THE PATRIOT Quarterly Newsletter of the John Hampden Society No. 28 - Spring 2000 The John Hampden Society exists to bring together people with an interest in John Hampden, and to encourage wider knowledge of this great 17th century Parliamentarian, hs life and times CHANGE DOWNING STREET TO HAMPDEN STREET, SAYS SOCIETY The John Hampden Society has launched one of the leading lights in both Parlia- ter, changing sides just before the Res- a campaign to get the name of Downing ment and the Parliamentary Army during toration and treacherously delivering Street changed to Hampden Street. the Civil War. Had he not been killed early some of his former comrades-in-arms to on in that conflict, the course of history execution. He was awarded a baronetcy In a letter to the Secretary of State for Cul- for this. ture, Media and Sport, copied to Westmin- might well have been very different. The During the Civil War he had acquired an ster City Council, the Society wrote: execution of Charles I might never have occurred, we would have heard little of interest in land and buildings to the We would like to make the following re- west of Whitehall, but at the Restoration Hampden’s cousin Oliver Cromwell, and quests to you: he was told that the 1. That you will arrange properties had been taken back by the for the name of Downing Crown. Street to be changed to He petitioned the King that of Hampden Street. that the properties be 2. That you will arrange restored to him on the for a commemorative grounds, unsupported plaque to be placed on the by any evidence, that wall of No. 10 Hampden they had come to him Street to mark the fact in lieu of a debt. In that it was once the Lon- 1664 the King reluc- don home of John Hamp- tantly granted him the lease of the site and the den the Patriot. buildings on it, with permission to build, This Society was set up in 1992 to honour the constitutional settlement of 1688, despite the fact that Elizabeth Hampden the name of John Hampden, one of the which secured the future of Parliament, was still living there and paying a rent of 17th century’s greatest, yet sadly ne- might have taken place much earlier. £90 per year. glected, statesmen. I enclose some details Downing Street stands on the site of the Her grandsons put up a fight as their about Hampden and the Society, and I Hampdens’ London home, which was built lease still had 20 years to run, and would refer you to the article by Dr John by Sir Thomas Knyvet in the 1580s and Downing’s attempts to get possession Adair in The House magazine of 11 July inherited by John Hampden’s mother in failed. Elizabeth died in 1665, but Down- 1994, but briefly he was a wealthy Buck- 1622, when her son was 28. At this time ing doesn’t appear to have gained pos- inghamshire landowner who stood out Hampden was an MP and would almost session until 1671. He then proceeded to pull down Hampden House and the against the tyrannical policies of King certainly have lived here when in London. surrounding buildings, and construct Charles I. Hampden’s opposition to the I quote from an article in issue no. 6 of our the world-famous street that bears his illegal Ship Money tax made him the most newsletter, ‘The Patriot’, based on infor- name. famous man in the country, and he be- mation from Christopher Jones’s book: Members of this Society believe that it is came right-hand man to John Pym, leader George Downing was a Parliamentarian a disgrace that, for over 300 years, the of the opposition to the King in the Long official residence of the Head of Gov- Parliament. who became a Member of Parliament and acquired the post of Ambassador to ernment of the United Kingdom should be named after a man so despicable Hampden’s activities led to him being one The Hague under Cromwell, where he of the Five Members whom the King tried spied on the exiled Stuarts. He appears as George Downing - a turncoat and to arrest for treason in 1642, and he was to have been a most unpleasant charac- continued on page 3 MYSTERY POEM AGM ENCLOSURES Membership Secretary Liz Morris has The AGM was held at Hampden House Members will find three important en- discovered the full text of the mysterious on Sunday 7th May, and fuller details closures with this newsletter. poem mentioned in the last newsletter. will be available in the next issue of The first one, which will only go out to It was found in Country Like This, pub- ‘The Patriot’. UK members, is a staffing form for the John Hampden Exhibition in Thame on lished in 1972 by The Friends of the Vale The most important decision was to raise Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th of June. of Aylesbury, and it reads: the annual subscriptions for most catego- We shall require members to be on duty in ries of British Isles membership as from 1st the Masonic Hall during the opening hours King Charles the First to Parliament came, January 2001. Overseas subscriptions will to show visitors around, answer questions, Five good Parliament men to claim; remain the same. and keep an eye open for souvenir-hunters King Charles he had them each by name, The possibility of holding a series of illus- (we hope to have some valuable artefacts trated talks for members in the Denzyl Holles and Jonathan Pym, on display). And William Strode and after him, Thame/Great Hampden area during the Help will also be required to set up and Arthur Hazelrigg Esquire winter was also discussed. take down the display, and to remove some And Hampden, Gent, of Buckinghamshire. The committee for the coming year is as of the more valuable exhibits to a place of follows: safety on the Saturday evening. It would The man at the gate said ‘Tickets, please,’ also be desirable to see a good turnout at Said Charles, ‘I’ve come for the five M.P.’s.’ LORD HOLLENDEN (Chairman) the Memorial Service at Chalgrove on Sun- The Porter said ‘Which?’ and Charles said ROY BAILEY (Vice-Chairman) day afternoon. ‘These: MRS ANTHEA COLES (Hon. Secretary) If you have some time free on those two Denzyl Holles and Jonathan Pym, ’ And SAMUEL HEARNE (Hon. Treasurer) days and wish to help, please indicate your William Strode and after him, MISS ELIZABETH MORRIS availability on the form and return it as (Membership Secretary) Arthur Hazelrigg Esquire soon as possible to the Vice-Chairman. GRAHAM BARFIELD And Hampden, Gent, of Buckinghamshire.’ You will then be contacted nearer the time MRS GILLIAN GOODALL and allocated a slot. JOHN GOODALL The second form will enable us to keep In at the great front door he went, ROBERT HAMMOND the Society’s database fully up-to-date by The great front door of Parliament, MAURICE KIRTLAND collecting information which, of necessity, While, out at the back with one consent DEREK LESTER does not appear on the membership appli- Went Denzyl Holles and Jonathan Pym, MRS MARION WIERSZYCKI cation form. Please return this to the Mem- And William Strode and after him, bership Secretary. Arthur Hazelrigg, Esquire The new member, Robert Hammond , is Finally, of course, there is the menu and And Hampden, Gent, of Buckinghamshire. a former district councillor from John booking form for the Annual Dinner at The Hampden’s old constituency of Wendover, Spread Eagle Hotel, which this year will be Into the street strode Charles the First, and an indefatigable researcher in the held on the anniversary of John Hampden’s His nose was high and his lips were Bucks County archives in Aylesbury. first marriage and of his death. Guest pursed, speaker will be Lord Saye and Sele, who will talk about his 17th century ancestor; a While, laugh till their rebel sides near burst, GREENCOATS IN THAME did close colleague of John Hampden. Denzyl Holles and Jonathan Pym, Colonel John Hampden’s Regiment of Foote of the English Civil War Society And William Strode, and after him (‘The Greencoats’) will once more be on Arthur Hazelrigg Esquire, show in Thame this June - and look set And Hampden, Gent, of Buckinghamshire. to repeat their impressive display of three years ago. HUGH CHESTERMAN From Monday 19th to Friday 23rd they King Charles the First will be mounting a Living History display ‘Speech Practice’ ed. by G. Colson, 1959 for the benefit of parties of schoolchildren at Thame Showground, and on Saturday By coincidence, Liz Morris contacted 24th this will be open to the general public Aylesbury Local Studies Library to see if from 2 pm until about 5.30 under the title they could find the complete text, and a ‘The English Civil War - A Matter of Life few days later one of the librarians found or Death’. This will also include two drill us via our web site and e-mailed to ask if displays. we had any information about the very Prior to this the Regiment will repeat same poem! their march through the town at the head of the Carnival procession - but this time ACCOMMODATION, RESTAURANT & • Country Like This contains much else of they will go from the Recreation Ground BANQUETING interest to students of John Hampden. in Southern Road to the Showground, There are Sir Ralph Verney’s notes on the commencing at 1 pm. attempted arrest of The Five Members in On the afternoon of Sunday 25th the au- Published by January 1641/2, and a transcript of a letter dience will be entertained by two skir- The John Hampden Society from John Wittewrong and Thomas Tyrrill, mishes.