HISTORY ANTIQUITIES OF . Mr, William Ford, of Coventry, merchant of the In 1609, Edward Eyton held lands in capt fe at Staple, in 1515) g»ve by will, inter aha, to his tound- Gaddefby. ation of tiie Grey Friars in Coventry, a messuage and The freehold rs here in 1 630 were,Henry Pilkingfcn-% croft in Gaddefby, and another croft and 132 acres of gent. Christopher Black, William Beeby, and John Dunn, land, arable and meadow, in the fields of Gaddefby, The common fLld at Gaddelby began to be in-- off tthee yyearly y rent of //>>• is. \\&- & ; to whichihh largl ge addiddi- closed in 1^50, by an agreement of the several pdpiprdpi>> tioni s were madde by hihis executot r William Wigfion of etorstors j the pnncip.-inipl l of whoh m were GeorgeG SSmith , merchant of the Staple 1 ei'q. of Qnemborovv, Samuel Bordman, esq. the Rev'. In 1575, certain lands and tenements in Gaddefby, Francis Nedham, clerk, and William Nedham, gent. Barefbv, and Crowibn, parcel of the preceptory of June 20, 1655, by consent of all the other pre- llothley, of the yearly value of 42J. were devised for prietors, the whole of the common field was assigned 20 years to Robert Gascoigne. to George Pochin, of Bark by, esq. Robert Bernard, of Eleanor, dauyhter and heir of John Danett, mar- , efq. and Thomas Bennet, of Queniborow, by • ried Richard Chamber; and had iifue William; who whom the proportions of the several proprietors were had issue Richard; who had issue Joan ; who by pa- regularly rc-conveyed in fee simple, and the finalar - tent, dated 3 March, 158 1, under the seal of the king rangement of the inclosure was completed, agreeably at Arms, had a crest granted to his coat2 to a decree made in the court of Chancery, May 2s, John Chamber, efq. appears to have died without 1652, fn a cause wherein Samuel Bordman, esq and issue; and was succeeded in part of his property at Henry Cole/nan, clerk, were plaintiffs, and George Smith, Gaddesby by the children of his sister, Mrs. Mary efq. and the Rev. Francis Nedham, clerk, defendants\ Barnes of ; and in the remainder by In 1655, the sum of us. 3d. was collected at (Jad- his relation rhe Rev. 'John Chamber, M. A. whole his- defby, for the poor Protestants in Piedmont. tory will be best given from his epitaph in the North By the proceedings on the inclosure, it is evident aile of Bray's chapel in the collegiate church of that Mr. George Smith was dead before 1656 : but it Windsor, p. 392. does not precisely appear by whorri he was succeeded, as there is some error in the pedigree of the family " Johanni Chamber, socio primum Collegii copied under Ashby Folviie, in p. 29; one descent Merton, 1569, dein Etonensis, being probably there omitted. 'I he George Smith of 1582, postremum Canonico hujus 1629 died in 1640; his fdn George about 1654; to Ecclesiæ, 1601. whom Francis (who died in 1699) was probably a grand- TheologO, Medico, Mathematico, infigni. son; whom Thomas Smith, efq. of Nottingham, suc- Henr. Neville, & Henric. Saville, milites, ceeded in the property at Gaddefby ; and, dung in pofuere. 1700, left it to his son, Thomas Smith, efq. high she- Natus apud Swillington, in comitat. Ebor. riff in 1718; whose history may be brieflU given fu>m 1546, mense Maio; obiit Altonæ his monument in St. Mary's church at Nottingham: 1604, ineunte Augusto. " Near this place lveth the body of Corpus hoc marmore humatum jacet. Thomas Smith, efq. Præter alia legavit moriens Collegio 3 who died Jin. 8, A. D. 1717, astat. 45* Mertonensi mille libras ." He was a man of exact " Mr. Chamber of Gaddefby left a yard-land, con- in'egriry and skill in his extensive business; sisting of 2,0 acres or more, together with house and by which he acquired a handiome fortune, homestead. Part of the money arising from this land and reputation of universal humanity and is to put out as apprentices certain poor boys of the benevolence. 1 he charity intrusted unto him pari(h of Gaddesby at Easter time of the year; and by others8, received an increase the remainder to be given, with an estate lying at from his prudence and generosity ; Scraptoft in this county, of the consideration of ^40. qualities that he readily and heanily exerted in thfi or ^50. a year, to the augmentation of four poor vi- service of mankind, carages; viz. Northmerston, co. Bucks; Daddington, and which was returned to him co. OXOP. ; Caxton, co. Cambridge; and Waddon, * by general and molt sincere co. Cambridge. I have seen and perused Mr. Cham- love and esteem. ber's will, who died one or the canons of Windsor in He married Mary, the daughter of 1604. Be left the dean and canons in trust for the Thomas Manley, elq. fame. It is very authentic, and a pious will, and well and left behind him five daughters." intentioned and clear. The perusal of the fame went In 1719, 13 freeholders polled from Gaddesby ; but through my hands when I v&as curate for Gaddesby in in 1775 only 8 freeholders polled from this town. the neighbourhood 17 years. I am afraid this charity In an accompt of Samuel Patrick, for the executors is greatly abused, especially that part lying and being of Mr. Smith, for one year ending at Michaelmas 1732, situate at Scraptofr, and having been made a provision are the following particulars relative to Gaddefby for the late rector's man-servant^." Jan. 23, 1583, Francis Cave, efq. died seised of one Paid one year's land-tax, ending at"! messuage, and divers lands and tenements thereunto Christmas 173a, J 19 4 9* belonging, in the town of Gaddefby; held of ihe Paid sir Samuel Barnardiston, one! 10 16 8 queen, in focage, by fealty and the rent of nd. a yesr'sehief rentdue at Michaelmas 1732, J year; and Thomas Cave, efq. his son and heir, was Paid Thomas Townfhend, highway } o 18 6 then aged 43 years and upwards 5. and constable, for impropriation tithe, J* In 1587, certain lands in Gaddefby of the yearly Paid Edward Gillet, assessment to the 1 talue ot 40J. were demised for 20 years to John Wdles6. poor, for ditto, j 1 From :;n account of the Charities and Loans to the City of Coventry. ' See p. 9,69. 3 For the addition of two postmasters to the twelve before established, and for the augmentation of the lalarie* to the while number. Gutch, Colleges and Hospitals, p. 5. * This memorandum was communicated by the late Rev. Philip Hackett, who died rector of South Croxton in 1F01 ; and was succeeded by the Rtv. William Wilkinson, M. A. # 4 Eich. 26 hliz. 6 I easts in the Augmentation effire. 7 See Palmer's MS Cas s, pp. 12, 13. 4?8. 4.ie Nottingham, mercer, <'ecea(ed ; who in fame . washy br- nephew and executor 1 his lite was of extensive charity to the . Thomas rini'rt begun a d hcuslictl jpoorofaii societies, and ai his deaib, ly in the year 1709. AnO©AN«N ETI AAAEITAl." Mr.