Anthony Bedingfield MP (abt. 1600 - 1652)

Ancestors

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Biography

MP Anthony Bedingfield was the youngest son of Thomas Bedingfield MP of Ditchingham Norfolk and Darsham Suffolk, and his wife Dorothy Southwell. ^{[1] [2]}He was probably born around 1600.

In the 1636 Will^[1] of his father, he was given a bequest of the manor of Bruisyard in Suffolk. There was no mention of a wife or children, nor do wife or children appear in Anthony's own Will;^[3] he apparently died without issue and may not have married, as he was not buried with a wife.

Anthony Bedingfield moved, probably in his teens for an apprenticeship, to London, where he became a member of the Mercer's Company and nominated alderman of the City for Langborough Ward on July 16 1650.^[4] However, he was discharged from that position, being then a Member of Parliament.^[5] In 1651 he was named Master of the Mercer's Company.^[6] In his Will^[3] he styled himself "of London Mercer".

In 1640, Anthony Bedingfield was twice elected to Parliament for Dunwich - for the Short and Long Parliaments.^[7]

Anthony Bedingfield was undoubtedly on the side of Parliament during the Civil War, when London was a puritan stronghold. In 1646, he was elected a ruling elder of the then-presbyterian St Margaret Lothbury,^[8] although this might have been simply because he was an MP. In 1655, a gift of £100 was recorded from him for the poor of that parish.

As MP, he signed the Covenant in 1643.^[9] He does not appear to have been very active as PM, and it is not clear whether he was included or excluded by Pride's Purge in 1648, except that, as he was excused from the post of alderman in 1650, we know he must have still been at least nominally a Member at that date.

He died in 1652 and was buried 2 August at St Mary the VIrgin church of Gislingham Suffolk,^[10] where he had purchased the manor in 1649, as he states in his Will.^{[3] [11]} It is not clear if this was his death place. The manor passed into the hands of his brother Thomas, who was an executor of his Will. A notable monument still exists.^{[12] [13]}

Anthony Bedingfield clearly died a wealthy man, and apparently without issue, as no wife or child is named in his Will,^[3] which was proved twice: first on 9 August 1652, again in May 1655. The bequests left to brothers are substantial, and generous amounts were bequeathed to other relatives, to the children of his master in the Mercers Company, to servants, and to charities.

Research Note

Some sources claim that Anthony Bedingfield died in 1651 and was buried 27 October at Holm Hale in Norfolk. This is clearly incorrect. The identity of the Anthony Bedingfield buried in Gislingham is clear; the family at Holm Hale was a different one and the burial there was probably a different man of the same name, which was common to both, or perhaps the wife of such a man. A transcription of the parish register lists the person buried in 1651^[14] as "Mrs Anthony Bedingfield."

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} The National Archives: Will of Thomas Bedingfield of Darsham, Suffolk, proved 26 November 1636 - PROB-11-172-257
2. ↑ Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry. United Kingdom, H. Colburn, 1847. pp. 78-79. Burke
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Anthony Bedingfield in the England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858 WILL
4. ↑ Beaven, Alfred P. "Chronological list of aldermen: 1601-1650." The Aldermen of the City of London Temp. Henry III - 1912. London: Corporation of the City of London, 1908. 47-75. British History Online. Web. 3 February 2021.[ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-aldermen/hen3-1912/pp47-75. BHO]
5. ↑ Beaven, Alfred P. "Aldermen of the City of London: Langbourn ward." The Aldermen of the City of London Temp. Henry III - 1912. London: Corporation of the City of London, 1908. 166-172. British History Online. Web. 3 February 2021. Aldermen
6. ↑ Mercer's Company, List of Masters. Mercers
7. ↑ Wikiwand: April 1640 and November 1640 Short Long
8. ↑ Liu, Dai, and Liu, Tai. Puritan London : a study of religion and society in the city parishes. London, University of Delaware Press, 1986. Puritan
9. ↑ An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament.Covenant
10. ↑ National Burial Index For England & Wales FindMyPast
11. ↑ Copinger, Walter Arthur. The Manors of Suffolk vol 3. p. 270. London: T F Unwin, 1905. SUSSEX MANORS
12. ↑ History of St. Mary the Virgin Church. Gislingham
13. ↑ My Quiet Life in Suffolk. Church
14. ↑ Holme Hale : St Andrew : : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/58188f41e93790ec7551e46e : viewed 3 Feb 2021) burial * Bedingfield 27 Oct 1651 FreeReg]

• Will of Anthony Bedingfield, Tyler's Index to Wills 1460-1882. WILL OF ANTHONY BEDINGFIELD