John Robinson (abt. 1529 - 1599)

Born about 1529 in Darlaston, Staffordshire, England

Husband of Christian (Anderson) Robinson — married 1564 in London, England

Descendants

Died 19 Feb 1599 at about age 70 in London, England

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Biography

John Robinson was the son of Thomas Robinson of Darlaston, Staffordshire.^[1]

John married Christian Anderson in 1564 in London St Mary Colechurch, London, England.^[2]

John was admitted as a freeman in 1564 in London, England.^[3]

He was a member of the Merchant Taylors and an Alderman of London for Aldgate, 1592.
^[4][5]

John was a master tailor in 1589 in London, England.^[6]

1597 Apr 29 Assignment of residue of term of lease Whereas Raffe Hill, late of Much Ilford, Essex, Yeoman of the Queen's Chamber, demised on 25 May 1580 two tenements with shops in St. Martin Outwich to Lawrence Leake, citizen and merchant tailor, for 16 1/2 years from Lady Day 1580, and whereas Andrew Hill, son of the said Raffe, on 24 Aug 1594 further demised one of the messuages, which adjoined the house of Henry Colthurst, citzen and grocer, and is behind and to the south of Lawrence Leake's house, to the said Leake for 20 years from Michaelmas 1596. Now the said Leake assigns the term to John Robinson, citizen and merchant tailor and merchant of the Staple. ^[7]

John Robinson snr. made an investment in a proposed venture of the East India Company (of which two sons were founding members) in 1599.^[8]

In February of 1597, John's health was declining and he consulted London doctor and astrologer, Simon Forman. For the first consultation on February 17 of 1597, he sent one of his daughters in his stead. ^[9] Three days later, he was well enough to attend in person. ^[10] At this second visit, he stated that he was 65 years of age. The memorial in St. Helen's cites him as being "threescore years and ten". We must assume his year of birth to lie between the years of 1529 and 1532.

His will was dated 12 Jul 1599.^[11][12]

Will of John Robinson,1540-99, Merchant Tailor, London Alderman

He died 19 Feb 1599/1600 and was buried at St. Helens Bishopsgate in London, England.^[13] There is a memorial monument in St. Helen's North wall of the nuns' choir, near the west end, for Alderman John Robinson, 1599. It is an Elizabethan group of kneeling figures; the deceased and his wife with nine sons and seven daughters. ^[14][15]

"Within this Monvment lye the earthly parts of Ihon Robinson marchant of ye Staple of England free of ye copany of Marchant Talors, and sometymes Alderman of Londo', and Christian his wife eldest davghter of Tho: Anderson grocer they spent together 36 yeares in holy wedlock and were happy besides other worldly blessings in nyne sonnes and seaven davghters. She changed her mortall habitation for a heavenly on the 24 of Aprill. 1592. her hvsband following her on the 19 of February 1599. both mvch beloved in theire lives, and moare lamented at theire deathes especially by the poore to whome theire good deedes (being alive) begott many prayers and now (being dead) many teares: The glasse of his life held threescore and ten yeares, and then ran ovt. To live long and happy is an honor, bvt to dye happy a greater glory, boeth theis aspird to boeth heaven (no doubt) hath theire sovles, and this howse of stone theire bodyes where they sleepe in peace, till the som'ons of a gloriovs resvrrection wakens them."

Sources

1. ↑ "Burke's Family Records"; Ashworth P. Burke:London 1897 p 524 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924029781212&view=1up&seq=525&q1=robinson
2. ↑ Marriage: "England, Boyd's Marriage Indexes, 1538-1850"
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 17 May 2023)
   John Robinson marriage to Christian Anderson in 1564 in London St Mary Colechurch, London, England.
3. ↑ Apprenticeship: "City Of London, Haberdashers, Apprentices And Freemen 1526-1933"
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription
   First name(s): John; Last name: Robinson; Year: 1564; Year (as transcribed): 1564; Role: Freeman; Freeman's first name: John; Freeman's last name: Robinson; Master's first name: Robert; Master's last name: Graceby; London Metropolitan Archives reference: CLC/L/HA/C/007/MS15857/001; Folio / Page number: 102; Catalogue description: Worshipful Company of Haberdashers - Register of freedom admissions 1526-1613.
4. ↑ Chronological list of aldermen: 1501-1600 https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-aldermen/hen3-1912/pp20-47
5. ↑ The Aldermen of the City of London Temp. Henry III - 1912. Originally published by Corporation of the City of London, London, 1908. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-aldermen/hen3-1912/pp168-195
   1592. John Robinson. His grandson, Luke Robinson, was a prominent member of the 'Rump' Parliament, and one of the Council of State in the early part of 1660.
6. ↑ Apprenticeship: "City Of London, Haberdashers, Apprentices And Freemen 1526-1933"
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription
   First name(s): Johin; Last name: Robynson; Year: 1589; Year (as transcribed): 1589; Role: Master; Address: London; Freeman's first name: Thoma; Freeman's last name: Halliley; Master's first name: Johin; Master's last name: Robynson; Master's address: London; London Metropolitan Archives reference: CLC/L/HA/C/011/MS15860/001; Folio / Page number: 216; Catalogue description: Worshipful Company of Haberdashers - Register of apprentice bindings 1583-1591.
7. ↑ Reference: CLC/522/ADDMS0882 Deed number: 136.16 London Metropolitan Archives Miscellaneous Deeds pg 211 https://search.lma.gov.uk/LMA_DOC/CLC_522.pdf
8. ↑ Calendar of State Papers Colonial, East Indies, China and Japan, Volume 2, 1513-1616; Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1864 https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/east-indies-china-japan/vol2/pp99-102
9. ↑ Casebooks of Dr. Simon Forman https://casebooks.lib.cam.ac.uk/cases/CASE1242?show=normalised
10. ↑ Casebooks of Dr. Simon Formanhttps://casebooks.lib.cam.ac.uk/cases/CASE1253
11. ↑ Will of John Robinson, Merchant of the Staple of England of Saint Helen Bishopsgate, City of London PROB 11/98/472 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D937039
12. ↑ Dugdale's Visitation of Yorkshire, with additions. https://archive.org/details/dugdalesvisitati01dugd/page/110/mode/2up
13. ↑ Burial: FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 17 May 2023)
    John Robinson burial (died in 1599) in 1599 in London, England.
14. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Helen%27s_Church,_Bishopsgate
15. ↑ https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol9/pt1/pp52-79

See Also:

Photos of the memorial monument in St. Helen's Bishopgate: http://www.speel.me.uk/chlondon/chh/sthelensb/robinson1.jpg http://www.speel.me.uk/chlondon/chh/sthelensb/robinson2.jpg

From "Five Interesting Neighbours of Shakespeare in the 1590s" blog by Geoffrey Marsh of the Theatre and Performing Arts department of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London: Alderman John Robinson the Elder A wealthy merchant of the wool staple, moved into the former north wing of the nunnery (of St. Helen Bishopsgate) with his sixteen children in c.1575. As an alderman since 1592, he was an important figure in the civic government of London. By the late 1590s, he was in decline and getting castings from the astrologer Simon Forman about his health. He was clearly at loggerheads with his eldest son, also John, over the terms of his will and his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, due to her choice of husband. When he died, his youngest son was far away – trading in Turkey. https://euppublishingblog.com/2021/04/30/five-interesting-neighbours-of-shakespeare-in-the-1590s/

http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Documents/aldermen_of_london.htm 2 Feb 29 Osborne John Robynson (Robinson), Merchant Taylor Aldgate 1592. Died 19 Feb 1600; Will (PCC 84 Woodhall) 15 Jul 1599; proved 18 Dec 1601. His grandson, Luke Robinson, was a prominent member of the "Rump" Parliament, and one of the Council of State in the early part of 1660.

Research Notes

The Robinson family records per "Burke's Family Records" begin with Edward Robinson who was granted the Lordship of Donnington, Isle of Ely, in 1205 by King John.
"Burke's Family Records"; Ashworth P. Burke:London 1897 p 524
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924029781212&view=1up&seq=524&q1=robinson

A History of the County of York East Riding: Volume 3, Ouse and Derwent Wapentake, and Part of Harthill Wapentake, ed. K J Allison (London, 1976), pp. 112-120. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/east/vol3/pp112-120 Thicket Estate: The priory's former estate in Thorganby and West Cottingwith was let by the Crown to William Wytham in 1540, before being granted in fee to John Aske in 1542. At the same time Aske acquired the former Ellerton priory estate. In 1596 another John Aske sold his West Cottingwith estate to John Robinson. Before his death in 1601 Robinson sold the estate to his younger sons Arthur and Henry. The latter sold it in 1622, part to Robert Ducy and the rest to Humphrey Robinson, who was the son of John, the eldest son of John Robinson (d. 1601). Humphrey (d. 1626) was succeeded by his son Richard and Sir William Ducy sold his father's part to Richard in 1659. The estate was conveyed to Richard's son, another Richard, the same year and was held by Humphrey Robinson in the 1680s and in 1718. It was sometimes described as a grange. (fn. 94) In 1752 Nicholas Robinson (d. 1754) left it to his daughter Sarah, who had married Henry Waite in 1752, and Waite adopted the additional surname Robinson. In 1760 he sold WEST COTTINGWITH manor and about 450 a. to Emanuel Jefferson. In 1801 the Revd. Nicholas Waite Robinson sold 23 a. to Robert Jefferson and in 1803 the remainder of the estate, comprising 220 a., to Joseph Dunnington. In 1812 John Dunnington succeeded to the Jefferson estates and the land subsequently descended with Thorganby manor.