Bradshaw of Bradshaw - New Information Received

We've recently received an interesting enquiry from a researcher who was looking into the history of the Charterhouse in London.  The enquiry alerted us to the existence of Eleanor Bradshaw's will, which adds to our knowledge of the Bradshaw family of Bradshaw Hall, which was previously recorded in our two publications on the Bradshaw family.

The Charterhouse London - www.thecharterhouse.org

In his books "Lords of the Manor of Bradshaw", and "The Bradshaw Estate 1542-1919", Jim Francis explored the pedigree of the Bradshaw family of Bradshaw Hall.  The book describes how the manor passed from the original Bradshaw family to the Bradshaws of Marple in 1694, following the death of John Bradshaw, the lord of the manor.  At the time of writing, little information had been found about John Bradshaw's children.  The following passage refers to his eldest son and namesake:-

"John subsequently married the daughter of a Chester shopkeeper named Gregge, and apparently had no children. Of the other members of the main branch of the Bradshaw family we know nothing, but we may assume that they left our district for good."

The children were recorded in Dugdale's Visitation of Lancashire (below), and in their father's will, which is transcribed in full in the following post on the TLHS website: John Bradshaw's Will 1666.

Pedigree of the Bradshaws of Bradshaw, 1664

Some new information has been received in December 2018, from Molly Turner, who is assisting with some research for the Charterhouse in London. The information relates to Elianor Bradshaw, who was the Matron there during the eighteenth century, and seems likely to have been the same Elianor listed in the pedigree above, the daughter of John Bradshaw.  Her will, dated 1721, names many of her brothers and sisters and their children.  Copies of the will can be obtained from the National Archives in Kew (Ref: PROB 11/586/411).

Eleanor was matron at Chaterhouse from 1678 to 1722.  There are records of her asking for a salary increase in 1700, and in 1710 she requested an assistant.  In 1720 she petitioned for a relative to come and live with her to help her discharge her duties as she was above seventy years of age and "very infirm in her health & limbs".  Ann Bradshaw, maybe her sister or a younger cousin or niece, was living with her at Charterhouse when Eleanor wrote her will, and was the largest beneficiary of it.

The following extract is from 'The Political State of Great Britain', Volume 24, July 1722, p.203. Compiled and Collected by Mr Boyer:-

“On the 26th died Mrs Eleanor Bradshaw, Matron of the Charter-House. She was descended from one of the ancientest and ally’d to many of the best Families in Lancashire. In the Year 1687 she was re- commended to that Imployment in the Charter-House by her near Relation the then Lord Chancellor of England and continued in the Execution of it 35 Years with great Credit and Reputation; And was bury’d in the Charter-House Chappel near the Founder's Tomb, (as the Orders of that Foundation require after Evening Service) being attended by the Master, Officers and all the Members of that Society in the same decent Manner that the late Master Dr Thomas Burnet was interred.”

In her will of 1721, Elianor Bradshaw left various bequests to her relatives, including a gold watch with gold chain and seals, diamond earrings, silver candlesticks and snuffers, a repeating clock and bequests of money totalling £306.

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Monday, 1st March 2021

Eleanor Bradshaw's Sisters

Below are some additional genealogical notes sent in to us from another researcher, relating to the sisters of Eleanor Bradhaw, named in her will; Katherine Hiccock, Jane Bonwick, Dorothy Spencer and Eilzabeth Holland.

Katherine Hiccock

Marriage of Katherine Bradshaw to John Hiccock at Chester on 15 Dec 1713

Burial records for John and Katherine in Chester in 1726 and 1728 respectively.

The first administration record for John Hiccock has an attached inventory, but no will.

Katherine’s 1728 will - she left everything to her companion at the time, Ann Davis.

John’s brother, Thomas Hiccock, contested with Ann Davis the administration of John’s will (which it appears Catherine hadn’t completed) and which John’s brother must have won because there is a second administration in 1729 for John’s estate which names his brother as executor.

Jane Bonwick

Marriage record for Jane Bradshaw and a Richard Bonwick on 29 Jun 1692 at Kilham, Yorkshire. 

Baptisms for their children:

• Thomas Bonwick baptised on 14 May 1693 at Kilham
• Anna Bonwick baptised on 23 Apr 1695 at Kilham
• Ellin Bonwick baptised on 04 May 1698 at Kilham

Richard Bonwick was buried on 06 Nov 1698 at Kilham.  The presumably widowed Jane Bonwick then married Jonas Bransby on 09 Jan 1699 at Kilham but Jane Bransby was then buried on 26 Nov 1701 at Kilham. 

Dorothy Spencer

Unable to find marriage record for a Dorothy Bradshaw to anyone with the surname of Spencer in the right time frame.  However, knowing that Elianor had expressed a wish to be buried at St Pauls where her sister Spencer was buried, there is a burial record for a Dorothy Spencer, wife of a Laurence Spencer, on 13 Feb 1687 at St Gregory by St Paul, City of London.

Baptisms for their children:

• Laurance Spencer on 2 Dec 1683 at St Nicholas Cole Abbey, City of London
• Dorithie Spencer on 15 Feb 1685 at St Nicholas Cole Abbey, City of London
• Edward Spencer on 24 Oct 1686 at St Gregory by St Paul

Dorothy Spenser, daughter of Lawrence Spenser, was buried on 3 Aug 1686 at St Gregory by St Paul, City of London.  Laurance Spencer junior died intestate and letters of Administration in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury were granted to his father Laurance Spencer and dated 14 Dec 1718.

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Saturday, 23rd August 2025

Additional Evidence - Judge Jeffreys

We have recently been contacted by Ian Hampson, who pointed to some additional evidence linking Eleanor Bradshaw of Chaterhouse to the Bradshaws of Bradshaw.

Eleanor Bradshaw's obituary states that "In the Year 1687 she was re-commended to that Imployment in the Charter-House by her near Relation the then Lord Chancellor of England".  In 1687, the Lord Chancellor of England was George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys (1645–1689).  He is notorious in history as Judge Jeffreys, remembered for the Bloody Assizes following the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, where he handed down many executions and transportations.  James II appointed him Lord Chancellor in 1685, and he held the post right through 1687 until the Glorious Revolution (1688), when he was captured while trying to flee and died in the Tower of London in 1689.

The relationship between the Bradshaws of Bradshaw and Judge Jeffreys are as follows:

Sir Thomas Ireland of Bewsey, Lancashire, had two relevant daughters:

1. Margaret Ireland married John Jeffreys of Acton, and was the mother of George Jeffreys - the Lord Chancellor in 1687.
2. Eleanor Ireland married John Atherton of Atherton/Bewsey. Their daughter Margaret Atherton married John Bradshaw of Bradshaw.

John & Margaret’s daughter Eleanor Bradshaw was therefore cousin once removed to George Jeffreys - the Lord Chancellor.

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Sunday, 24th August 2025

Transcript of Eleanor Bradshaw's Will

Gods Will be done I Eleanor Bradshaw Matron of the Charterhouse do make this my last Will and Testament and do hereby revoke and make void all former and other Wills by me heretofore at any time made I desire to be buried decently in the Charterhouse Chappell near the place where Mrs Bord formerly Matron was laid and if this may not be obtained I desire to be buried in Saint Pauls where my sister Spencer was buryed as to my Estate and worldly goods I dispose of them in manner following I give and bequeath to Richard Bradshaw son of my brother Thomas Bradshaw late of Dublin Merchant the sum of one hundred pounds and no more I give and bequeath to Ann Bradshaw lately living with my sister Hiccock in Chester but now living with me in the Charterhouse the gold Chain of my Watch with the Piccure and gold seals belonging to it I also give and bequeath to her the said Ann Bradshaw the bed I now lie in with the bedding and also the Muffe I wear and farther I give and bequeath to her the said Ann Bradshaw the Sum of one hundred pounds I give and bequeath to Margaret Bradshaw daughter of Thomas Bradshaw aforesaid my gold Watch and also I give and bequeath to her the said Margaret the sum of thirty pounds and no more I give and bequeath to Deborah Bradshaw daughter of Thomas Bradshaw aforesaid my Diamond ear rings and also I give and bequeath to her the said Deborah Bradshaw the sum of twenty pounds and no more I give and bequeath to John Bradshaw the sum of ten pounds and no more Also I give and bequeath to him the said John Bradshaw my Silver Candlesticks and Snuffers I give and bequeath to James Bradshaw son of Thomas Bradshaw aforesaid the sum of ten pounds and no more I give and bequeath to Samuel Bradshaw son of Thomas Bradshaw aforesaid the sum of ten pounds and no more I give and bequeath to my sister Katherine Hiccock wife of John Hiccock of the City of Chester my repeating Clock also I give and bequeath to her the said Katherine Hiccock the sum of ten pounds for mourning and no more  I give and bequeath to Edward Spencer son of my late sister Dorothy Spencer the sum of ten pounds for mourning and no more I give and bequeath to Robert Bradshaw son of my late brother Robert Bradshaw if the said Robert Bradshaw shall be alive at my decease the sum of five pounds for mourning and no more I give and bequeath to Ann Kirk of Dryfield in Yorkshire daughter of my late sister Jane Bonwick the sum of ten pounds for mourning and no more I give and bequeath to Thomas Bonwick son of the said Janes Bonwick one Guinea for a mourning ring and no more I give and bequeath to Ralph Welstead Reader of the Charterhouse the sum of tenn pounds for mourning and no more I give and bequeath to Andrew Took Usher of the Charterhouse School the sum of tenn pounds for mourning I give and bequeath to Margaret Roscow daughter of my late sister Elizabeth Holland the sum of tenn pounds for mourning I give and bequeath to my Executors hereafter named the sum of eighty pounds in trust as follows namely that the lawfull interest of the said eighty pounds shall be by them paid by half yearly payments to my heire Holland during her life and after decease my will is that the said eighty pounds shall be equally divided between Anne Bradshaw aforesaid and Margaret Roscow aforesaid that is to say I give forty pounds to Ann Bradshaw and forty pounds to Margaret Roscow which said forty pounds I give to the sole and separate use of the said Margaret Roscow in which her husband shall have noe share or part nor title to and my Will is that her the said Margaret Rowcows receipt without her husband shall be a full and sufficient discharge and release to my Executors The rest and residue of my Estate and effects of what kind soever after my debts legacies and Funerall expenses shall be paid I give devise and bequeath to Andrew Took aforesaid and to Anne Bradshaw aforesaid to be equally divided between them part and share alike and I do make constitute and appoint him the said Andrew Took and her the said Ann Bradshaw joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament  In Witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal this fourth day of January in the eighth year of King George and in the year of our Lord 1721.  Elianor Bradshaw signed sealed published and declared by the said Elianor Bradshaw for and as her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who subscribed our names in her presence and at her desire Hen Bradshaw. John Rignand

Transcript by Stephen Tonge