MRP: Sir William Ryder
Sir William Ryder
Editorial history
07/10/11, CSG: Created page
28/11/11, CSG: Minor edits to biographical profile
05/12/11, CSG: Minor additions to content
Contents
Biographical profile
THIS ENTRY IS IN PREPARATION
Background notes
In the 1640s and the 1650s William Ryder was usually described by contemporaries as Captain William Ryder. After receiving a knighthood from the restored Charles II, he was described for the last eight years of his life as Sir William Ryder. It is as Sir William Ryder that Samuel Pepys came to know him.
However, Ryder's self-identity remained that of a mariner, in the mould, perhaps of James Moyer senior, a highly successful mariner from Leigh, Essex, who was involved in the Levant trade. Ryder was a close commercial and personal associate of Captain Jeremy Blackman [senior][1], whose executor he was, and of his father-in-law Captain Roger Tweedy and his brother-in-law Captain John Crowther.
Historians have shown surprising confusion as to his background, and have drawn on a rather narrow range of primary sources to speculate on Ryder's religious and political beliefs. However, there is a significant range and number of primary sources which have remained untapped.
Ryder appears in a number of Chancery cases which have not previously been explored by historians. He also appears in the published correspondence of several contemporary merchants, and in unpublished records relating to Tangiers held at the British Library.
In a Bill of Complaint in Chancery (C 6/151Pt2/28 f. 1) William Ryder was a plaintiff along with James Modyford, Robert and Jonathan Dawes, John Portman, Phillip Scarth, John Robinson, Isaac Taylor, and the executors of Abraham ?Moace and Thomas Hodges, as a part owner of the 444 tun Thomas and William of London, which had been hired out to Parliament for naval service in 1652. In C10/58/29 he was a defendant in a case in which he, as Captain William Ryder, had received a bill of exchange in London from an Amsterdam source.
Sir William Ryder made a bequest in his will of £50 to the parish of Wembury (alias Wembery, Wemburie), Devon. Although he does not state in this will that he was born there, this would seem plausible. Indeed, the Rider/Ryder name was long established in the parish, with local archival references to Rider/Ryder from the C14th, and a good number in the C16th in both Wembury and Plymouth. However, the Visitation of Devon of 1620 shows only a Rider family of Beare Feris, Devon, a parish to the north of Plymouth, whereas Wembury lies ca. fifteen miles away to the south-east of the port town. Nevertheless, the Protestation Return for Wembury, in the Hundred of Plimpton, 1641/42 contains the names of Edward Rider (x2), Josias Rider, Martin Rider, and William Rider, with a Nathaniel Rider, constable, acting as one of the signators of the return.[2]
Suggested links
See John Crowther will (Brother-in-law of William Ryder)
See Jeremy Blackman senior will (Close associate of William Ryder)
See James Moyer senior will (Interesting comparison with William Ryder)
See Sir George Smith will (Associate of William Ryder in 1660s)
See Roger Tweedy will (Father-in-law of William Ryder)
To do
(1) Continue to look at the Rider/Ryder connection with the parish of Wembury (alias Wemburie), Devon, just outside Plymouth
- Does Wembury church have a monument to the Ryder family?
Possible primary sources
TNA
C 3/323/58 Short title: Rider v Mace. Plaintiffs: John Rider and others. Defendants: William Mace. Subject: money matters, Devon. Document type: bill, answer. 1620
C 5/49/124 Reeve v. Rider: Middlesex. 1667
C 5/53/26 Ford v. Ryder: Middlesex. 1668
C 5/413/31 Richardson v. Rider: Middlesex. 1664
C 6/131/60 Short title: Garway v Merchants of London, governor & company of. Plaintiffs: John Garway and Thomas Garway. Defendants: Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies [East India Company], William Cockine, Andrew Riard, Daniel Andrews, William Ryder, Jeremiah Sambrook and another. 1655
C 6/151Pt2/28 Short title: Moudiford v Greaves. Plaintiffs: James Moudiford, Robert Dawes, Jonathan Dawes, William Rider, John Portman and Philip Scarth. Defendants: Abraham Greaves, Sarah Greaves his wife and Richard Hutchinson. Subject: money matters, Middlesex. Document type: answer only. 1659
C 6/179/37 Short title: Ryder v Evelin. Plaintiffs: Sir William Ryder kt. Defendants: George Evelin, Francis Cooke and Richard Hunt. Subject: property in Horndon, Essex. Document type: bill, answer. 1667
C 6/225/43 Short title: Pening v Ryder. Plaintiffs: Robert Pening and Nicholas Pening. Defendants: Priscilla Ryder and Thomas Ryder. Subject: money matters, Middlesex. Document type: bill, answer, schedule. 1677
C 6/552/118 Short title: Rider v [unknown]. First plaintiff: Priscilla Rider. Defendants: [unknown]. Document type: bill only. 1685
C 10/39/78 Wustis v. Ryder: Devon 1647
C 10/58/29 Gomeldon v. Ryder, Marsham and Fardinando: Middlesex 1659
- See possibly C 22/1000/41 Ryder v. Marsham Between 1558 and 1714
C 10/86/36 Gibbon v. Hendra, Heatley, sandys, Buckworth, Ryder and others: Middlesex 1667
C 10/89/61 Gibbon v. Ryder, Ford, Bushword, Sandys, Fox, Heatley and others: Middlesex 1668
C 10/160/44 Gibbon v. Ryder, Ford, Buckworth, Sandys and Heatley 1668
C 10/161/25 Gibbon v. Ryder and Sandys: Middlesex 1670
C 10/99/70 East India Co. v. Smith, Rider, Wood, Thompson 1661
C 10/155/38 Cutlere v. Ryder, knight, Cocke, Backwell & Herne: Middx. 1669
C 10/165/4 Joseph Alston v Dame Priscilla Rider widow and Thomas Rider: money matters, Middx. Bill and demurrer 1671
C 22/28/11 Bayley v. Rider. Between 1558 and 1714
- Sir William Ryder's second daughter, Priscilla, married Richard Bayly (see Sir William Ryder's will)
C 22/927/5 Baylie v. Ryder Between 1558 and 1714
C 110/29 BAYLEY v RYDER: Accounts and family correspondence of William Reversham, Priscilla Baylie, Robert Bernard, William Riders and others 1677-1716
- Sir William Ryder's second daughter, Priscilla, married Richard Bayly (see Sir William Ryder's will)
C 142/763/190 Ryder, William: Devon 20 James I.
E 115/324/131 Certificate of residence showing Sir William Rider (or the variant surname: Ryder) to be liable for taxation in Middlesex, and not in [Essex], the previous area of tax liability. (Any information not given in this certificate comes from its old pouch, no 662. 1663-1664
PROB 11/70 Spencer 1-40 Will of John Ryder of Exeter, Devon 25 January 1587
PROB 11/194 Rivers 111-157 Will of Elizabeth Rider, Widow of Plymouth, Devon 30 September 1645
PROB 11/219 Grey 201-251 Will of Joane Rider, Widow of Little Hempston, Devon 20 November 1651
PROB 11/233 Alchin 1-50 Will of Josias Ryder, Yeoman of Wembury, Devon 05 December 1654
- A relatively poor yeoman at the time of making his will, Josias makes no mention of any London relations
PROB 11/244 Aylett 51-106 Will of Agnes Ryder, Widow of Brixton, Devon 12 July 1655
- The will of Josias Ryder (PROB 11/233 Alchin 1-50) identifies "Agnis Rider" as Josias Ryder's wife
PROB 11/305 May 104-157 Will of Robert Dawes, Merchant of Saint Martin Orgar, City of London 23 December 1661
PROB 11/340 Eure 108-157 Will of Sir Jonathan Dawes, Alderman of City of London 17 October 1672
PROB 11/293 Pell 350-399 Will of Phillip Scarth, Merchant Tailor of London 03 June 1659
SP 71/1 Countess of Inchiquin's petition to the king asking that ransom money be sent by a merchant Ryder, and not paid through the consul [1660 x 1674]
WARD 7/16/28 Ryder, Thomas: Devon 18 Eliz I.
Plymouth and West Devon Record Office
Plymouth and West Devon Record Office: Calmady Manuscripts; 372/9/3/12: 1629
- Contents: 1. Sir Shilston Calmady, kt and Edward Calmady, of Plymouth, esq 2. Josias Ryder of Wembury, yeoman, Mitchells Hill in Wembury
Possible secondary sources
Colby, Frederic Thomas, The visitation of the county of Devon in the year 1620 (London, 1872)
- See Pedigree of family of Rider (of Beare Feris, Devon), p. 241
- See Pedigree of family of Glanvill, p. 130
- ↑ See Jeremy Blackman senior will
- ↑ Transcription of Protestant return for Wembury, Hundred of Plimpton, Devon, 1641/42, made by A. J. Howard (XXXX, 1973). See http://www.devonheritage.org/Places/Wembury/WemburysProtestionReturn.htm
