HEBBORN FAMILY HISTORY & NEWS - March 2003.

SHERLOCK HEBBS & PARTNERS, ANCESTOR SLEUTHS
The Baffling Case of Peter Hebborn

I thought I would investigate the Public Record Office website at http://www.pro-online.pro.gov.uk/default.asp and search through the on-line index of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury [PCC] Wills for any likely ancestors. One entry caught my eye - Peter Heborn of Shipton under Wychwood whose will was proved in 1744. This part of Oxfordshire had not produced many ‘Hebborn’ references. We had only one other reference to Shipton at that time. It was from the index of the Oxfordshire Quarter Sessions. The name Peter Heborn of Shipton-at-Wychwood appears in the Trinity Sessions of 1712. No, not another Heborn in trouble. The case concerns the issue of a gamekeeper’s licence.

I paid the fee and downloaded the image of the will. It was quite difficult to interpret, but eventually about 95% of it was transcribed. You get to know the normal language of these old wills, and know what word to expect next. The difficult part is interpreting names, and there were plenty in this will. The relationships recorded in wills can be very helpful to the family historian, provided you realise that terminology has changed over the years. This will was to be particularly frustrating. Among the plethora of names, there are few clues to Peter’s Family. He bequeaths “to my brother’s Anthony’s son one guinea”. Well that tells us he had a brother Anthony, but no name for his son. He goes on to bequeath “to my Brother Anthony’s daughter five pounds”. Again no name for this lady. There is no way of telling whether these were the only children of Anthony or whether there had been others that had died.

After numerous bequests, Peter appoints his “kinsman Edward Douglas of the City of London” as his sole executor. The word “kinsman” is so vague and gives us no further clues. Edward Douglas was granted administration on 22nd February 1744.  The numerous bequests came to £33.10s.0d. A goodly sum for a gamekeeper to accrue.

In making his bequests Peter mentions my “fellow servants” and to General Read’s servants. General Read seems to have been holding Peter’s money; could he have been his employer? Perhaps, Peter was his gamekeeper.

So where does Peter fit into the Heborn family.  The names Peter and Anthony were not particularly common in the family. Although a Peter Hebbourne baptised 27th December 1683 at Ingleby Greenhow in Yorkshire might be the right age. This Peter had at least eight siblings but I could not find an Anthony among them. A Peter Hebron, farmer of Westerdale who married in Stokesley, Yorkshire in 1718 is probably the same man.

John thought that the names Peter and Anthony might suggest a Catholic connection. Back in 1570, Anthony Hebborne of Hardwick County Durham had been attained traitor for his part in the Catholic uprising in the North. His family are reputed to have fled to friends in Ambrosden, Oxfordshire. In the adjoining parish of Piddington a John Hebborne is involved in a quite substantial land transaction in 1598. Moving just over the border into Buckinghamshire we find a John Heyborne, gentleman of Oakley listed as recusant in 1587. So we know the Catholic tradition still held fast in the greater family. Could Peter be a descendant of this line?

So who was General Read(e)? Research showed that his ancestor (Sir Thomas Read[e] and his son Compton) had been supporters of King Charles I. The ill-fated King bade farewell to Queen Henrietta Maria at the Reade home at Barton Court in Berkshire. She made her way to France, and they were never to meet again. Compton Reade defended Barton Court against the Roundheads until the building was burnt down. The Reades moved to Shipton Court in Oxfordshire. Were the Reades Catholics? Many Cavaliers were.

This will has provided very few clues, and left many unanswered questions. Perhaps you have some information that would help with the enquiry. In the meantime, the case is NOT closed.

Joan Williams.