Biography

Geographic Context

The maps below show the locations of various places mentioned in the following biography.

Overview map showing Norfolk and parts of Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Huntingdonshire.

Inset map showing the area between Wisbech and Castle Rising.

Early Life

Richard was baptised on 9 October 1700 in Wisbech St. Peter, Cambridgeshire, the son of Leonard and Elizabeth.^[1] He was the 7th and last child born to the couple. Four of his siblings died as infants so, when he was born, he just had two older siblings: Rebecca (sixteen years older) and Philip (almost ten years older).

When Richard was eight years old his sister Rebecca married John Thory at Hatley Saint George, Cambridgeshire.

When Richard was 23 his brother Philip died at the age of 34 and was buried in Wisbech. This left Richard as the only surviving son.

Five years later, when Richard was 29, his father Leonard died and was buried in Wisbech.

First Marriage

St. Peter's Church in Walpole St. Peter.

When he was 31, he married Sarah Sneath on 27 April 1732 in Walpole St. Peter, Norfolk.^[2] Note that despite being in different counties Wisbech and Walpole St. Peter were in the same Union of Wisbech and are only six miles apart. The church in the Walpole St. Peter is one of the largest churches in the county and is known as "the Cathedral of the Fens"

Richard and Sarah had seven children together, two of whom died in infancy. All were baptised at the church in Walpole St. Peter. The children who survived to adulthood were Thomas, Sarah, Richard, William and Leonard.

His wife, Sarah, died young and was buried on 24 November 1743 in Walpole St. Peter.

Second Marriage

When Richard was 53 he married Elizabeth Brightman by license on 22 March 1754. They were both residing in Walpole St. Peter but the marriage was to be solemnized in North Runcton, Norfolk (though the parish records there are missing).^[3] Richard was recorded as a schoolmaster, this would probably have been the school for young gentlemen mentioned below.

Richard and Elizabeth had six children together but four died in infancy. Only Elizabeth and Rebecca survived to adulthood. Their firstborn child, Matthew, was baptised in Walpole St. Peter in 10 April 1755 and buried there on 11 June 1755. All subsequent children were baptised in Castle Rising.

Castle Rising

The village of Castle Rising.

In 1756 Richard and family moved from Walpole St Peter to Castle Rising, Norfolk. This was announced in the Ipswich Journal of 12 June 1756: "This is to acquaint the publick, That Richard Fawssett is now removed from Walpole, to a commodious house at Castle Rising in the County of Norfolk, very pleasantly situated, about 4 miles from Lynn Regis; where he continues to board young Gentlemen and to qualify them for Business in general by regularly instructing them, after his long-approv'd Methods, in every useful Branch of Education; and great Care is taken to teach them to write Grammar and true English with Ease and Propriety. Note, Parents may depend upon their Children being treated with all the Tenderness and Regard due to their Age and Capacity, and a constant Inspection over their Morals and Behavior".^[4]. Ordnance Survey maps from a century later show a school in Castle Rising which could be this school.^[5][6][7]

At Castle Rising he was also the steward or agent managing the estate for the Howard family. Depending on when that position started he may have been working for William Howard Viscount Andover initially. But William Howard died in 1756 so he appears to have been mostly corresponding with Lady Andover. The position of steward seems to have been fairly senior. He reportedly loaned £300 to a miller on the estate to convert a fulling mill (used in cleansing cloth/wool) to a paper mill for example (more information on that mill here).

The castle on the estate was in ruins at the time

Castle Rising was a parliamentary constituency where the major landowners got to appoint two members of parliament and the population was kept very low. Robert Walpole had started his parliamentary career here and was Prime Minister between 1721 and 1742. When Richard moved to Castle Rising one of the MPs was Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of Suffolk who was a member of the family who owned the estate.

In 1761 Richard's eldest son Thomas married at the age of 28 to Catherine Allen in Terrington St Clement, Norfolk.

In 1765 Richard's son William married at the age of 24 to Ellen England in Little Walsingham, Norfolk. William was living in North Wootton, Norfolk which borders the Castle Rising estate. He was a farmer at Castle Rising. They later had a son William who became Vicar of Castle Rising.^[8]

The 1768 Poll book has Richard (of Castle Rising) owning freehold to property in "Walpole. Fr. M." being occupied by Thomas Jackson.^[9] The "Fr. M." likely refers to the hundred of Freebridge Marshland which included Walpole St. Peter.

In 1770 Richard's son Richard married Mary Bennett in Holbeach, Lincolnshire. He remained in Holbeach and became a surgeon.

Also in 1770, a few weeks later, Richard's son Leonard married Sally Mackworth in Huntingdon.

In 1774 Richard's daughter Sarah married at Castle Rising at the age of 36 to John Lowden of Wisbech.

Death

Richard died at the age of 80 and was buried on 27 July 1781 in Castle Rising.^[10] He was succeeded by his son Thomas as agent.

His will was written on 2 October 1780 and proved on 12 November 1781.^[11] See the transcription here. The will mentions his second wife Elizabeth and his seven surviving children by name. It also mentions a legacy from Sarah Sneath's father, Thomas Sneath, to her children.

Richard and Elizabeth's daughters Elizabeth and Rebecca were unmarried at the time of his death (a situation described in the will). Neither of them ever married and they were both buried in West Walton near Wisbech with their abode given as Wisbech St Peters. Elizabeth on 4 June 1834 age 77 and Rebecca on 17 December 1844 age 85.

Richard's widow Elizabeth may have lived with her daughters in Wisbech/West Walton until her death. She died at the age of 93 (according to the burial record) and was buried in West Walton with the abode given as Wisbech on 23 June 1813.

Research Notes

Exact birth date

The exact birth date of 27 September 1700 is from 3 Ancestry family trees and any original source for it is unknown. It is however consistent with the baptism date of 9 October 1700.

Birth place

The original GEDCOM had the birth place as "? Castle Rising". The FamilySearch tree here and 3 Ancestry family trees examined give the birth place as Castle Rising. But there is no evidence given for this. We do have a baptism record in Wisbech. Also from the first marriage and poll book it appears that he lived in Walpole St Peter before living in Castle Rising. So the current best evidence for birth place points to Wisbech.

Second marriage to Elizabeth

The original GEDCOM and family trees make no mention of a second wife but the will makes it clear he has a second wife named Elizabeth. Baptism records have been found for the children that he had with her. Since none of her children had offspring she is less likely to show up in peoples' family trees.

So Richard Fawssett must have married Elizabeth between 1743 (when first wife Sarah died) and 1756 (when Matthew the first child of Richard and Elizabeth was baptized). Likely it would be closer to 1756. The marriage to Elizabeth Brightman is in Walpole St. Peter where Richard was living when Leonard was baptised and is in 1754, so it is a good match.

They married by license rather than banns. 1754 is an interesting year since the rules on marriages licenses were tightened up that year (see FamilySearch).

The marriage bond says "The marriage shall be solemnized in the parish of N. Runcton". Could that be an indication that that is where the bride was from? North Runcton is about 10 miles from Walpole St. Peter and is close to Kings Lynn. A parish record of the marriage has not been found but records in North Runcton appear to be missing for that period.

There are various other people mentioned on the bond: John Bresrly (?) of Castle Rising and John Billman or Bellman "Surr."

In order to narrow down her baptism it would help to know her age when married. The marriage bond does say that she is above some age but it is hard to read. It looks like "50" but that seems unlikely as she had five children after the marriage, the last being baptised in 1765 (10 years after the marriage). The number does not look like "20" but could be "30" which seems quite reasonable. Let us assume that she must have been at least 21 in 1754 when married and that she cannot have been more than 50 in 1765 when she had her last child. That gives a birth range of 1715-1733. If we assumed that she was 30 or over when married and under 45 in 1765 that would narrow the range further to 1721-1724.

There are various possibilities:

• 4 Jun 1716 in Sheringham, Norfolk to Joseph and Sarah (Ancestry)
• 26 Aug 1719 in Olney, Buckinghamshire (FreeReg)
• 10 Feb 1720 in Swaton, Lincolnshire (FreeReg)
• 26 Feb 1719/20 in Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire (FreeReg)
• 26 Jun 1720 in Essendine, Rutland to Joseph (FMP)
• 28 Aug 1720 in Trunch, Norfolk to Nicholas & Elizabeth (Ancestry)
• 16 May 1724 in Swaton, Lincolnshire (FreeReg)
• 3 May 1724 in Baston, Lincolnshire to Johnathan & Mary (Ancestry)
• 17 Jan ???? in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk to William and Ann (Ancestry)

There are many more. We need a way to narrow it down. One way is to find the burial of Elizabeth and hope it gives an age.

We may be able to get a likely death location by examining the lives of her two daughters.

Located! The burial was in West Walton (where her daughters were also buried later) on 23 June 1813. It gives an age of 93 - which would give an approximate year of birth of 1720.

It appears that a person who could be her mother, Elizabeth Brightman (widow), was buried in Castle Rising on 21 Oct 1757. That may help track down her birth. Also I suspect that her father's name was Matthew since her first born son was named Matthew (as were her following 2 sons, all died in infancy). There is a marriage of a Mathew Britman to Elizabeth Battman in Bexwell, Norfolk on 11 Apr 1705. Bexwell is only 8 miles south of North Runcton. In the image at actually says "Upwell" next to this marriage. Upwell is closer to Walpole St. Peter. This is the only marriage of a Brightman to an Elizabeth within 10 miles of Walpole St. Peter. A Matthew Brightman was buried in Upwell, Norfolk on 5 Mar 1738. So I suspect that Richard's second wife Elizabeth Brightman may have been born in Upwell to Matthew and Elizabeth.

I have scanned the bishops transcripts for Upwell between 1715-1716 and 1725-1726 but have not found any record of the baptism of Elizabeth Brightman.

If we ignore the name Matthew there is a clear favorite in Trunch, Norfolk: "Elizabeth Daughter of Nicolas Brightman and Elizabeth his wife was baptized August 28th, 1720.". Trunch is a way away (56 miles from Walpole St. Peter). There is a marriage for Nicholas Brightman and Elizabeth West in Trunch on 4 June 1714. This Nicholas Brightman appears to have been baptized in East Walton on 3 May 1696 which is a lot closer.

National Archives search

Since Richard Fawssett was of the gentry class it is worth searching the National Archives and Norfolk Records Office. These items showed up (the body of the documents is not available online so they have not been read).

• 1731. Attorney General v Gare. Document type: Bill and answer. Plaintiffs: Attorney General at the relation of Richard Fawssett, gent, Thomas Coulborn, clerk, Vicar of Walpole St Peter and St Andrew, Norfolk, Henry Fysh, clerk, rector of the the other moiety of the said parish church of Walpole St Peter. Defendants: Robert Gare, Robert Coult and Elizabeth Serjeant. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10424275
• 1749 - 1757. Letters and drafts re the livings of Castle Rising and Roydon and the Peculiar between Lord and Lady Andover, Jo. Atwell of Norwich, John Dowsing of Bath, Richard Fawsett of Walpole, Henry and Ann Loftus, J. Newton of Gloucester, (?) Fettiplace Nott of Lichfield, Philip Pyle of Norwich, Thomas Stone of Lynn. Inc. also references to estate and election business, the general contempt felt for the Spiritual Court, and the ill principles of the 'Norfolk common people'. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/f07e8b90-053a-49c1-bd4c-1a3b42b4689f
• 1760. Richard Fawssett, Castle Rising (steward). Dispute with John Parrott the 'mad and frantick' miller over rebuilding the paper mill. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/75dc57bb-03b6-43a5-bbc4-0ef84b885a0e
  • NOTE: The original GEDCOM contained a note with an excerpt from the book "Portrait of a Village: Castle Rising by Colin S. Dence, 1980". The quoted text says that Richard wrote a letter to William Howard Viscount Andover about this issue in 1760. Which seems incorrect because William Howard died in 1756.
• 1762 - 1763. Richard Fawssett, Castle Rising, to George Hall, Packington (Co. Stafford). Estate matters, tithe dispute, poaching by Parson Bag of Lynn. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/b8455f55-7c04-4ff2-ae77-0eaeddd0e25c
• 1772 - 1778. Drafts from the Earl of Berkshire and Suffolk to Richard Fawssett. Estate matters, game preservation, new gown for the mayor, loan of the house at Castle Rising to Lord Aylesford. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/d669f39c-cc16-4843-88de-0ffb3b26ede8
• 1779 - 1781. Drafts from Lady Andover to Richard Fawssett (steward). Estate matters, poaching, entry of Fawssett's grandson at the Charterhouse. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/251d5bcf-0882-421b-8fb8-6761defee246
• 1781. Deeds. Schedule (two copies) of deeds and papers (inc. also borough seal) at Castle Rising in possession of the late Mr. Fawssett (Richard Fawssett the agent). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/d785d2c8-b87c-4d96-aeaa-435e6a64a8d4

Info from Castle Rising History Group

Richard Fawssett is mentioned in a PDF book available on this site.

On page 17 of this chapter it says that Richard Fawssett was killed in an accident on the turnpike road between Wisbech and Downham Market. The book says that he was succeeded by his son Thomas as agent, but a later agent of the estate, James Bellamy, writing in 1798 described how Richard had died:

“He went with Mr Peynton a Surgeon of the place to Outwell village 5 miles distant in his Carte(?), to sell an estate there, being detained till between 9-10 at night, they determined to go home. The horse, going over one of the Bridges of a canal by some means took fright and at length ran the carriage backwards into the canal. It is supposed that Mr Fawssett received some violent contusion in the fall although instantly taken from the water and every means possible to restore animation, no indication of life appeared.”

Without seeing the original source it is hard to be sure that this is really referring to Richard Fawssett. It actually seems more likely that this is describing the death of Richard's son Thomas who succeeded him as agent and did indeed die in 1798 (at the age of 65).

Sources

1. ↑ "Baptism of Richard Faucitt: (A: FreeReg) Wisbech : St Peter : : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5817cc28e93790ec8b2952d1 : viewed 22 Jun 2020) baptism Richard Faucitt 09 Oct 1700 (B: FindMyPast) "Cambridgeshire Baptisms", Findmypast. No images. From Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire Family History Society. 9 Oct 1700 Richard Faucitt. Place: Wisbech, St Peter. Father: Leonard. Mother: Elizabeth. Accessed 21 June 2020
2. ↑ Marriage to Sarah Sneath: "Norfolk, England, Transcripts of Church of England Baptism, Marriage and Burial Registers, 1600-1935"
   Norfolk Record Office; Norwich, Norfolk, England; Norfolk Church of England Registers; Reference: nro_register_bills\at\walpole_st_peter
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 61636 #2950405 (accessed 15 October 2021)
   Richard Fawssett marriage to Sarah Sneath on 27 Apr 1732 in Walpole St Peter, Norfolk, England.
   27 April 1732. "in the Parish of Walpoole St. Peter" "Richard Fawſsett and Sarah Sneath"
3. ↑ Marriage to Elizabeth Brightman: "England, Norfolk Marriage Bonds, 1557-1915," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DR17-4Y9?cc=1824690&wc=M8VJ-GZ9%3A160750101%2C160953901%2C161035601 : 20 May 2014), Norfolk > Archdeaconry of Norwich. Court > 1754 > image 5 & 6 of 256; Record Office, Central Library, Norwich. (see the linked page and the previous page) 22 March 1754 "Richard Fawſsett of the Parish of Walpole St. Peter in the County of Norfolk. Schoolmaster. Widower. Age about 50. Elizabeth Brightman of the same parish. Singlewoman. Age above 30. The marriage shall be solemnized in the parish of N. Runcton". Accessed 21 June 2020
4. ↑ Ipswich Journal School Advertisement: "The Ipswich Journal 12 June 1756. Available (paywall) on FindMyPast (bottom center of page) and Newspapers.com. Accessed 24 June 2020
5. ↑ OS 6 inch map of Castle Rising surveyed 1883 to 1884: "OS Six-inch England and Wales, 1842-1952" https://maps.nls.uk/view/101581232
6. ↑ OS 25 inch maps of Castle Rising surveyed 1884: "OS 25 inch England and Wales, 1841-1952" https://maps.nls.uk/view/120847775
7. ↑ Google Street View of the old school building: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.7945147,0.471423,3a,50.7y,305.52h,85.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soE3ymDAEV53zMGr-k_Pniw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
8. ↑ Clergy records for Richard's grandson William: https://theclergydatabase.org.uk/jsp/search/index.jsp CCEd Person ID: 112932 "[Only] s. of William, farmer, of Castle Rising, Norfolk. B. at North Wootton. School, Lynn. ' Matric. Michs. 1793;". Accessed 24 June 2020
9. ↑ Poll book 1768: Free Ancestry Image. "UK, Poll Books and Electoral Registers, 1538-1893". Original Data: "London, England, UK and London Poll Books. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall Library." Richard Fawſsett of Castle Rising owns freehold property "Walpole, Fr. M." occupied by Thomas Jackſon.. Accessed 21 June 2020
10. ↑ Burial of Richard Fawssett: "Norfolk Burials", Findmypast. Citing: Norfolk Record Office, Archive reference PD 343/2, Archive year range 1707-1812. Page 20. 27 July 1781. Parish: Castle Rising. Diocese: Norwich. "July 27th Mr. Richard Fawſsett". No age given. Accessed 21 June 2020
11. ↑ Will of Richard Fawssett: The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 1083. Accessed 21 June 2020. See transcription.

Acknowledgements

• This profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail

• This person was created through the import of Marc_Suzie_2010-12-07.ged on 07 December 2010.