Margaret (Whitmore) Grobham St John (1576 - bef. 1637)

Born 1576 in Bishop's Lydeard, Somerset, England

Ancestors

Wife of Richard Grobham Kt — married 1604 in Great Wishford, Wiltshire, England

Wife of John St John 1st Bt — married 23 Oct 1630 in Lydiard Tregoze, Wiltshire, England

Died before 24 Nov 1637 before age 61 in Lydiard Tregoze, Wiltshire, England

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Biography

Of Great Wishford and Lydiard Tregoze, Wiltshire, later in possession of Bridgwater Manor, Somerset.

Background

Margaret Whitmore was the daughter of Alderman Sir William Whitmore, of Apley, Shropshire & Bishops Lydeard, a haberdasher of Lombard Street, and Anne Bond, daughter of Alderman William Bond, a wealthy merchant.

Bridgwater Manor, Somerset

'In 1626 it was granted to Sir William and Sir George Whitmore, who had both been lessees of the estate. In 1627 George conveyed the manor, but not the castle, to Sir Richard Grobham, husband of his sister Margaret. Grobham died in 1629 leaving his widow in possession with remainder to his nephew George Grobham of Broomfield. George died probably in 1646, and in 1652 John Howe the elder, husband of Sir Richard's sister and heir Jane, together with a Richard Grobham, were apparently in possession of the estate. The manor continued in the Howe family, probably with little land, descending from John and Jane Howe to their son John (cr Bt 1660), to Sir John's son Sir Richard Grobham Howe (d by 1703), and to Sir Richard's son and namesake (d 1730), owner in 1704-5. No further reference to the manor has been found.'[1]

Marriages and family

In 1604 she married 1ly Sir Richard Grobham, of Great Wishford, without children. He died in 1629.

In 1630 she married 2ly widower Sir John St John, Baronet, of Lydiard Tregoze, without children.

Death and burial

She died before 24 November 1637. She was buried in St Mary's Church, Lydiard Tregoze.

Memorial

"In the vaulte heere lyeth the bodie o Sir Richard Grobham knight, who enjoyed a happie lyfe 78 yeares, and having been married to Margaret, the daughter of William Whitmore, of London, esquier, 27 yeares, departed this transitory lyfe the 5th daye of July 1629."

Legacy

As well as Great Wishford her husband Richard bought the manors of Compton Abdale, Chedworth and Yarnworth which were settled on Margaret in her widowhood, with reversion to his nephew George Grobham.

Sources

History of Parliament, John St John (second husband).[2]

Bridgwater: Manors and Other Estates, BHO.[3]

The Church Monuments Society, The Society of Antiquaries, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1V 0HS Copyright © 2002 CMS.