Sir John Nelthorpe - founder of the school which later became Brigg Grammar - was born 400 years ago this year. Today, of course, his name lives on through Sir John Nelthorpe School.
Sir John's will, in 1669, included a generous bequest to found a school on the site still occupied today.
Read more about "our founder who gave broad acres to open wide the door of learning's mystic templem to every devotee" (to quote from the Brigg Grammar School song, still sung every March at the annual dinner of the Briggensians' Association). http://www.scawbyhall.com/Baronets%20[1].html
...it also appears that he was a member of Parliament - accepting that parliamentarians were appointed by Cromwell, rather than being elected....
ReplyDeleteFor example, in the House of Commons Journals, he is mentioned on a number of occasions, variously as Melthorpe and Nelthorpe.
In HofC Journal Vol 5-13 of 13th March 1946 in an article re the Garison at Coventrie - 'John Nelthorpe - a Member of this House Shall have Leave and go into the country.'
Some time later, John Nelthorpe reappears as Captain Melthorpe knocking on the door of the House of Commons.
Again a Melthorpe he is escort 'Cromwell's' coffin during the funeral possession in Dec 1648 - accepting that soon after Cromwell died in the Sept - the body 'stunk' and Cromwell war buried secretly in Westminster Abbey......the coffin in the procession contained a wax and wood effigy.
Some time after this Capt Melthorpe is promoted to Major John Nelthorpe.........and by circa 1650, he becomes the Commissioner for Middlesex (accepting that his law chambers in Lincoln Inn Fields were in Middlesex)......At the same, his brother (?Richard from Scawby Hall) becomes the Commissioner for Lincolnshire.......the Tyrwhitts of Kettleby also held the same position circa 1450 under/or about Henry Vlll.
Can anyone clarify who was James Nelthorpe - he and John Nelthorpe are mentioned together - both being Members of the House? This James should not be confused with another James Nelthorpe, born Scawby circa 1650.
Re above - a few more snippets...
ReplyDeleteJohn and James Nelthorpe on one occasion were referred to as 'brothers'......was 'James' a second Christian name and/or familiar name?
John Nelthorpe was a lawyer and as a soldier in the Registrar General's Corps would have been more concerned with legal matters than front-line fighting. By the time he is commissioned, about 1646, the Civil War is over, although there were still skirmishes in Ireland.
Perhaps the nearest Nelthorpe got to Ireland was when Parliament sent him out to arrest a well-known, Irish civil-rights agitator (who had been arrested many times before)lurking somewhere in Cambridgeshire.
Nelthorpe's party brought the agitator & his party back to Westminter Hall where they were locked up.
The HofC Journal then reports the prisoners had escaped, with the Serjeant-At-Arms explaining that 'they wanted to relieve themselves and, on trust, I let them out of the cell for a piss - when I turned round they had gone!!'
While the 'Red Hand' on a coat of arms can recognise that they fought in Ulster.....the 'Red Hand' is also the symbol of someone elevated to a baronetcy, as it was with JC circa 1660.
JN's love interest, as indicated in the info, was the daughter of Sir James Langham - while conicidently, Sir James, or as James Langham was a Member of Parliament (1656 to 60), the same period JN was also sitting...
ReplyDeleteJames Langham b 1578ish was a bit of a Royalist - would not agree to dissolve the Royalty Bill and etc...was locked up in the Tower a few times..........Was knighted in ?1666 for his support of royalty......Combined with being in love with his daughter and he fatherly pressure with the royalty influence may explain JN's swing to the king......but a whole mass of parliamentarians did the same after OC kicked the bucket....
PS - It is wrong to assume that the English Civil War was about civil rights and liberties - most historians agree that the English Civil War was a religious war with various factions of the Christian faith vieing/fighting/squabbling/plotting/killing each other....
ReplyDeleteThe poor old Jews also got caught up in the political skirmishes...
ReplyDeleteRe the Scawby text and its reference to 'Angell'...
Angel: The angel was first issued in 1461 with a value of half a mark or 80 pennies. Its value was increased to 7 shillings and sixpence in 1526 and by 1612 it was worth eleven shillings. In 1619 a lighter angel was introduced with a value of ten shillings. The last angel was minted in 1643 when it was valued at 11 shillings....
Consequently, has someone misinterpreted the Angel and Brigg's Angel should really be a bag of 11 bob coins!!!!!