Gazetteer of Plasterers - A

ABBOTT, Thomas (fl. 1611; d. 1618)

A Plasterer who was presented by Richard Gibson in 1605 and freed by redemption on 30 September 1612. He is listed among the Yeomanry of the Company from 1611. He signed his name to a Plasterers’ Court order on 23 February 1617. He paid his beadleship fine on 28 May 1618 but died later that year.

ABRAHAM, Henry (fl. 1605-1610)

A plasterer who worked under Richard Dungan at Salisbury House in 1608.[1] He was apprenticed to Richard Dungan on 22 May 1605 and at his master’s death was turned over on 29 January 1609/10 to Richard Radcliffe to serve the residue of his term. There is no record of his freedom.

ADAMS, John I (fl. 1591; d. before 1610)

A plasterer who does not appear in the records of the London Company but worked with Richard Barfield at Hampton Court in 1591-2, where they were ‘moldinge and frettinge with Lyme and heare the rooffe of the newe fountaine’.[2]

ADAMS, John II (fl. 1607; d. 1624)

The son of a Herefordshire farmer, he was apprenticed to Walter Whitney on 27 September 1598 for 9 years and was freed on 16 November 1607. He presented his own apprentices (Walter Walker on 13 October 1609; Thomas Story on 25 January 1613/14). In 1613 he was a witness to the will of John Evered, who owed him 10s 6d and bequeathed him all his ‘working tooles and paternes’.

ADDAMS, Nicholas (fl. 1574; d. 1604)

A plasterer of St Saviour Southwark, recorded in the parish registers at the baptisms of a daughter Anne (28 October 1574); a daughter Joane (22 October 1576); a son John (29 October 1579); a daughter Anne (24 January 1581/2) and a daughter Jane (9 February 1583/4).[3] Addams was buried at his parish church on 18 June 1604.

ADDIS, Giles (fl. 1606; d. before 1625)

A Plasterer who was apprenticed to Robert Plowman on 2 December 1597, turned over to Humphrey Dovey on 13 October 1601 and freed on 10 July 1607, when he donated a gilt spoon to the Company. He is listed among the Yeomanry until 1624 but he took no apprentices and does not appear to have paid any quarterage dues until 1623 and none thereafter.

[It is possible that he is to be identified with Giles Addis of St Giles Cripplegate. According to the Parish Register he married Mary Stapleton in February 1608 and was buried on 20 July 1623, when he was described as ‘Imbroderer’. He would not be unique among members of the Company who did not take up plastering as their craft.]

ADDIS, Scolecraft (fl. 1605; d. 1616)

A Plasterer whose apprenticeship was not recorded but who was freed by Robert Plowman in January 1604/5, when he donated a gilt spoon. He paid his beadleship fine on 5 August 1607 and presented John Aldhem as his apprentice at the same time. He is recorded among the Yeomanry until 1615 but noted as ‘died’ in 1616.

ADDISON, John (fl. 1590; d. before1656)

The son of a London labourer, he was apprenticed to Richard Ratcliffe on 29 July 1603 for 8 years and freed on 23 April 1611. He was one of the Plasterers working at the Charterhouse in 1613-14 at 2s per day.[4] He paid the fine not to serve one year as a journeyman and presented apprentices of his own (Raphe Lacy on 30 April 1616; Gilbert Rawbie on 26 July 1624; Francis Goodenough on 25 July 1627; John Bradshaw on 31 July 1634; Thomas Poultney in 1642; John Hull in 1648). On 27 May 1616 he was committed for an unspecified offence. He put his signature (rather than his mark) to Company orders. He paid his beadleship fine on 25 July 1618.  On 18 July 1633 he was nominated for the Livery of the Company but not selected. He was nominated, but not elected Junior Warden in September 1642 but obtained the position on 24 September when a second election was required, after the man first chosen refused the position. On 26 of that month Addison pleaded extreme poverty, was excused from serving and dismissed from the Livery. He was unsuccessful in the election for Beadle in 1648 and became a pensioner of the Company on 25 July of that year. He died before 1656.

ALEXANDER, William (fl. 1571-81)

A Plasterer who paid a fine for disobedience on 2 November 1571 and presented Edward Nelson as his apprentice on 8 August 1573. Bad work at a Schoolhouse in Feather Lane resulted in a fine on 30 April 1574. His last appearance in the Company records was in March 1580/1 when Richard Alleyn paid for the return of Moye Bodeley (presumably an apprentice, otherwise unlisted) from Alexander.

ALLEN, John I (fl. 1593-1636)

A Joiner and subsequently a Plasterer of St Giles Cripplegate, Allen was recorded in the parish register at the burial of a daughter Mary on 25 October 1604.[5]

Allen served his apprenticeship under John Symonds, who was a member of the Joiners’ Company but was appointed Master Plasterer to the Office of Works from 1585-97. Under Symonds, Allen was employed on routine task-work for the Office of Works at Whitehall in 1593-94 and 1595-96; and at Woking in 1593-94 (with Ellis Johnson). In his will of 1597 Symonds bequeathed Allen half of his stone-carving tools and half his ‘platts’ and left a mourning ring to Allen’s wife, Johane.[6] In 1598 Allen entered into a bond of £100 with Robert Burton, Richard Ratcliffe and Richard Brown, the Master and Assistants, to ensure that that he enrolled his apprentices with the company and that he should have no more than two apprentices at any one time. In accordance with this agreement Allen presented Henry Dorrye (22 February 1598/99); John Dewgard (12 May 1600); Thomas Court (18 September 1601); Hugh Corbyn (5 May 1603); William Wickens (13 October 1607); John Allen II (4 September 1611); John Sterman (15 March 1615/16); Thomas Chapman (turned over to him 25 July 1617); George Stacey (25 January 1619/20); Augustine Parker (turned over to him 25 July 1617); William Stacey (2 May 1621 – brother of George and immediately turned over to John Greenwell, Joiner); William Hancock (2 February 1626/7); John Barnett (30 August 1627 – immediately turned over to Widow Talbot); Richard Curtis (8 November 1627 and turned over to Edward Stanyon on 25 January 1630/1). On 31 January 1611/12 Allen contributed to the cost of turning over Robert Whitehead to John Langford, after the death of his first master. Despite his later eminence Allen was fined for poor work in the Old Bailey (24 November 1603); Gray’s Inn Lane (28 November 1605); Finch Lane (25 January 1605/6).

On 25 January 1611/12 Allen was finally translated from the Joiners’ Company to the Plasterers and immediately entered the company’s Livery. In 1616 Hugh Capp nominated his ‘friend Mr John Allen’ as an overseer to his will. On 11 July 1617 Allen was admitted as the City Plasterer, a post which he held until he surrendered it to Edward Stanyon on 22 May 1627.[7] He served as Master of the Plasterers’ Company in 1619-20, 1623-24 and 1630-31. Allen was clearly financially successful and signed several bonds for loans when the Company was in difficulties; and he acted as witness to the auditing of the accounts on 19 October 1621. The importance of his role in Company affairs was recognised on 3 February 1625/6 when it was agreed that Mr Allen was to take precedence of Richard Talbott, the King’s Master Plasterer, when the latter became one of the Assistants. He was last listed as an Assistant on 27 May 1636. On 3 August 1636 the Company received a carpet from him, probably a bequest but no reference is made to his death or burial.

ALLEN, John II (fl. 1618; d. 1653)

A Plasterer, born the son of a Northamptonshire mason, who was apprenticed to John Allen I on 4 September 1611. He was freed and paid his ‘abling’ fine on 23 April 1619. He was fined for bad work at the Dog Tavern, without Newgate (3 August 1621). His apprentices were Bartholomew Mountford (turned over to him 23 April 1625); Phillip Cooke (23 April 1625; freed 29 November 1632); Richard Curtis (8 November 1627; freed 17 March 1634/5); Edmond Finch (22 March 1633); Edmund Taylor (23 April 1636). On 19 April 1653 he made his will, leaving to ‘my cousin Joseph sonne of Richard Curtis my bible with brasse bosses to bee deliuered him when hee can read’.[8] The will was proved on 1 June and his widow and executrix Elizabeth paid a final arrearage of quarterage on 29 November of that year.

ALLEN, John III (c 1606-27)

A Plasterer, the son of John Allen I. He was made free by patrimony on 24 November 1625, without serving an apprenticeship and his name was not listed after 1627.                                            

ALLEN, Morgan (d. 1593)

A plasterer apprenticed to Henry Bettes on 13 October 1581. He was buried at St Michael Cornhill on 1 September 1593.[9] The Company paid for a certificate of his death on 29 November 1598 for an unspecified reason.

ALLEN (ALLEYN), Richard (fl. 1574-93)

A Plasterer of St Sepulchre without Newgate recorded in the lay subsidy of 1577.[10] Possibly the Richard Allen of the same parish who died in or before 1595 and whose estate was granted to his relative Susan.[11] On 14 July 1574 he paid for his ‘pattern’, indicating that he was entering the Livery of the Company. He presented apprentices: William Cooke (6 August 1574); Anonymous (17 June 1575); Edward Warren (17 August 1576); Edmund Hill (28 April 1592; Allen was fined for failing to enrol him for six months). On 25 July 1581 he had paid to have his apprentice Moye Bodeley restored after he had been returned by William Alexander. He was fined for bad work on 25 July 1579; and work by him in Holborn was inspected on 26 July 1580. Fines for bad work followed on 19 August and 18 November that year. On 11 September 1590 a fine was imposed for ill work in Paternoster Row. Allen requested discharge from the Livery on the grounds of poverty on 19 January 1582. He repaid a debt to the Company on 11 September 1591 and received charity on 17 March 1593.

ALLEY (ALLYE, ALLYSON), Hugh (1556-1602)

On 26 October 1597 Alley, who was not a practising plasterer, purchased his freedom by redemption from the Plasterers’ Company. On 4 November of that year he was paid 4s for ‘certeyne writinges’ and on 23 November he was among those paid in connection with the preparation of documents to be presented to Parliament for the alteration of the Company’s patent. A full account of his career is provided in Ian Archer, Caroline Barron, Vanessa Harding (eds), Hugh Alley’s Caveat, London Topographical Society Publication No. 137 (1988).

ANCELL (ANSELL, ANDSYLL), Thomas (fl. 1589; d. 1622)

A Plasterer of St Giles Cripplegate who was recorded in the parish registers at the baptism of a daughter Mary (30 July 1589) and the burials of his wife Gwyn (14 June 1596) and son John (13 September 1598).[12] He was apprenticed to William Jones on 25 July 1581 and was freed on 21 May 1588. He paid his beadleship fine on 7 September 1589 and presented a series of apprentices: Hugh Parrowe (14 August 1593); Hugh Fludd (24 July 1594, turned over to John Hynd on 28 April 1596); William Rowntree (5 May 1599), Thomas Hothersole (23 April 1601); Robert Ocam (24 May 1609); Guy Dobbins (29 January 1610); Maurice Davyes (14 September 1612). On 5 May 1599 Mr [Robert] Burton undertook to pay 30s of Thomas Ancell’s debt to the Company, to be repaid by him in weekly instalments. Ancell was fined for bad work in Shoe Lane on 7 March 1605/6. He remained a member of the Yeomanry of the Company throughout his career. On his death in 1621/2, in the parish of St Botolph without Aldgersate, the administration of his estate, valued at £7 14s. 10d., was granted to Thomas Hothersole, one of his creditors and an ex-apprentice.[13] Ancell re-married after Gwyn’s death in 1596 as his widow Elizabeth 'renounced' the administration of his will to his creditors. She paid quarterage from 1621-25; and received a charitable payment on 25 January 1625/6, when she was ‘verie sicke’.

ANDREWES, Robert (b. c 1583; d. 1608)

A Plasterer, born the son of Northamptonshire yeoman who was apprenticed to Raphe Guest on 23 April 1601 for 7 years. He was freed on 30 June 1608 and entered the Yeomanry but died the same year.

ARCHER, Robert (fl. 1615-40)

A Plasterer who was apprenticed to John Hore on 17 November 1608 and admitted to the Yeomanry of the Company on 16 November 1615. He paid his beadleship fine on 1 August 1617 but was not nominated for the Livery until 27 June 1640 and his name disappears from the records after that date. He was fined for bad work in Bucklersbury (1 August 1616); Pie Court (16 May 1622); unnamed sites (20 November 1628, 6 September 1632, 2 March 1639/40). He put his name to a Company memorandum with his mark rather than a signature on 23 February 1616/17. On 25 July 1618 he was fined for absence. He took as his apprentices: Henry Orbell for 7 years (16 August 1622); Thomas Day for 8 years (10 April 1627); Edward Fidler for 8 years (25 January 1627/8); William Downes for 8 years (26 May 1631); Charles Thomas for 8 years (13 May 1636). He made a donation of 10s towards the rebuilding of the Company’s house (23 April 1631).

ARCHER, Toby/Tobias (fl. 1613; d. 1625-6)

A Plasterer who was apprenticed to Thomas Noden on 25 January 1605/6 and admitted to the Yeomanry of the Company on 12 February 1613/14. He paid his beadleship fine on 26 August 1614. Archer and Anthony Sharpe were awarded £10 after a disagreement with Robert Whitinge and William Widmore, which they donated to benefit the poor of the Company (11 November 1614 and 13 January 1614/15). On 25 July 1618 he was fined for absence. He presented Richard Jones as his apprentice for 8 years, plus 1 year’s journeymanship, on 23 April 1619. He was among those chosen to enter the Livery on 22 August 1621. A fine was imposed on 20 August 1622 for wearing his cloak to Guildhall on Midsummer Day. He was still listed in the Livery in 1625 but made his will on 17 August 1625, which was proved on 24 January 1625/6 (LMA DL/AL/C/003/MS 09051/006, f. 235). Archer requested burial in St Mary Abchurch, as close to his two children as possible. His wife Joane ws to be guardian to his daughter Mary, until she was 21 years old or married. They were to share the messuage or tenement that he had recently built in Scalding Alley, in the parish of St Mildred in the Poultry, held on lease from the Goldsmiths' Company. Joane was also left the messuage in Basing Lane, leased from the Corporation of London, and the dwelling house in Sherborne Lane, leased to Richard Smith, in St Mary Abchurch. £4 per annum from the rents of these two properties was to be Mary's marriage portion. In case of the death of Joane and Mary, these legacies were to be divided amongst relatives. Margaret Warren, their servant, was left £5 for her marriage portion, of which Archer held 40s given to her by Barnaby Wilcockes. Joane was the residuary legatee and sole executor. On 7 November 1626 Mrs Archer paid to release Jones early from his apprenticeship. Her name in the Yeomanry is crossed through in 1626, indicating that she had either died or remarried.

ARMSTEAD (ARMSTEDD), Anthony (fl. 1613; d. 1625)

A Plasterer who was presented by John Walfleet on1 August 1605, was admitted to the Yeomanry of the Company on 30 July 1613 and paid his beadleship fine on 25 July 1615. On 6 August 1619 he was fined for bad work in Houndsditch and near the Spital. On 24 April 1620 William Yarrington (originally apprenticed to Richard Rawlidge) was turned over to him. He was selected to enter the Livery on 22 August 1621. On 23 April 1625 he presented Robert Flaxmer as his apprentice for 7 years but died later that year. Armstead made his will on 30 Ap[ril 1625, asking to be buried in the church of St Botolph without Aldgate. 40s was left to the Plasterers' Company for accompanying his body to the church at his funeral. Various relatives, including several of his wife's and his brother in Yorkshire, were left sums totalling something in excess of £11 (the number of children who were to receive 10s is not specified). All the fee simple lands and houses that he owned in Three Kings Alley were to remain the hands of his wife, Anne, until his son Daniel was 21 years old. Two houses in St Botolph without Aldgate were part of the residue of his estate to be inherited by his wife. He appointed a brother and brother-in-law as overseers of the will and also as guardians of Daniel, should his wife die. Armstead signed the will with his mark and it was proved on 26 April 1626 (LMA DL/AL/C/003/MS 09052/007, will no. 4).

ASHBRIDGE (ASBRIDGE), George (fl. 1593; d. 1613)

A Plasterer apprenticed to Richard Terrey on 4 September 1584, who entered the Yeomanry on 23 April 1593 and paid his beadleship fine on 23 August 1594. He presented James Ashbridge as his apprentice on 21 April 1598. On 25 July 1602 he and John Slared agreed to pay the Company 50s in instalments, on behalf of Pierce Godbeheare, Ashbridge signing his name to the memorandum. On 5 August of that year he paid for the pattern of his Livery. A fine for ill language and bad work in a garden house in Long Lane was imposed on 11 February 1602/3. He was sent to the Compter on 6 July 1604 and fined for disobedience; but also presented Matthew Silby as his apprentice for 8 years. On 7 March 1605/6 he was fined for abusing ‘one of the brothers of his Company’ and on 31 August 1609 he was dismissed from the Livery until he amended his drunken behaviour, especially towards Mr Richard Farrington, Sheriff. Failing any improvement he was to be dismissed from the Livery ‘utterly’ and he is listed among the Yeomanry for 1611-12. On 7 August 1612 he was fined for ‘setting a forrener to work’ and presented John Kirton as his apprentice for 8 years. He received a charitable donation from the Company on 25 January 1612/13. He must have died in 1613 as Widow Ashbridge is listed in the Yeomanry 1613-19; she died in 1620.

ASHE, Matthew (fl.1589-92)

A Plasterer who was presented as an apprentice by Thomas Kelley on 26 May 1581 and was freed on 27 June 1589. He paid his beadleship fine on 2 August of that year and was fined for ill work on 4 November 1592.

ASHE, William (fl. 1586-92)

A plasterer of St Giles Cripplegate recorded at the baptism of a daughter Bridgett on 5 March 1591/2.[14] He was apprenticed to Edward Jackson on 20 November 1579, was freed on 16 November 1586 and paid his beadleship fine on 18 August 1587. He presented John Creasey as his apprentice on 11 November 1591 but was fined for failing to present him for over a year. He was fined for ill work on 4 November 1592.

ASHLEY (AYSSHELEY), William I (fl. 1567)

A plasterer who was engaged with others on the building of Lincoln’s Inn between March and May 1567.[15]

ASHLEY (ASTLEY), William II (fl. 1587-96)

A Plasterer whose enrolment is not recorded but who was freed on 4 March 1586/7. He was fined for bad work in Holborn, together with Edmond Harryson, on 28 July 1587. On 1 September the same year he paid his beadleship fine. A further fine for ill work in Holborn was incurred on 30 August 1588. He presented an anonymous apprentice on 23 May 1592, presumably Arthur aka John Field who was turned over from Ashley to Ellis Piggen on 5 November 1596.

ASKALL (ASCALL, ASHCELL, ASCOLE), Thomas (fl. 1602; d. 1604)

A Plasterer who was presented by Smalladge Kelley on 14 October 1594. On 11 May 1598 a hearing took place at Guildhall between the Plasterers’ Company and Matthew Hand. It was decided that Hand, who had taken on Askall after Kelley’s death, was not entitled to an apprentice and should relinquish him, taking on a journeyman instead. Askall’s new master was John Jackson. On 9 November 1599 he was turned over again to Mr Henry Willis. He was freed on 12 November 1602 but was recorded as ‘mort’ in the Yeomanry list of 1604.

ATKINS, John (fl. 1598)

A Plasterer whose freedom was recorded on 27 September 1598 but whose name does not appear in the Quarterage records from 1604.

ATKINSON, John I (fl. 1574-88)

A Plasterer who paid his beadleship fine on 14 July 1574. On 26 April 1577 he took an unnamed apprentice and in March 1580/1 he was among those contributing to the cost of the Parliamentary bill concerning artificers. He presented John Hunter (II – not freed) as his apprentice on 24 January 1583/4. He received payment on 25 March 1586 for acting as Beadle in Francis Broadbent’s place and it was agreed on 29 July that year that his wages as Beadle should be increased. He last paid arrearage of quarterage on 30 November 1588.

ATKINSON, John II (fl. 1597-1601)

An apprentice of William Piggen the elder (absent for four years in the wars) who was turned over to Mr Edmund Essex for the final two years of apprenticeship on 11 December 1596. On 3 September 1597 he agreed to work for Essex as journeyman for one year for 4 marks. He was fined for ill work on 16 March 1598/9 and paid his beadleship fine in September 1600. He was fined again for ill work in Mugwell Street on 3 November 1601, which is the last time his name is recorded.

ATKINSON (ATKINS), Thomas (fl. 1589; d. 1631)

A Plasterer of St Stephen Coleman Street, who was apprenticed to Rauf Bettes on 25 July 1582 and freed on 27 June 1589, paying his beadleship fine on 31 July 1590. In Ralph Bettes’s will of 1599 Atkinson was one of four of his former apprentices who were bequeathed 3s 4d each ‘to carry my bodie to the buriall’.[16] On 5 August 1602 Atkinson paid for the pattern for his Livery and was elected Junior Warden for 1609-10 and Senior Warden for 1613-14. He served as Master of the Company in 1621-2 and 1628-9. He took as apprentices: William Holt (1 August 1601); Godfreye Fletcher for 8 years (12 November 1602); Edward Roberts for 8 years (6 July 1604; turned over to Ellis Piggen on 30 March 1609); William Lightfoot (13 January 1608/9); Jerome Burton was turned over to him from Thomas Dewberry, dec (29 January 1609/10); Thomas Smyth (14 June 1611); Henry Chippin was turned over to him from Roger Metcalfe (15 November 1613); Robert Osborne (2 August 1615); Robert Walter for 7 years (1 August 1617). On 4 March 1610/11 he was fined for making an agreement with his apprentice, allowing him to run away and marry. Atkinson was so financially successful that he was able to loan the Company £100 on 27 May 1616, on which he was paid interest on 27 May 1618, but he made his mark, rather than signing his name. A meeting was held on 5 June 1627 to discuss the loan which was repaid on 1 August. On 21 August Atkinson again lent the Company £100 at 7% interest, and although previous capital had been repaid, £40 in interest was still outstanding, which was to be paid back in instalments of £5 quarterly. Only six instalments were recorded: 13 October that year, 25 January 1627/8, 25 July 1628, 26 January 1628/9, 23 April 1629 and a final payment on 25 July 1629. Meanwhile, the Company was unable to pay its contribution to a City loan to the King and £60 was borrowed from Atkinson, £20 of which was repaid on 15 February 1627/8. Ill work by Atkinson was recorded at: Bow Churchyard (10 November 1598); The Sonne in New Fish Street (15 August 1605); unspecified site (19 February 1609/10); Lothbury (2 August 1615); Bucklersbury (2 February 1615/16); church at Dowgate (5 February 1621/2); Seething Lane (23 April 1628); Old Jewry Church (6 November 1628).

Atkinson was extensively employed by the Vintners’ Company: 1602-3 he received £44 for his work on the two houses at Harteshorne, plus £4 9s 3d for ‘Painters worke’ there; 1603-4 he was again at work there, in addition to the Company hall and almshouses, for which he received £2 12 2d, and £49 for work at Gravesend and Waveringe ‘att seuerall times’; 1604-5 he received a further £10 for work at Gravesend and £7 2s in ‘full payment of all his demands for his worke at Gravesend being 342 yardes of plasteringe att xijd the yarde.’[17] He worked with Richard Browne on routine plastering of the Buttery at Whitehall in 1610-11.[18] Mr Atkinson’s man (probably Chippin) carried out plastering on the exterior of the Company Hall (15 November 1613).

Atkinson’s name last appears on 13 October 1630 when he paid his arrearage of quarterage. He made his final will ‘very weake & sicke’ on 27 April 1631.[19] He left his wife Elizabeth two tenements with land which were in the tenure of Robert Cowarde of Cartwell, Lancashire, and two further tenements in the occupation of Robert Dickesone of Crostutt in Westmorland. After her death these properties were to pass to Atkinson’s grandson and namesake, who was also to receive another tenement in ‘Korke’ in Cartwell which was in the tenure of Peter Newby. Atkinson left his son Robert £100, a beaker of silver, and his biggest silver spoon. He left 40s. to the poor of St Stephen Coleman Street, £3 to the Plasterers’ Company and 20s. to his cousin James Atkinson. ‘Mr Buckett’ (probably the James Beckett who witnessed the will) was left 10s. and William Lether 15s. The rest of his goods and property was left to his wife and his son Robert, who were named joint executors. Mr Bucket and William Lether were named overseers and were given 20s. each for their pains. Thomas Atkinson was buried at St Stephen Coleman Street on 13 May 1631.[20] Probate was granted on 23 May 1631. On 9 August Mrs Elizabeth Atkinson made a free gift to the Plasterers’ Company of £5  and left them a legacy of £20 in her own will, which was received on 4 September 1634. On the same date the Company made a payment to her executor, Rowland Wilson, of £41 12s.

AUSTEN, William (fl. 1561; d.1582)

A plasterer of St Stephen Coleman Street who married Amy Warde, widow at his parish church on 4 May 1561. He is recorded in the parish registers at the baptisms of a son William Austen and a son Oliver on 22 February 1561/2 and at his marriage to a widow ‘Gine’ Ward on 4 May 1561.[21]

[He is possibly the plasterer of this name who was working for the Office of Works at Dartford in 1543-44 and probably also the Plasterer who presented Lewis Genoway as his apprentice in 1571. On 25 July 1581 he presented Thomas Wydmore, who was returned to Randall Shene by Widowe Awsten on 13 October 1582.]

AVERY, John (fl. 1593; d.1608)

A Plasterer who was admitted to the Yeomanry of the Company on 15 June 1593 and paid his beadleship fine on 23 August 1594. He presented William Whitinge as his apprentice for 8 years on 16 June 1598 but was fined for keeping ‘a boy’ for over 6 months without enrolling him. Avery released Whitinge a year early (1 August 1605) and took Roger Ingle as apprentice on 6 November 1605. He was fined for ill work in St Helen’s on 3 February 1603/4 and at an unspecified site on 25 April 1605. He paid his contribution towards the cost of the king’s visit to the City on 11 August 1604. He remained in the Yeomanry until 1607 but his widow was recorded in 1608.

[He is probably the John Averie of St Katharine Creechurch, administration of whose will was granted in 1608.[22]]

AVIS, James (fl. 1619; d. 1639)

A Plasterer whose presentation by Edward Stanyon was not recorded but who was freed on 23 May 1619. It seems likely that he accompanied his ex-master to Blickling Hall, Norfolk in 1620 and in 1627 he was paid £5 for ‘makinge and finishinge’ a statue of Hector for the Great Hall there.[23] On 25 March 1629 he paid his beadleship fine and presented his first apprentice, Edward Vale. On 12 January 1631/2 Vale was freed and on 21 March of that year Thomas Avis, the son of Robert, a Northamptonshire yeoman, was apprenticed for 7 years and freed on 3 September 1639. In 1633 James Avis was working for the Earl of Bedford at three houses in the Piazza, Covent Garden.[24] Avis must have died before November 1639 as Widow Avis’s dispute with Robert Betaugh was heard on 7 November of that month and agreement reached that she should repay Betaugh 8s by weekly instalments, though for what was not specified. Widow Avis received 2s from the Company on 18 February 1640/1 and she paid arrearage of quarterage on 25 July 1646. Her son Roger was apprenticed to John Kirton for 7 years on 24 June 1647. Widow Avis received charity from the Company on 26 January 1651/2 and 25 July 1657, although she was replaced as a Pensioner on 14 October 1652.

AVIS (AVIES, AVICE), Thomas (fl. 1614-55; d. before 1661)

A Plasterer who was born in Nassington, Northamptonshire and baptised on 1 August 1589. He was apprenticed to Anthony Sharpe (also of a Nassington family) on 26 March 1607 and admitted to the Yeomanry of the Company on 19 May 1615. Avis appears not to have worked in London as a memorandum of 4 September 1623 recorded that ‘in respect that Thomas Avice hath long dwelt farr remote from this Cittie and was hereby ignorant of the orders of this company, the court favouring his cause for that hee willinglie paied his assessment and quarteridge dewe, the companie wholly forgave and remitted unto him all fines due to the company whatsoever to this present day’. On 25 January 1626/7 he was however fined for not enrolling his apprentice, John Martyn, who was freed on that date. Avis was admitted to the Livery on 10 September 1627 but he was the unsuccessful candidate at the September elections for the post of Junior Warden between 1634 and 1637. He was finally elected on 14 September 1640 but requested he be excused because he lived at Mymes (South Mimms, Middlesex), 13 miles from London and couldn’t fulfil the duties of warden. He agreed to pay a fine of £10 accordingly and this was paid in three instalments on 2 July 1641, 25 January 1641/2 and 20 May 1642. On 2 July 1641 he also presented two apprentices: John Baseley and John Preston for 7 years. The Master and Wardens made trips, involving horse hire and other expenses, to ‘Mymes’ to Mr Avis on 12 September 1642, 11 September 1643 & 25 July 1644. Avis was elected Senior Warden on 11 September 1643 but again seems to have avoided serving in the post. William, ‘son of Thomas of South Mimes’ was apprenticed to Thomas Wright for 7 years on 12 January 1654/5. From 1639 there were two plasterers named Thomas Avis in the Company and it is not clear to which of them some entries applied. However, as William’s father is not recorded as ‘deceased’, it would seem that he was still alive in 1655 but did not survive to be listed in the quarterage records surviving from 1661.


 

[1] HHA Bills 28.

[2] TNA AO 1/2415/21.

[3] LMA P92/SAV 3001.

[4] LMA ACC/1876/F/48.

[5] LMA P92/SAV 3001.

[6] John Summerson, ‘Three Elizabethan Architects’, Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, 4 (1957), 223-4.

[7] LMA COL/CA/01/01/037 (1616-18), f. 136 & /045 (1626-7), f. 222.

[8] TNA PROB 11/227.

[9] LMA P69/MIC2/A/002/MS 04062.

[10] TNA E 179/145/252.

[11] LMA DL/C/B/001/MS 09168/015, f. 53v.

[12] LMA P69/GIS/A/002/MS 06419/001.

[13] LMA DL/AL/C/001/MS 09050/005, f. 148.

[14] LMA P69/GIS/A/002/MS 06419/001.

[15] The Records of the Honorable Society of Lincoln’s Inn. The Black Books. Vol. I. From AD 1422 to AD 1586, Lincoln’s Inn (1897), p. 448.

[16] TNA PROB 11/95, ff. 149v-151v.

[17] LMA CLC/L/VA/D/002/MS 15333/002 ff. 339, 361, 389.

[18] TNA E 351/3245, Taskwork.

[19] LMA DL/C/B/007/MS 09172/040, numbered for digitization 82.

[20] LMA P69/STE1/A/002/MS 04449/001.

[21] LMA P69/STE1/A/001/MS 04448.

[22] LMA DL/C/B/001/MS 09168/016 vol. 65.

[23] Norfolk County Record Office, NRS 14649.

[24] Survey of London, XXXVI, The Parish of St Paul, Covent Garden, London (1970), Appendix II, p. 290.

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