Yeovil's Virtual Museum

JOHN Greenham

Gentleman, Glove Manufacturer, Burgess and Town Commissioner

 

John Greenham was born 7 February 1769 in Somerset, the son of Joseph Greenham (1735-1817) and his wife Grace (b1735) of Chiselborough. John was baptised on 5 May 1768 at Chiselborough. On 29 May 1795, John married, by license, Elizabeth Parsons (1768-1860), the daughter of the Rev Francis Crane Parsons (1730-1798) and his wife Jane née Evered (1739-1822). John and Elizabeth were to have ten Yeovil-born children; John (1796-1861), Charles (1797-1866}, Elizabeth (1799-1871), Harriett (1801-1802), Frederick (1802-1877), Isaac Grant (1804-1877), Lucy (1807-1832), Jane (1809-1890), Henry (1810-1810)  and Emma (1811-1886).

The Universal British Directory of 1790 listed him as a 'Glover, Lamb & Kid Leather Dresser' of Yeovil. Pigot's Directory of 1824 listed the company of Greenham & Edwards as Glove Manufacturers of Vicarage Street, however this was a company formed between John's sons - John Jnr, Charles and Frederick - and John Edwards of Yeovil. According to Perry's Bankrupt Gazette of 16 October 1830 the partnership was dissolved on 29 September 1830 "so far as regards J Edwards".

John Greenham was a Yeovil burgess and elected Portreeve in 1797 and Custos of Woborn Almshouse on five occasions between 1796 and 1834 as well as Warden for five terms between 1797 and 1838.  He was a member of the Vestry between 1813 and 1837, and was Churchwarden at St John's in 1794, 1795 and 1796. He  was an original Improvement Commissioner for Yeovil, elected in 1838 as was his son Frederick Greenham who was elected in 1841. The Improvement Commissioners were established by Act of Parliament in 1830 and played a key role in the early development of Yeovil.

The Jury List of 1827 listed John Greenham Snr as a Glover of Vicarage Street. Pigot's Directory of 1830 listed the company as Greenham, Sons & Edwards, Glove Manufacturers of Vicarage Street.

The Poll Book of 1832 shows that John Greenham was living in Vicarage Street but also owned property in Hendford. Greenham's house in Vicarage Street was one of the properties attacked and damaged by the mob of hundreds of protesters in the Yeovil Reform Riot of Friday, 21 October 1831. Greenham later claimed compensation for the damage done to his property during the riot in the sum of £4.17s.0d (around £450 at today's value).

Watts' 1831 map labels John Greenham's property (shown deep pink on the map with his lands in lighter pink) on the north side of Vicarage Street - opposite Edwin Newman's property, shown in blue.

John Greenham was a prosperous and wealthy glove manufacturer, and Greenham & Sons (the sons in the partnership were Charles and Frederick) were listed as subscribers to William Hull’s “History of the Glove Trade” in 1834. He was also owner of quarries at Ham Hill and was an importer of Carrera marble. Indeed, around 1826 his sons John and Isaac founded a shipping company in Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, and imported marble from Carrera, via Bridgwater, to Yeovil. John Greenham Jnr died in Gorizia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, in 1861, aged 56 and his brother Isaac Grant Greenham died in Trieste in 1886, aged 81.

John Greenham died on 29 December 1838, in Yeovil, aged 70. Elizabeth, died 5 May 1860 aged 91. There is a memorial window in St John’s church, (see below), provided by their children.

 

See Family Tree

 

 

John Greenham of Yeovil
1769-1838

 

Elizabeth Greenham née Parsons
1768-1860

 

From my collection

George Wellington's signature as Portreeve and the signatures of Burgesses John Greenham and Thomas Andrews on a lease, dated 1815, for a Corporation property in South Street.

 

This photograph features in my book 'Yeovil From Old Photographs'

The Manor Hotel, originally Hendford House, as seen in a postcard from the 1930s. John Greenham's residence was the main building at right (the extension at left had yet to be built) from the 1830s.

 

The memorial window to John and Elizabeth Greenham depicting the last supper. It is the south window in the south transept of St John's church and dates to 1862. Note the central figure at bottom of Judas Iscariot who has a black halo - thought to be unique to St John's.

 

 

This is the last Will and Testament of me John Greenham of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Glove Manufacturer I give and devise All my freehold and leasehold messuages and hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever situate with their respective appurt[enance]s unto my sons John Greenham Charles Greenham Frederick Greenham and Isaac Grant Greenham To hold such parts thereof as are freehold or in the nature of freehold unto and to the use of my said sons their heirs and assigns for ever and to hold such parts as are freehold unto them their executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns upon the trusts and for the purposes and with under and subject to the powers provisions and directions hereinafter mentioned concerning the same (that is to say) Upon trust to permit & suffer my dear Wife and her assigns to hold and enjoy and to receive the rents and profits thereof for the term of her natural life and from and immediately after her decease as for and concerning my Close called Littledon in Chiselborough and my Close called Smithy in Middle Chinnock value three hundred and fifty pounds To the use and benefit of my said son John Greenham his heirs and assigns for ever and as for and concerning my leasehold premises called Bridge Close in Middle Chinnock Broadfield and Little Mead in West Chinnock (value one hundred and fifty pounds) with the appurt[enance]s To the use and benefit of my daughters Jane Greenham and Emma Greenham To hold them my said daughters Jane Greenham and Emma Greenham their executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns for all the remainder of my estate and interest therein respectively as tenants in common and not as joint tenants and it is my Will and I do hereby direct that on the death of either of them my said daughters without having issue the share of her so dying to go to the survivor of them my said daughters Jane Greenham and Emma Greenham and as for and concerning my one third part of two fields in Thornford in the County of Dorset called [Orifths ?] (value one hundred and fifty five pounds) To the use and benefit of my said Sons Charles Greenham and Frederick Greenham their heirs and assigns for ever and as for and concerning the Dwellinghouse I now reside in and the Workshops and other buildings and the fixtures of every description therein and my Orchard called Willworth with the appurt[enance]s which I purchased of William Priddle Bartholomew Perry Samuel Trent Thomas and Elizabeth Binford and the assigns of Samuel Trent a Bankrupt (all which I estimate to be in the value of Three thousand pounds) To the use of my said son Charles Greenham his heirs and assigns for ever charged and chargeable nevertheless as herein after mentioned and as to for and commencing the freehold Dwellinghouse which I purchased of Thomas Melmoth with the Garden and Leather dressing yard erected thereon with the fixtures also the four tenaments adjoining bought of Joan Bullock and [contraction indecipherable] Knight and also the Leasehold leather dressing yard and [word illegible] bought of Mrs Hanning and the two [word illegible] and paring shop adjoining bought of the said William Priddle (all which I estimate to be of the value of one thousand four hundred pounds) to the use and benefit of my said Son Frederick Greenham his heirs executors adm[inistrat]ors and assigns for ever or for the remainder of my interest therein respectively also charged and chargeable nevertheless as hereinafter mentioned and as for and concerning my freehold close called Oxen furlong (and which I value at four hundred pounds) situate in Yeovil aforesaid bought of Mr Boucher To the use of my Son Isaac Grant Greenham his heirs and assigns for ever all my household goods and furniture plate linen china live and dead stock monies book debts personal and testamentory estate whatsoever and wheresoever subject to the payment of my just debts and funeral and testamentary expenses I give and bequeath unto my said Wife Elizabeth Greenham and my four sons John Greenham Charles Greenham Frederick Greenham and Isaac Grant Greenham their executors and adm[inistrat]ors upon trust and I direct my said Wife to have and enjoy my household goods and furniture plate linen china stock of liquors and casks in and about my dwellinghouse during her life and after her decease it is my Will and I hereby direct my surviving Executors in trust to cause the same to be fairly valued by some competent indifferent person and the amount thereof added to the monies which may then constitute part of my estate and effects and to the sums I have hereinbefore estimated certain specific parts of my property given to my said sons and daughters after deducting from such amount the expenses attending such valuation the execution of the trusts of this my Will or relating thereto I direct my said Executors to divide the residue into seven parts and pay and apply the same equally unto and amongst my seven children who shall be living and the child or children of such of them as shall be then dead (except as to the share of my said Daughter Elizabeth herein after provided for) [regars ?] being had to the specific parts of my estate and effects herein before given and devised to my said sons and daughters as aforesaid and I direct that the child or children of either of my said children who shall be dead at the time of the decease of my said Wife (except as to the share of my said daughter hereinafter provided for) shall take the part or parts which would have belonged to their respective parent or parents only and be payable and be paid to such child or children on their respective attainments to the age of twenty one years and in the meantime to be placed out at interest and the interest applied for their respective maintenance and support and in case it shall happen that either of my said Sons Charles Greenham and Frederick Greenham shall have by the specific parts so given to them now thn an equal seventh part of the whole of my estate and effects it is my Will and I direct them respectively to pay and account for such surplus to any other children so as to make them all equal and hereby charge the messuages lands and heredit[ament]s I have given my said sons Charles Greenham and Frederick Greenham respectively with the payment of such surplus accordingly Whereas I intend to retire from the trade or business of a Glove Manufacturer which I at present carry on at Yeovil aforesaid in partnership with my two Sons the said Charles Greenham and Frederick Greenham and as it might be necessary for them to have assistance from me to enable them to carry on the said Business I do hereby declare that they my said Trustees and Executors for all and such amounts as might be advanced by me to them for the purposes aforesaid and the interest thereof and expressly charge all the messuages lands and heredit[ament]s herein before given to my said Sons Charles Greenham and Frederick Greenham to and with the payment of all such monies and the interest thereof so to be advanced them as aforesaid and I hereby also expressly charge and the messuages lands and hereditaments herein before given to them my said sons Charles Greenham and Frederick Greenham to and with the payment of so much of the shares of my other children as my personal estate shall fall short of paying in proportion to the sums of three thousand pounds and one thousand four hundred pounds herein before set as the value of the lands and heredit[ament]s as aforesaid specifically devised to them my said two sons Charles Greenham and Frederick Greenham respectively it being my Wish and desire that all my children shall share as equally as possible provided always and it is my Will as for and concerning the share of my said daughter Elizabeth Jones in my said Estate and Effects and I do hereby direct that my said Trustees and Executors and the survivors and survivor of them shall retain the same and place the amount thereof out at interest on good and sufficient security in their or his own names and name Upon trust to pay the annual interest thereof unto my said daughter Elizabeth Jones during her natural life and after her decease to pay the annual interest thereof unto her husband the said John Fowell Jones during his natural life and from and immediately after the decease of the survivor of them Then upon trust to pay and divide the amount of such share equally to and amongst all and every the child and children of my said Daughter Elizabeth Jones now born or hereafter to be born when and as he she or they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years and if there shall be but one such child the whole to be paid to that one or only child and I empower and direct my said Trustees and the survivors and survivor of them during such time as the said children of my said daughter Elizabeth Jones or any of them shall be under the age of twenty one to appropriate all or any competant part of the interest and dividends of the share to which such child or children shall be for the time being entitled under the trusts aforesaid for or towards his her or their maintenance education or otherwise for his or her benefit But in case there shall be no such child or children living at the death of the survivor of them my said Daughter Elizabeth Jones and her said husband the said John Fowell Jones or being such shall not afterwards live to attain the age of twenty one then it is my Will and I hereby direct the amount of such share to be paid & divided equally to and amongst my own surviving children and the child or children of such of them as shall be dead and it is further my Will and I hereby authorize and empower my said executors and trustees if at any time an opportunity offer of marrying or settling either of my daughters with the consent of their said mother to raise and pay out of my personal estate any reasonable sum in part of her or their share or shares not exceeding two thirds of the probable amount thereof and which sum so advanced shall form part of the share or shares of such daughter or daughters and be accounted for by them respectively on the general division of my estate and effects to take place at the decease of my said Wife as aforesaid and I further declare and direct that it shall be lawful to and for my said trustees and executors to reimburse themselves from time to time out of my said trust estate all such loss costs charges damages and expences which they shall or may bear sustain or be put unto in or about the execution of all or any of the trusts hereby in them reposed and that they shall not be liable to make good any involuntary loss which may happen to my said trust estate & effects by lodging the same in any Bankers hands or otherwise and that neither of them shall be answerable or accountable for the acts deeds receipts payments or defaults of the other of them but each of them for his own acts deeds receipts payments and defaults only And lastly I appoint my said Wife Elizabeth Greenham and my said sons John Greenham Charles Greenham Frederick Greenham and Isaac Grant Greenham joint Executors in trust of this my Will in Testimony whereof I the said John Greenham the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in four sheets of paper to the three first sheets thereof set my hand and to this fourth and last my hand and seal this twenty fourth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven

John Greenham

Signed sealed published and declared by the said John Greenham the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have set and subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto
Edward Parsons Solicitor Somerton
Charles Rowsell
Henry Corry Foreman to Mr Greenham

Whereas I John Greenham of Yeovil in the County of Somerset Glove manufacturer have made and duly [word illegible] my last Will and Testament in writing bearing date on or about the twenty fourth day of November one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven Now I do hereby declare this present writing to be a Codicil to my said Will and I direct the same to be annexed thereto and taken as part thereof and Whereas I have by my said Will give & bequeathed to my eldest son John Greenham my Freehold close called Littledon in the parish of Chiselborough and my freehold close called Smithey in the parish of Middle Chinnock and also his share of my personal estate after the decease of my dear Wife Elizabeth Greenham Now I do hereby revoke the bequest so given to the said John Greenham and I do hereby give devise and bequeath the said Close called Littledon and also the said Close called Smithey and also the said share of my personal Estate to my three sons Charles Frederick and Isaac Grant Greenham upon Trust from and immediately after the decease of my said Wife to pay the rents issues interest and profits thereof to Caroline Maria wife of my said son John Greenham during the term of her natural life (if she shall so long remain his widow) for the benefit of herself and her children lawfully begotten by the said John Greenham and I do hereby declare that her receipt [inserted = alone] shall be sufficient discharge to her said Trustees and that the same shall not be subject or liable to the control debts or engagements of the said John Greenham and from and immediately after her death or marriage which shall first happen in trust to pay and divide the said Close called Littledon and also the said Close called Smithey and also the said share of my personal estate unto and amongst all and every the child and children of the said John Greenham lawfully begotten on the body of his said Wife who shall live to attain the age of twenty one years share and share alike as tenants in common and not as joint tenants to whom I give and bequeath the same accordingly But in case of the decease of all and every such child and children before they shall attain the said age of twenty one years then I do hereby direct the said Charles Greenham Frederick Greenham and Isaac Grant Greenham to pay over such rents issues interest and profits unto the said John Greenham for and during the Term of his natural life and from and immediately after his decease I direct the same to be equally divided to and amongst all my then surviving children share and share alike as Tenants in common and not as joint tenants And Whereas I have this day purchased of Mr Henry Cole a certain orchard called or known by the name of [Wilmoth ?] otherwise [Wilmorth ?] Orchard containing by estimation two acres (more of less) situate in Hendford in the parish of Yeovil aforesaid and now in my occupation I give devise and bequeath the said orchard with all appurtenances thereto belonging unto my said dear Wife Elizabeth Greenham for the term of her natural life and after her decease I give devise and bequeath the said orchard with all appurt[enance]s thereto belonging unto my said son Charles Greenham his heirs and assigns for ever and I direct my Executors named in my said Will to deduct the sum of three hundred pounds (being the value of the said orchard) out of the [fortune ?] or share of my said son Charles Greenham which I have devised to him by my said Will I give devise and bequeath all my sittings which I may die seized or possessed of situate in the parish Church of Yeovil aforesaid to my said Wife for the term of her natural life and after her decease I give devise and bequeath the said sittings unto my Executors named in my said Will In trust for all my children that shall be living after the decease of my said Wife I give devise and bequeath unto my Executors named in my said Will their heirs executors and adm[inistrat]ors all such messuages lands tenements and heredit[ament]s as are now or as to any leasehold premises at the time of my decease shall be vested in and in trust for any person or persons or by way of mortgage To hold the same unto and to the use of my said Executors their heirs executors and adm[inistrat]ors according to the different natures and qualitys thereof and for all my estate term and interest therein to the intent that my said Executors may make conveyances or assignments of such trust estates according to the trusts affecting the same and may be better enabled to get in receive and discharge the monies secured by any such Mortgages And I do hereby ratify and confirm my said Will in every respect except where the same is hereby revoked and altered as aforesaid In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the tenth day of August one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight to the first sheet and to this second and last sheet my hand and seal

John Greenham

Signed by the said John Greenham the Testator in the presence of us present at the same time who in his presence have subscribed our names as Witnesses
Ann Sibley James Parsons

Proved at London with a Codicil 7th May 1839 before the Judge by the oaths of Elizabeth Greenham Widow the relict and Charles Greenham & Frederick Greenham the sons three of the Executors to whom adm[inistrat]ion was granted having been first sworn by Common duly to adm[inister] power reserved of making the like grant to John Greenham and Isaac Grant Greenham the sons also the other executors when they shall apply for the same

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn