Robert Hooker
| Robert Hooker | |
|---|---|
| Person | Robert Hooker |
| Title | |
| First name | Robert |
| Middle name(s) | |
| Last name | Hooker |
| Suffix | |
| Spouse of | |
| Widow of | |
| Occupation | Ropemaker |
| Secondary shorebased occupation | |
| Mariner occupation | |
| Associated with ship(s) | |
| Training | Not apprentice |
| Is apprentice of | |
| Was apprentice of | George Margetts |
| Had apprentice(s) | |
| Citizen | Unknown |
| Literacy | Signature |
| Has opening text | Robertus Hooker |
| Has signoff text | Robert Hooker |
| Signoff image | (Invalid transcription image) |
| Language skills | English language |
| Has interpreter | |
| Birth street | |
| Birth parish | |
| Birth town | |
| Birth county | |
| Birth province | |
| Birth country | |
| Res street | Ratcliff |
| Res parish | Stepney |
| Res town | |
| Res county | Middlesex |
| Res province | |
| Res country | England |
| Birth year | 1620 |
| Marriage year | |
| Death year | 1689 |
| Probate date | September 17, 1689 |
| First deposition age | 40 |
| Primary sources | |
| Act book start page(s) | |
| Personal answer start page(s) | |
| Allegation start page(s) | |
| Interrogatories page(s) | |
| Deposition start page(s) | HCA 13/61 f.39v Annotate, HCA 13/61 f.491r Annotate, HCA 13/73 f.671r Annotate |
| Chancery start page(s) | |
| Letter start page(s) | |
| Miscellaneous start page(s) | |
| Act book date(s) | |
| Personal answer date(s) | |
| Allegation date(s) | |
| Interrogatories date(s) | |
| Deposition date(s) | Apr 19 1648, May 28 1649, Dec 18 1660 |
| How complete is this biography? | |
| Has infobox completed | Yes |
| Has synthesis completed | No |
| Has HCA evidence completed | No |
| Has source comment completed | No |
| Ship classification | |
| Type of ship | Shore based trade |
| Silver Ship litigation in 1650s | |
| Role in Silver Ship litigation | None |
Biographical synthesis
Robert Hooker (alt. Robertus Hooker) (b. ca. 1620; d. ?). Ropemaker.
In the ropemaking trade from ca. 1635 or 1636. Servant of ropemaker George Margetts in 1646 and in 1648. Margetts had a shop on Thamesstreet in the parish of Saint Dunstans in the East and a ropeground in Limehouse in the parish of Stepney. By 1649 Robert Hooker appears to have left Margetts service, though he still testified on his behalf, referring back to rope delivereies made in 1647.
Hermione Hobhouse (1994) states that George Margett's ropeyard was on the northern side of eight acres of riverside land imemdiately to the south of the boundary between Limehouse and Poplar. This land was leased in 1633 to the shipwright John Graves, who had his yard at the north side of the boundary. This was later known as Limekiln Dockyard and then Dundee Wharf. George Margetts took out a sublease on the northern part of the property around 1650 and developed it as a ropemaking yard with a wharf, ropehouse, storehouse, houses and a ropewalk. In 1662 Margetts acquired the freehold to John GRaves' eight acres with and additional two and a half acres in the east.[1]
Resident in 1648 in Limehouse and in 1660 in Ratcliffe, both in the parish of Stepney.
Elected church warden for Limehouse in 1660. A fellow church warden was the shipwright Abraham Greaves (alt. Graves). Churchwarden of Shadwell in 1661 and 1662.
There is a will of Robert Hooker, ropemaker, of Saint Paul Shadwell, proved on September 17th 1689.[2]
Robert Hooker's wife, Anne, was buried in the parish church of Saint Paul Shadwell in 1689.[3]
Evidence from High Court of Admiralty
1648
Twenty-eight year old Robert Hooker deposed on April 19th 1648 in the High Court of Admiralty.[4] He was examined in the cause of "Margetts con Sweete and others".[5]
The case concerned a ship named the Greene Dragon, whose master John Bowden was now deceased. During Bowden's lifetime goods and materials had been delivered to the Green Dragon, as per a schedule attached to the allegation. These were delivered on behalf of the producent George Margetts, partly by Joseph Stapeley, who was an apprentice of George Margetts, and partly by Robert Hooker. Margett's shop was located in Thames street "at the signe of the Rotterdam in the parish of Saint Dunstans in the East". The goods were collected from the shop by some of Bowden's men.[6]
Robert Hooker stated that in 1646 he had been a servant of George Margetts, and still was at the time of his deposition in 1648. He had also delivered goods to Bowden's men on behalf of George Margetts. These he delivered "at Margetts his ropeground in Limehouse on the 22th of April 1646" and also on May 7th 1646. Hooker itemised the goods together with their prices. The goods included Hamburg lines, ropes of various weights, ropes of fine Rhine hemp, and buoy ropes.[7]
1649
Twenty-nine year old Robert Hooker deposed on May 28th 1649 in the High Court of Admiralty.[8] He was examined in the cause of "Margetts con Collet et Roberts".[9]
The case concerned the deliverey of goods and materials by the ropemaker George Margett to the ship the Endeavour (Master: Walter Davies). Robert Hooker attested to his expertise in the rope business, "having used the said trade about 13 or 14 yeares together".[10]
1660
Forty year old Robert Hooker deposed on December 18th 1660 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined on an allegation in the cause of "Johannes ffreeman con the King of ffrance praed.".[11] Hooker gave details of the price of different types of hemp (Pashemp and Rhynhemp) in the month of April 1659.[12]
Richard Hussy, the sixty year old late master of the Saint Lucar Merchant, residing in Limehouse, deposed on May 4th 1657 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined on an allegation on behalf of George Margetts in the cause of "George Margetts and Company against three sixteenth parts of the shipp called the Saint Lucar Merchant lately belonging to Samuell Wilson the yonger and her tackle and furniture attached by authority of this Court and against the sayd Wilson in particular and all others in generall",[13] Hussy stated that George Margetts had an attachment on the three sixteenth parts of the Saint Lucar Merchant taken to freight by Samuell Wilson the younger for a voyage in 1655, and that Margetts sought to have Wilson's share condemned in payment of freight due. Hanniball Allen, a London merchant, also deposed in this cause and stated that George Margetts was one of the owners of the ship.[14]
Comment on sources
1656
"Mr. Robert Hooker was tenant of the Mercers' land in Ratcli£fe. —Court Roll of April 15, 1656."[15] p.236
1659
C 6/142/35 Short title: Canham v Margetts. Plaintiffs: Thomas Canham . Defendants: George Margetts . Subject: money matters, Middlesex. Document type: bill, answer. 1659
1661
"May the 7th 1661
[Signatures to nomination of a lecturer in the Stepney parish church]
... Robert Hooker (churchwarden)...[16]
"May the 7th 1661
[List of vestrymen]
In Shadwell
Mr Edward Arlabeare
Mr John Moore
Mr John Burchett
Mr John Wright
Mr John Winterbourne
Mr Henry Gleade
Mr William Weston
Mr Arthur Baylie
Mr Jesper Sketcher
Mr Robert Hooker"[17]
"January the 15th 1661 [modern 1662]
"In Shadwell
Mr Robert Hooker" p.240
1662
Chosen as churchwarden on April 1st 1552 "for Shadwell Mr Robert Hooker"[18]
1681
PROB 11/365/85 Will of George Margetts, Merchant of Stepney, Middlesex 18 January 1681
1689
PROB 11/396/342 Will of Robert Hooker, Ropemaker of Saint Paul Shadwell, Middlesex 17 September 1689
"SAINT PAUL'S SHADWELL...In the Church-Yard are diverse Tombs: At the West End:
Anne Hooker, late Wife of Robert Hooker, rope-maker, 1689"[19]
1690
PROB 11/401/361 Will of John Margetts, Rope Seller of Stepney, Middlesex 24 October 1690- ↑ 'The Riverside area: The Margett's Ropeyard Site in 'Ch. 14 - Limehouse Hole, in Survey of London: Volumes 43 and 44, Poplar, Blackwall and Isle of Dogs, ed. Hermione Hobhouse (London, 1994), pp. 388-397. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vols43-4/pp388-397, viewed 04/11/2016
- ↑ PROB 11/396/342 Will of Robert Hooker, Ropemaker of Saint Paul Shadwell, Middlesex 17 September 1689
- ↑ John Stow, a survey of the cities of London and Westminster (London, 1735), p.778
- ↑ HCA 13/61 f.39v
- ↑ HCA 13/61 f.39r
- ↑ HCA 13/61 f.39r
- ↑ HCA 13/61 f.40r
- ↑ HCA 13/61 f.491r
- ↑ HCA 13/61 f.490v
- ↑ HCA 13/61 f.491r
- ↑ HCA 13/73 f.671r
- ↑ HCA 13/73 f.671r
- ↑ HCA 13/72 f.6v
- ↑ HCA 13/72 f.7v
- ↑ [XX]
- ↑ G.W. Hill, W.H.Frere (eds), Memorials of Stepney parish (Guildford, 1890-91), p.237
- ↑ G.W. Hill, W.H.Frere (eds), Memorials of Stepney parish (Guildford, 1890-91), p.239
- ↑ G.W. Hill, W.H.Frere (eds), Memorials of Stepney parish (Guildford, 1890-91), p.239
- ↑ John Stow, a survey of the cities of London and Westminster (London, 1735), p.778
