Robert Grosvenor (abt. 1706 - 1763)

Born about 1706 in London, England [uncertain]

Husband of Sarah (Limbery) Grosvenor — married 21 Apr 1737 in West Ham, Essex, England

Descendants

Died 14 Nov 1763 at about age 57 in London, England

Biography

Robert was born about 1706 the son of Robert Grosvenor.^[1]

Robert married unknown who died before 1737.

Robert Grosvenor married Sarah Limbery, and he signed a marriage bond on 20 April 1737 to commit to the marriage. The Bond states that Robert Grosvenor the younger of the parish of St Mary Axe, London, Stationer. His is a widower and she is a spinster ^[2].

Robert married Sarah Limbery on 21 April 1737 in West Ham, All Saints, Essex, England.^[3].

On the 15th April 1745 their son William Limbery Grosvenor was christened at Poultry Chapel, Camomile Street-Independent, London. He was therefore probably a non-conformist, as was his father and son William.^[4]

In 1758 their daughter Mary (Grosvenor) Simmons (~1739 - 1819) married Allyn Simmons) at St John, Hackney, Middlesex in 1758 by licence dated the 28th February 1758. The bond states that she was 19, a spinster, a minor and the lawful daughter of Robert Grosvenor of St John's Hackney, Stationer ^[5]

Robert took on his son William as an apprentice in 1759. Robert, was described as a citizen and leather seller. His son was named as William Limbery Grosvenor. The indenture was signed on the 1st September 1759.^[6]

Robert died aged 57 on the 14th November 1763.^[1]

The entry in William Musgrave's Obituary is: Rob. (or Thos.), Stationer in Leadenhall Street, 14 November 1763 ^[7]

Robert Grosvenor, his wife Sarah and two children were buried in the churchyard at Chiswick in a family vault, with a chest tomb recording: "[Here] also lieth the remains of / ROBERT GROSVENOR who died / November the 12th 1763 aged 56 years / Also two of his children, viz / ROBERT PAINE GROSVENOR aged 15 years / And ELIZABETH GROSVENOR aged 4 years / SARAH (widow of ROBERT GROSVENOR) died June 1771 aged [60]".^[8]

Children

Mary Grosvenor (abt 1739 - )
Ruth Grosvenor (abt 1742 - 4.5.1801) aged 59
Sarah Elizabeth (Grosvenor) Tate (1742 - 1799)
William Limbery Grosvenor (abt 1745 - abt 1832) aged 87
Robert Paine Grosvenor, died aged 15 and buried at Chiswick
Elizabeth Grosvenor, died aged 4 and buried at Chiswick.

Stationer's business

Robert took over the business owned by his father Robert Grosvenor on his death in 1752 and in 1753 it was named Grosvenor and Webber, becoming Grosvenor, Webber and Simmons, Leadenhall Street, London.

Details of the company Grosvenor Stationers show the trading history from 1736 - 1977.

Support for Charitable Causes

Robert was listed in the Orphan Working School, Hoxton's "Plan" published in1769, and was shown as Robert Grosvenor (deceased) Governor on page 28.

Will of Robert Grosvenor

Summary - Robert's will named his wife as his executor in 1758 when he signed his will, but for some reason the will was not proved when he died in 1763. However, his wife Sarah (Limbery) Grosvenor (1704 - 1771) passed on the estate to her children when she died, acting as if the will had been proved. The family finally got the will proved in 1808. His children are named in the proceedings, all surviving children of whom get equal shares.

Will of Robert Grosvenor, Stationer of Leadenhall Street , City of London PROB 11/894/243

The last will and testament of me Robert Grosvenor of Leadenhall Street London Stationer undersigned I give and devise to my dear and beloved wife Sarah Grosvenor her heirs executors and administrators one third part of all my real and personal estate to and for her and their own use and benefit. Also I give and devise the remaining two third parts of all my real and personal estate to my said dear wife Sarah Grosvenor executors and administrators upon Trust to assign transfer convey and divide the same equally to and among all and every such child or children of mine as shall be living at the time of my death… And lastly I appoint my said dear wife Sarah Grosvenor sole executor of this my last will and hereby revoking all former and other wills by me at any time heretofore made I declare this to be my last will In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal the sixteenth day of February 1758 Robert Grosvenor the testator as and for his last will and testament … (continues with technical details about dealing with deaths of his children).

(Additional Codicil) Shenfield Whereas I have by me a will made several years ago, I would have this to be considered as a codicil to it, in that Will I have left all my children equal shares in my real and personal estate but as I have since married my daughter Mary and given her a portion of fifteen hundred pounds I would have that sum deducted out of her share …

Signed 2 December 1763

Appeared personally Thomas Uffington of Princes street in the parish of St Margaret Lothbury, London Warehouseman and Allyn Simmons of the parish of St Peter London Stationer and being severally sworn to depose the truth made oath that they know and were such acquainted with Robert Grosvenor late of the parish of St Peter Cornhill London deceased several years before and at the time of his death and during that time have frequently seen him write and subscribe his name …

Will proved at PCC On the thirteenth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty three administration with the will and codicil annexed of the goods chattels and (unclear) of Robert Grosvenor later of the parish of St Peter Cornhill London Esquire deceased was granted to Robert Grosvenor Esq a (unclear) of the said deceased having been first sworn duly to administer Sarah Grosvenor widow through (unclear) of the said deceased sole executor and one of the legatees named in the said will that the said Sarah Grosvenor widow the natural and lawful mother and executrix and guardian lawfully assigned to William Limbery Grosvenor a (unclear) the natural and lawful son and only other child of the said deceased and as such the other universal legatees

Note in the margin To the 18th day of May 1808 as sworn (unclear section) of Robert Grosvenor late of the parish of St Peter Cornhill London (unclear) William Rapier Esq a Barrister(?) of the said (unclear) was granted to William Limbery Grosvenor of the surviving and lawful children of the said deceased and as such being ... Mary Simmons (wife of Allyn Simmons) Sarah Tate wife of John Tate and Ruth Grosvenor spinster being the natural and lawful children of … ^[9]

Research Note

It might be that this is the same Robert Grosvenor who was involved in a case supported by the committee of Dissenting Deputies in 1742.

In 1742 Mr Robert Grosvenor, a protestant dissenter who had never taken the sacrament according to the usage of the Church of England as a qualification for an office, was chosen sheriff of London and Middlesex. The Committee (of dissenting deputies) encouraged Mr Grosvenor to refuse the office, apprehending that the Corporation Act was a bar to his election ^[10] After a legal case the City of London dropped the case. Nonconformists were fined for refusing the role of Sheriff of London likely due to a combination of factors, including:
Religious tests:Laws like the Test Acts (1661-1673) mandated officials swear oaths aligned with the Church of England. Many nonconformists, like Puritans, Quakers, or Catholics, couldn't take these oaths due to their beliefs. Refusing the oath often meant being ineligible for office.
Fulfilling Civic Duty: Being Sheriff was a prestigious and demanding role. Refusal could be seen as shirking civic responsibility, especially since wealthy citizens often held the position. Fines served as a penalty for neglecting this duty. These factors likely worked together. Nonconformists couldn't fulfill the religious requirements, and refusing the position altogether resulted in fines for neglecting their civic obligation.

This profile was originally created by the History of Nonconformists in London, England and surrounding counties topic team.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Family Business, a History of Grosvenor Chater 1690-1977, page 17 by Michael Chater. Published in 1977 by Grosvenor Chater and Company Ltd.
2. ↑ Marriage Bond: "London and Surrey, England, Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1597-1921"
   Marriage Bonds and Allegations. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives; Reference Number: DL/A/D/24/MS10091E/50
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 2056 #568294 (accessed 10 December 2022)
   Sarah Linberry marriage to Robert Grosvenor on 20 Apr 1737.
3. ↑ Marriage: "Essex, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812"
   Essex Record Office; Chelmsford, Essex, England; Essex Church of England Parish Registers
   Ancestry uk Record 61698 #1780162 (accessed 10 December 2022)
   Robert Grosvenor marriage to Sarah Limbray on 21 Apr 1737 in West Ham, All Saints, Essex, England.
4. ↑ William Limbery Grosvenor's christening, England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 FamilySearch
5. ↑ Mary Grosvenor's marriage, Ancestry.com. London and Surrey, England, Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1597-1921 Ancestry
6. ↑ London Metropolitan Archive; Reference Number: COL/CHD/FR/02/0931-0-938 Source Information Ancestry.com. London, England, Freedom of the City Admission Papers, 1681-1930 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: Freedom admissions papers, 1681 – 1930. London, England: London Metropolitan Archives. COL/CHD/FR/02. https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2052&h=150824140&ssrc=pt&tid=39676081&pid=20399174799&usePUB=true
7. ↑ Obituary prior to 1800 (as far as relates to England, ... vol.3. Musgrave, William, Sir, comp. 1735-1800. Accessed from HathiTrust's digital library https://hdl.handle.net/2027/njp.32101075690907?urlappend=%3Bseq=115
8. ↑ "Middlesex Monumental Inscriptions"
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 1 January 2023)
   Robert Grosvenor burial (died in 1763 at age 56) in Chiswick, Middlesex, England.
9. ↑ Will of Robert Grosvenor, Stationer of Leadenhall Street , City of London National Archives PROB 11/894/243 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D488324 Accessed by Trevor Pickup on 14th December 2022
10. ↑ An Abstract of the Proceedings of the Deputies and Committee Appointed for Supporting the Civil Rights of Protestant-dissenters from the Commencement of the Institution. (1796). United Kingdom: H. L. Galabin. Page 37 accessed from Google Books https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/An_Abstract_of_the_Proceedings_of_the_De/NtDw6nuG7j0C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=dissenting+churches+london&printsec=frontcover Accessed by Trevor Pickup on 22th March 2024

See also:

• The stationery company Grosvenor, Chater and Company has produced a history, which includes family trees for the Grosvenor, Chater and Rutt families.'Family Business' a History of Grosvenor Chater 1690-1977, by Michael Chater