Joyce (Allen) Brewer (1665 - 1742)

Born 11 Mar 1665 in Bristol, England

Ancestors

Wife of John Brewer — married 20 Dec 1687 in Bristol, England

Died 1742 at about age 76 in England

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Joyce (Allen) Brewer was a Friend (Quaker). Join: Quakers Project Discuss: quakers

Biography

note: Joyce is not listing with her parents and siblings as a passenger on Bristol. Why did she stay in England?

The Bristol Monthly Meeting recorded the birth of Joice, daughter of Nathaniel & Elenor Allen, on 11th day 1st month 1664/5 [March 11, 1665].^[1]

Marriage and Children

The Men's Meeting of the Bristol Quaker's recorded the intentions to manifest a marriage between Joyce, daughter of Nathaniel Allen, to John Brewer, a silk merchant on the 21st day 9th month [November 21] 1687. Notice of their intention to marry was published in front of the congregation on the 16th day of the tenth month[December 16].There were no objections and the couple made their promises to each other on the nine and twentieth day of the 10th Month [December 29] ^[2]

Together the couple had 2 children

Patience, born at the couples dwelling house in St Mary Retcliffe, Bristol (sic: Redcliffe) on the 9th day of the 9th Month 1688 (9 November 1688)^[3]

Mary, born at the couples dwelling house in Redclife parish the 5th day of the 12th month 1694/5 [5 February 1695]^[4]

John and Mary acted as the grave diggers for the Quaker community. The main burial ground was at Redcliffe Pit in the parish where they lived.

The men's monthly meeting on the 23rd of the 6th Month 1703 [ 23 August] recorded complaints that the couple had not been happy with 'reasonable pay' for digging the graves. John was admonished by the meeting not to ask of 'any poore person above one shilling' or to demand more than 2s 6d from the better off. He was told that if anyone offered more, then he should accept thankfully. John promised to amend his behaviour in the future.^[5]

A large number of slips asking Joyce or John to open or dig a grave show that she was carrying out this task until, at least, the winter of 1735 when she would have been 70 years old .^[6]

According to Russell Mortimer, in the last years of her life, Joyce was receiving occasional relief. He gives a year of death for her of 1742.^[7]

This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?

Sources

1. ↑ Piece 1440: Monthly Meeting of Bristol: Births (1654-1777); Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Quaker Birth, Marriage, and Death Registers, 1578-1837 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013. ($)
2. ↑ "England and Wales Non-Conformist Record Indexes (RG4-8), 1588-1977," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7YY-6TR : accessed 7 August 2015), Joyce Allen, 20 Nov 1687, Marriage; citing p. 130, Bristol & Somerset, record group RG6, Public Record Office, London. Note marriage date wrongly transcribed Family Search admin notified ~~~~

   Wheras it doth appeare by the memorials of the mens meeting of the people called Qakers in the town of Bristoll that John Brewer of the said Citty of Bristoll silk weaver and Joyce Daughter of Nathaniell Allen of the same citty, cooper did upon the one and twentieth day of the nineth mon 1687 (21 November 1687) manefest their Intentions of Marriage and whereas such their intentions were on the 16th day of the tenth Moneth (16 December) in the yeare aforesaid published in the publick meeting house in the said people in the presence of many people there congregated Now fore as much as there appeares noe just cause wherefore a marriage betwixt the said John & Joyce should not be consumated Wee therefore are wittnesses that on the day of the date hereof the said John takeing the said Joyce by the hand did declare that he did take the said Joyce Allen to be his wife and that the said Joyce houlding the said John by the hand did declare that she did take the said John Brewer to be his wife and further also the said John and Joyce did promise each to other to live together husband and wife in love and faithfullness according to gods ordenance until by death they shalbe separated And that also John & Joyce as a further testimony of such their takeing each other and of such their promise to each other here unto with us subscribed their names this nine and twentieth day of the tenth month (29 December) One thousand Six hundred and eighty seven

   (John was able to sign, Joyce made her mark)
3. ↑ General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials, RG 6. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England.Description: Piece 1650: Monthly Meeting of Bristol: Birth notes (1681-1700) image viewed on ancestry.co.uk
4. ↑ General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials. RG 6. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England Description: Piece 1651: Monthly Meeting of Bristol: Birth notes (1681-1700)
5. ↑ Mortimer Russell, editor, Book of the Men's Meeting of the Society of Friends in Bristol, 1686-1704 Bristol Records Society Vol XXX p 212 google books accessed 15th Sept 2018
6. ↑ These are examples only. The ancestry index does not usually give Joyce's name since she is the gravedigger. The latest found is for 1735 but the next volume has not been searched.

   Ye 27 3 Mo 1721 [27 May 1721] Joyce Brewer make a grave for Alice ye wife of J'n Wilson Shee died in ye parish of Nicholas signed Geo Bridges (Brewer transcribed Bruer)

   17th May 1721 Joyce Brewer I desire thee to make a grave for ye body of Tho. Lofty of ye Castle precincts Master Taylor , signed Chl. Harford (Joyce transcribed Joyer)

   14th 6 month 1721 [14 August 1721] Thee ask to open a Grave for Peeter Griffen [Hoossied?] in Redcliffe Parish signed Geo Bridges

   August 17th 1733 Joyce Brewer please to make a grave for [___] Smiths child this evening signed Henry Masters

   Bristoll ye 30 of ye 10m 1735[30 December]

   Joice Brewer Open a Grave for Joseph Darmell a son of Thomas Darmell who died in James Parrish to be ready to morrow at of 3 our signed Edward Jones

   General Register Office: Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials. RG 6. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England Piece 1662: Monthly Meeting of Bristol: Burial notes (1720-1729) Piece 1664: Monthly Meeting of Bristol: Burial notes (1720-1729) viewed on ancestry.co.uk
7. ↑ Mortimer Russell, editor, Book of the Men's Meeting of the Society of Friends in Bristol, 1686-1704 Bristol Records Society Vol XXX p235 google books accessed 9th March 2018

See also:

Acknowledgements

• Thank you to Andrea Powell for contributions to this profile