The Page Family's 16th Century origins in Petersfield and early beginnings in Wapping London.

The Page Family's 16th Century origins in Petersfield and early beginnings in Wapping London.

The Page Family is first recorded living near  Petersfield Hampshire in the mid 16th Century. Nicholas Page's will is dated 1571 and states that he was from the parish of Lassam (Lasham) which is 16 miles north of Petersfield. James Page of Petersfield presumably a relation of Nicholas has a will dated  12 Jan 1584.  It appears from the Will that he was a successful Yeoman Farmer who owned livestock, pewter plates, brass utensils, bedding, bolsters, sheets, blankets furniture, and candlesticks. He mentions his children, Margaret, John, Arthur, Elizabeth, and Gregory, who he appoints as his executor.

Gregory Page of Petersfield first appeared in 1608 as a Burgess of Petersfield. There was also a dispute between the Burgess and the Lord of the Manor in which Gregory Page is named. . he is also recorded in the Manorial Court Tolls of Petersfield, he is described as " Junior" in 1615, acting as a juror at the View of Frankpledge. He is also described in his will as a Clothier, his will is dated 25th Jan 1626. He leaves 40 shillings to his son William Page, £10 to his son Gregory on his 21st birthday, £10 to his daughter Elizabeth Page, and £10 each to his daughters Susan, and Lucy. To his wife Lucy, he leaves his house the Redd Lyon, and all his goods. There is also a will of Richard Page dated 24 April 1629 of Petersfield again described as a Clothier who leaves his shop to his son John Page and mentions his son William and Richard Page. John Page of Petersfield has a Will dated 22nd June 1631.

Gregory Page of Wapping

Brewhouse Lane starts from Execution Dock and curves to the right.Gregory Page's Brewery was located here . 

Brewhouse Lane today marked in blue

Gregory Page (1631-1693) Left Petersfield and sought his fortunes in London, he was married three times each of his wives having the name Elizabeth,  his second wife was  Elizabeth Burton. Gregory Page quickly became a wealthy London merchant, shipwright, and director of the British East India Company, he owned a brewery in Wapping. Wapping at this time was just developing commercially. he also established himself as a shipwright and then as a substantial merchant and a director of the East India Company. He acquired considerable property in Wapping, where he resided on King Edward Street and also in Whitechapel and at Enfield in Middlesex

According to Beavers Aldermen of London (2 vols 1908), he was appointed Alderman by Royal Commission in 1687 for the Farringdon Ward Without in the City of London, he was sworn in on October 11. He was also an Alderman of the City of London in 1687. Elizabeth Burton was a widow from Stepney. Though his own origins may well have been humble, the elder Page had risen to become a director of the East India Company. He was also nominated an alderman of London by James II in 1687, presumably because of his confessional allegiance as a Baptist, being superseded on the restoration of the charter the following year.  In His Will dated  Oct 1693, he leaves all his land and tenements to his Wife Elizabeth including  Cheshunt Hertfordshire, and Enfield Middlesex, he also leaves her £1000. Two Houses in Wapping including King Edward Street.  He leaves 4 houses in the execution dock to his daughter Freelove Elwick. He also leaves £1500 to his son Ambrose Page. He leaves the remainder to his Son Gregory his executor. 

 There is a reference to Property in Wapping, in particular a hearth Tax Return for 1672  which shows Gregory Page of Streetside, Hamlet of Wapping was assessed for several hearths. In 1690, one Gregory Page of Enfield was presented to magistrates " for taking in the church path with a hedge leading from Carnocle Street (the main road) to the church of Cheshunt and making no other path " The church paths still survives and is very narrow!  Next to the church is Albury Lodge a fine House possibly the residence of Gregory Page. When he died in 1693 he was buried with his first two wives in St John's Church Wapping. The cause of death was shown as "Stomack Stopinge"!

St John's Church Wapping with graveyard.

St John's Church Wapping, the graveyard today.

 

A Tomb enclosed with Iron Grates, for Gregory Page, Esq; late of this Parish, 1693. And three of his Children; Elizabeth, late Wife of Captain John Slade, John and Elizabeth. This Man was made Justice here by King James II.

'Pack - Pyers', The Rulers of London 1660-1689: A biographical record of the Aldermen and Common Councilmen of the City of London (1966), pp. 124-134. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=31892 Date accessed: 28

Gregory PAGE, 

Ald Farringdon Without -- 1687 (sworn, 11 Oct)-3 Oct 1688, superseded on the restoration of Charter (1) King Edward Street, 1693, Wapping, Middx, Whitechapel, Middx (2) There is no evidence that he was a Citizen b 1626, d Nov 1693, bur? St John, Wapping (3) mar (B) 1666, Elizabeth Burton, wid (4) Shipwright, merchant, Director EIC (5) Property Wapping, land Herts and Middx (6) Dissenter, Whig (7) Son Sir Gregory Page, 1st Bt, MP Shoreham, 1708-13, 1715-20, mar Mary, da of Thomas TROTMAN (8)

Thomas PAGE

Co Cripplegate Within, 1668-71, 1673, 1675-83, 1689-92 (1) St Mary Aldermanbury, 1654, ChW, 1662, 1707 (2) BS, M, 1683 (3) Will PCC 17 Poley pr, 8 Jan 1706/7 mar (A) 1654, Mary Fetchwell of Hackney, Middx,? (B) Sarah Haywood (4) Surgeon (5) City property (6) Tory ("good", 1682) (7)

(1)   1673 VBk, St Mary Aldermanbury (2) Boyd 10998, VBk, St Mary Aldermanbury, PCC, PAB, 1707 (3) Boyd 10998 (4) Boyd 10998, 10999 (5) Will, SP/29/418/199 (6) Will (7) SP/29/418/199, H of L, MS 154 (f)

(1)From: 'Pack - Pyers', The Rulers of London 1660-1689: A biographical record of the Aldermen and Common Councilmen of the City of London (1966), pp. 124-134. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=31892  Date accessed: 28 May 2009.