at Chiswick. Catherine is known from her m to Thomas Crouchman. Mary from her m to Robert Burton. George from his witnessing of Robert Burton's will. It seems likely that they would have a daughter named Martha and there is a possible burial of Martha in 1710 at Chiswick. Thomas Masters m 1703 and baptised four children at Chiswick so is likely another son of George though some researchers suggest he was a brother of George, but I have seen no evidence for this. Richard and Rebecca were baptised at Chiswick:
C 9Apr1679 Richard s
George Masters
C 6Apr1681 Rebecca d
George Masters
Guessing possible dates of birth to allow five children before 1673 gives the following:
1664 George d1734
1666 Martha
d1710?
1668 ?
1670 Mary m1694 d1729
1672 Thomas m1703 d1728
1676 Catherine m1712 d1741
1679 Richard m1709? d1746
1681 Rebecca m1708 d1744
These dates are all possible, though the m of Catherine is very late with a m age of 36. Only one child is known, Thomas bur 14Aug1713 son of Thomas and Katherine Couchman at St Peter Paul's Wharf but a probable granddaughter Elizabeth married John Aldridge at Chiswick 29Sep1756
m 28Oct1694 Robt Burton of this parish & Mary Masters of Chiswick at Merton Surrey by licence
m 1Jun1703 Thomas Masters & Elizabeth Henly at Southwark St George
m 24Apr1708 Richard Clement bch & Rebecca Masters spr at St Bride Fleet St by Bishops Licence
m 14Jun1709 Richard Masters & Elizabeth Germain both of Perivale [3m from Chiswick]at
Harrow St Mary by licence
m 21Aug1712 Thomas Couchman of St Michael Queenhithe distiller & Katherine
Masters of St Swithins
at Southwark St.George
m 26Aug1734 Rice Lewis of Chiswick & Rebecca Clement of Isleworth at St Marylebone Westminster by licence
B 14Oct1710 Martha Masters at Chiswick
B 17Sep1728 Thomas Masters at Chiswick
B 30Nov1729 Mary Burton
at Great Bentley Essex
B 31Mar1734 George Masters at Chiswick admon to sister Rebecca Clements
B 26Nov1741 Catherine Coachman at Chiswick died of cholera
B 7Oct1744 Rebecca Lewis at Chiswick stranger
B 19Mar1746 Richard Masters at Chiswick age 66
There are probably burials of both George and Martha at Chiswick:
B 1Apr1702 Martha wife of George Masters gardener
B 15Jan1706 George Masters
No will of George or Martha has been found
George Master Strand on the Green p of Chiswick (gardener) Rebecca Clements widow sister and adtrix 30May1734 An inventory of his estate was conducted by Rebecca and show that he was a nursery gardener with an enormous stock of plants for sale on various plots around Chiswick. Nurserygardeners.com
I Rebecca Lewis wife of Rice Lewis of Isleworth, Gardner, do make my last will...
Whereas by Deed of settlement made 10Aug1734 before my marriage to Rice Lewis between me Rebecca Lewis by the name of Rebecca Clements of Isleworth of the first part - Rice Lewis of Chiswick Gardner of the second part - Thomas Couchman of St Peters Pauls Wharfe citizen and distiller of London and Peter Sharpe of St Michael Queenhithe citizen and cooper of London of the third part...
To my husband Rice Lewis £250 to be deducted from the £500 which I have power to dispose of by virtue of said settlement the remainder and all my copyhold estates to be surrendered to Thomas Couchman and Peter Sharpe to be used according to trusts etc in the said deed.
To George Mary Martha Rebecca and Anne Burton sons and daughters of Robert Burton deceased and to Edward Wyatt of Clements Inn and Peter Sharpe each a ring of 20 shillings value. To my brother Thomas Couchman and Catherine his wife five guineas each
executors Thomas Couchman and Peter Sharpe.
signed 17Jul1735 witnesses Bri. Smith of Clments Inn Edwd Wyatt of Clements Inn Henry St Geo: Downes of Essex Street in the Strand London proved 4Oct1744 by Peter Sharpe
I Richard Clement of Isleworth gardiner do make my last will...
to my wife Rebecca Clement my copiehold estate in Hounslow in possesion of Thomas Sperling
and after her decease to my nephew John Clement son of my brother James Clement - all my other property to be used to
pay £100 each to my heirs Sarah Compton and James Clements and my nephew Thomas Clement -
to all my brothers 20 shillings a piece for rings - residue to my wife Rebecca sole executor
signed X May 1729 witnesses Wm Hea-=-- Tho Couchman proved 11Dec1732 by Rebecca Clement in London
4Dec1673 I Henry Sharpe of Clapham Surrey victualler do make my last wil ---
to my son Henry Sharpe lease of the White Harte in Clapham and £20
to my son Richard Sharpe £10
to my granddaughter daughter of Richard £10
to my wife Anne Sharpe £50
to my daughter Rebeccah Sharpe £50
to my daughter Martha Master £5 and to her 5 children £3 each
to Elizabeth Swift £5
to my wife and daughter Rebekah 13 sheep a mare and a colt
to my son Henry and daughter Rebekah a featherbed 6 dishes etc
rest to my wife and son Henry executors
overseers friend Thomas Noake and Fitts Schroes witness Fitts Schroyes Thomas Noake Rich Sharpe
proved 16Nov1674 by Ann and Henry Sharpe
20Oct1685 Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Modern Deeds, Series D Ref 214/178
Parties: Richard, Viscount Dunkellin, and Anne, Countess of Warwick,
mother and guardian of Edward, Earl of Warwick and Holland
George Masters, gardener of Chiswick, co. Middx.
Subject: Lease of the gardens of Holland House (Kensington Gardens); 8 years; 10 l p.a.
(allowing the first named parties,
the young ladies of their families and their friends the use of the gardens).
10Apr1686 private papers of Anne Countess of Warwick Ref E192/14/13
Indenture between Richard, Viscount Dunkellin, and Anne, Countess of Warwick and Holland, his wife,
and George Masters, gardener, regarding Masters'
lease of the 'great garden' at Holland House Ref: E192/14/13
Henry's will names his children as Henry, Richard, Rebecca and Martha; and names his wife as Anne. . Richard is old enough to have a daughter but no records of the children have been confirmed.
The only other known record is his burial at Clapham St Mary 17Nov1674