|
(this page)
|
THIRD GENERATION
A12. John COLCHESTER was born about 1493. He died in 1543.4 A John Colchester was recorded on the 1524 Subsidy Return but the problems is that there were two John Colchesters alive at that time.7 The subsidy was a tax commissioned by Cardinal Wolsey for a Parliamentary Subsidy. It was based on landed income, goods, or income of at least £1 a year in wages. This list will have omitted up to one third of the population, but nevertheless it gives us clues about the whereabouts and status of our family. John paid 10/- on goods of £10. He apparently paid the same amount of tax again in 15338 and for this reasons we think it was this John, as the other one died in 15285, but this needs rechecking. He occupied lands called Smarts, Popinells, part of Top Farm and Lower Farm.8 In 1528 he was given an ewe and a lamb by his uncle John.5 In 1525 he first came before the manorial court to pay his tithes.10 In 1540 we have another reference to him being ordered to scour the ditch between Barking Tye and Ringshall.21
He was married to Margaret. At the Public Record Office is a document of about 1550 concerning her son Robert suing his own mother and step father for 20 acres of land which he claimed belonged to him as they had been given as a dowry to his mother. This requires a follow-up to see the actual document.22 This document is also the evidence that she was remarried to William Boulton.
Children of John COLCHESTER and Margaret were: