A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
Sir Stephen Barnham was a member of the Privy Council of Henry VIII (1491-1547). Historically, the Privy Council was the sovereign's private council. It is descended from the curia regis, which was made up of the king's tenants-in-chief, household officials, and anyone else chosen by the king. That group performed all the functions of government in either small groups, which became the king's council, or large groups, which grew into the great council and Parliament. By the time of Henry VII (1457-1509), the king's council had become the instrument of the crown; it was made up of the Privy Council, the courts of Chancery, Star Chamber, and High Commission, and their local subsidiaries.
According to the journal of Sir Francis Barnham (Stephen's grandson), "...Steven Barnham, Esq., groome of the Privie Chamber to Kinge Henry the Eighth, whose father and grandfather, being men of fayre estates, were killed at Bosworth field on the side of Richard the Third, and theire estates, or the greatest parte thereof, becominge a prey to the contrary faction."
b. 1480. Will dated 28 October 1550 Southwick, Hampshire, England. m1: ________ Blewett/Blowett/Bluett/Blowott. m2: Joan unknown. By his first wife, he had:
i. Francis Barnham b. 1516/17 in London, England d. 11 May 1575 or 76 in London, England m. Alice Brobridge (Bradbrigge/Bradbrige/Brodbridge/Brobrigge)
ii. Thomas Barnham, alderman of Guild of Holy Trinity m. Alice Cressey or Cressi/Cressey or Gressy
iii. Dorothea Barnham m. John Chapman of London
iv. Agnes Barnham
v. Elizabeth Barnham Stephen's will also mentions a bastard daughter, Mary. vi. Mary Barnham m. Mr. Henslowe or Hensly of London.
Note: In Burke's Extinct Baronetcies, Dorothea is mentioned as being the daughter of Stephen and marrying a Mr. Chapman. In the Genealogical Record of the Barnum Family she is listed as Stephen's wife. According to the account of Sir Francis Barnham in his journal (published in The Ancestor, April 1904) "Steven Barnham, my great grandfather, being left bare of friends and fortune, was put into the tuition and education of Battell Abbeye in Sussex to which house his auncestors had beene greate benefactors, and from thence preferred to Cardinall Wolsey, and from him to Kinge Henry the Eighth, whoe gave him fayre lands, and other gifts of good value; But his first wife (whoe was of the family of the Blowotts in Hamshire and mother to Francis, and Thomas, and one daughter) being dead, his second wife, whome he maried in his later age meerely for love (which humor had been all his life predominant in him), beinge without children, did so governe him, and misgoverne his estate, as made him att his death little more than even with the world, so that Francis, his eldest sonne, had but a small portion from him where withall to rayse a fortune, and Thomas, his brother lesse than hee."
A footnote by the editor of The Ancestor reads as follows: "The will of this Stephen Barnham hardly carries out his descendant's description of him. He is there seen, not as an impoverished courtier, but as a Hampshire yeoman and prosperous innkeeper. Describing himself as 'Stephen Barnam of Southwyke, in the countie of Southampton, yoeman,' he gives his wife Joan his dwelling house called the 'Crowne,' with certain copyholds and £5 yearly for life. He gives her six kine and six hogs and two horses of the best, six featherbeds with bedsteads and testers, the hangings of 'Winchester chamber,' 'the parlour' and 'the best chamber,' one of his best goblets, the nut with the cover of silver gilt and six silver spoons, six wine quarts, pots, six wine plats, six beer quarts and six beer pints' with all other smale measirs pottes for wynes and bere.' He gave his daughters Dorothy, Agnes and Elizabeth £10 each. He gave to his bastard daughter Mary £13.6s.8d, and to his bastard daughter Dorothy £10, to be paid at their ages of discretion. He also names Maude, his wife's cousin, Dorothy Cowper, and Annys Frybyn, Richard Cycklye, John Hensly an Michael Clerk. He made Henry Byckly his overseer, and gave the residue of his goods to his sons Francis and Thomas Barnam, his executors. This will, dated 28 Oct. 1550, was proved 9 Jan 1551 by the executors."
Transcribed from The Visitation of London in the Year 1568: Barnham. Arms. Quarterly: 1 and 4, Sable, a cross engrailed between four crescents argent; 2 and 3, Azure a pheon argent. (Bradbridge.) Stephanus Barnham de Southwick in com. Southe. Filii: Franciscus Barnham de London Aldermannus et Draper 1570. m. Alicia filia et hæres — Bradbridge de comit. Sussex. Arms. Azure, a pheon argent. Simon [Thomas] Barnham 2 filius Stephanus. m. — filia — Cressy de London.
Transcribed from The visitation of Kent, 1574: Barnham. Arms.— Quarterly: 1 and 4, Sable, a cross engrailed between four crescents argent; 2 and 3, Azure a pheon argent. Another shield [blank] impaling quarterly: 1 and 4, Argent, three bulls' heads couped sable, horned or; 2 and 3, Argent, a chevron between three boars' heads couped sable. [N.B., The arms of Rudston, through Ursula, 1st wife of Stephen's grandson Martin]. Another shield [blank] impaling: Chequy or and azure, a fess ermine. [N.B., The arms of Calthorpe, through Judith, 2nd wife of Stephen's grandson Martin]. Stephin Barnham of . . . . . in the Countie of . . . . . beinge lyneallie descended out of the howse of Barnham in Norfolke maried the Daughter of . . . . . and by her hath issue ffraunces and Thomas, a Daughter maried to Chapman of London gent, after the saide Stephin maried to his seconde wiffe . . . . . Daughter of . . . . . and by her had issue a Daughter maried to Henslowe in the Countie of Southe gent. ffraunces Barnham sometime one of the Shirryfes of the Citie of London Sonne and heire to Stephin aforesaide maried Alys one of the Daughters and coheires of Bradbridge in the Countie of Sussex, Esquire and by her hathe issue Martien his eldist Sonne, Stephin seconde Sonne, Anthony thirde Sonne Died sans issue, and Benedicke fourthe Sonne lyvinge. Martin Bernham of Hollingborne in the Countie of Kent, Esquire, Sonne and heire to ffraunces maried to his firste wyffe Vrsula Daughter of Robert Rudstone of Boughton Monchelsea in the saide Countie Esquire and by her hathe issue, ffraunces his eldest Sonne, Benedicke Died yonge, After the saide Martein maried to his seconde wiffe Judethe Daughter to Sr Martyn Calthrope of Autingham in Norff. late of London Lord Maior, and by her hathe issue Martyn his thirde Sonne, Jacobe fourthe Sonne, Thomas fifte Sone, Alys, Elizabethe and Judethe.
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
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