Corbyn of Worcester

Descendants of John Corbyn Charles E. G. Pease Pennyghael Isle of Mull Descendants of John Corbyn 1-John Corbyn1,2,3,4 was born in 1670, died on 30 Jan 1752 at age 82, and was buried on 1 Feb 1752 in FBG Worcester. Noted events in his life were: • He worked as an Of Worcester. John married Candia Handley,1,3,4,5 daughter of John Handley and Celia, in 1696. Candia was born in 1671 in Pontypool, Monmouthshire, Wales, died on 28 Apr 1767 in Worcester (18th April also given but unlikely) at age 96, and was buried on 3 May 1767 in FBG Worcester. They had five children: John, Samuel, Thomas, Hannah, and Candia. General Notes: CANDIA CORBYN, wife of John Corbyn, of the city of Worcester, was born about the year 1671, at Pontypool, in Monmouthshire, and about the eighteenth year of her age, was reached by truth, through the powerful ministry of Thomas Wilson, which, taking deep root in her heart, she brought forth good fruits. In a few years she received a gift in the ministry, in the exercise of whicli she was sound and clear, and evidently favoured with the renewings of that divine life which preserved her fresh and green ; being often tenderly concerned both in testimony and supplication on behalf of the youth, that their tender minds might be preserved from the many snares that lie in the way, and be so formed and enlarged by the divine hand, as to become living branches in the true vine, and serviceable members in society. She was frequently engaged to bear testimony to the universality and sufficiency of the grace of God, extended through the Christian dispensation, to all mankind; and she earnestly laboured that Friends would retain a grateful sense of the liberties we now enjoy, to hold our religious meetings without molestation ; often recounting the many hardships, which she well remembered, our ancient Friends were permitted to undergo for the trial of their faith. She continued a diligent attender of meetings both for worship and discipline, in love and charity as a mother in Israel, faithfully discharging her duty towards all, hospitable to strangers, a friend to all, especially the poor, fatherless, and widow ; in her connections in life, a steady pattern of piety and virtue, so that it may be said, in doctrine and practice, the dew of heaven rested on her branches even to very advanced age. Her last illness being but short, she calmly departed this life the 28th of the Fourth month, 1767, and her remains were decently interred in Friends' burial-ground at Worcester the 3d of the Fifth month following; aged ninety-six, and a minister seventy-three years. Although no expressions of this ancient friend arc preserved, yet as through a long course of years she was preserved unspotted and strong in her love, as was the case of Caleb formerly, the account is worthy of preservation, that all may see and be encouraged, that if they keep to this living divine principle, they will be enabled to hold out to the end. Piety Promoted. Vol. II. Page 427. Edited by William and Thomas Evans. Philadelphia. 1854 Noted events in her life were: • She worked as a Quaker Minister in 1694. 2-John Corbyn was born in 1700 and died in 1785 at age 85. 2-Samuel Corbyn was born in 1706 and died in 1799 at age 93. 2-Thomas Corbyn1,4 was born on 13 Feb 1711 in Worcester, Worcestershire and died on 14 Feb 1791 in Bartholomew Close, Holborn, London at age 80. General Notes: Thos: Richardson, Senr of Sunderland, being one of the Trustees of the late Edwd: Walton of Sunderland, in looking over his papers & found the above Recipe, and also by his books of Acct, that, that he had been in the practice for many years of ordering, 2, 3, or 4 pounds of Opium frequently, from Thos. Corbyn of London for the use of his Bro: J. Walton in making the Black Drop, being at that time in much request. Thos. Richardson says he has no doubt of the above being from the same Recipe, Yet Dr Braithwaite may have made some improvement, or alteration in it, or reduced the quantity of Opium, as his is abundantly thinner, than the Original preparation. (Pease Family Recipe Book). Copy in posesssion of Sir J. Gurney Pease Bt. Recipe not shown here. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corbyn, Thomas (1711– 1791), pharmaceutical chemist, was born on 13 February 1711 in Worcester, the son of John Corbyn and his wife, Candia, daughter of John and Cecilia Handley of Pontypool. His parents were members of the Society of Friends. He was apprenticed for eight years from September 1728 to Joseph Clutton, citizen and apothecary of London. His time finished, he continued to work with Clutton and did not apply for his freedom of the Society of Apothecaries until April 1743, the year in which his employer died. Mrs Clutton decided to continue the business herself, and as the sole surviving son, Morris Clutton, was only four years into his apprenticeship with his father, Corbyn was brought into the business. A co-partnership was finally formed when Mrs Clutton remarried and Morris Clutton gained his freedom of the Society of Apothecaries in July 1747. Each partner put in about £2000. Joseph Clutton had spread his pharmaceutical interests beyond the confines of London; for example, he had been the 'chymical' supplier to the county hospital in Winchester since 1739. Some years before Clutton's death, Corbyn had been sending letters to overseas correspondents. From extant letter-books it is known that by 1741 Corbyn had developed a good trade with the American colonies, in February sending 'Jesuit's Bark', rhubarb, and cinnamon to Virginia, and soon after importing drugs such as senega. Corbyn was a staunch upholder of the purity of drugs, though well aware of the increased profits he could make if he descended to adulteration. In 1750 he wrote to John and Esther White in Pennsylvania, 'The simple drugs are the best of their kind, and the composition not only true, but curiously prepared, and charg'd reasonable according to the market price' (Western MSS 5435– 5460). In 1752 Corbyn married Sarah Garret of Colchester; they had two daughters and a son. In 1754 he wrote to his cousin, John Corbyn, a doctor in New England, 'I don't know any thing particularly new & valuable in Physick. My wife has br[ough]t me a new girl now ab[ou]t 6 weeks old and thrives well' (ibid.). Corbyn's probity both at home and abroad was an important factor in the success of the firm. When Morris Clutton died in 1754, a balance sheet shows that the concern had increased in value from about £4000 to some £14,000 in the seven years of the partnership. Corbyn also seems to have had no difficulty in raising the necessary capital to buy out Clutton's heirs. For a while he ran the firm alone but by 1762 he had entered into agreements with John Brown and Nicholas Marshall. When Marshall died in 1776 he was replaced by John Beaumont, and ten years later Beaumont's brother-in-law, Josiah Messer, joined the group. They in turn were followed by Beaumont's son, Abraham, and two more Josiah Messers— strong evidence of the close Quaker network both in business and family life. The most important partner, however, proved to be George Stacey, Produced by: Charles E. G. Pease, Pennyghael, Isle of Mull, [email protected] : 4 Feb 2021 1 Produced by Legacy Descendants of John Corbyn John Beaumont's son-in-law and the first of a dynasty of Staceys. Corbyn had an excellent relationship with his suppliers, customers, and agents, but he expected prompt payment and did not hesitate to say so. He saw the necessity for taking out insurance, and in 1788 he published in the Morning Chronicle an article entitled 'Advantage of insurers or underwriters to merchants and traders exporting goods'. He also produced a catalogue, Chemical and galenical medicine truly prepared and sold with all sorts of drugs, by Thomas Corbyn. Chemist and druggists, at the Bell and Dragon in Holborn, London. 1 month [January] 1789. Corbyn remained an active Quaker. In the severe winter of 1767 he joined with a number of other Friends in John Fothergill's scheme for the relief of the poor. Fish and potatoes were purchased at wholesale prices and sold at a small loss from established warehouses. He was, however, severe, authoritarian, and uncompromising in his attitudes, so much so that he was nicknamed 'the Quaker pope'. He clashed with William Cookworthy in Plymouth over disownment and the implementation of rigid discipline. However, James Jenkins wrote that he frequently lent money to young men starting in business— and not infrequently lost it. Towards the end of his life, Corbyn moved from High Holborn to Bartholomew Close, where he died a widower on 14 February 1791. In his will he bequeathed sums of 5 to 50 guineas to his partners and employees, and to his Quaker friends and executors, and nearly £2000 in government securities to relatives and the Society of Friends. His son, John, already a partner, was to receive the property in Holborn and Coldbath Fields provided he paid £4200 to the executors. The residue of the estate was divided equally between all three children. The life and career of Thomas Corbyn shows that the expanding drug trade of the eighteenth century was based on greater trust and probity than is often thought.

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