William Webster

Notes:

"William Webster of Syston, butcher, became a freeman of Leicester in 1502/3; this enabled him to sell his meat in Leicester without paying a heavy toll. It also laid upon him responsibilities, notably those of fair trading and of contributing a reasonable amount to the borough expenses." [Skillington et al., citation details below.]

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From Skillington et al., citation details below:

[William Webster's] eldest son, John, took up his freedom in 1509/10, when he would probably be in his early twenties. He paid the Lay Subsidy in Syston in 1524 and his name appears on the Musters there in 1540.

John Webster I became tenant, under the priory of Ulverscroft, co. Leicester, of a farm in Cossington about 1535, and in 1544 he went to law about it. His opponents, Thomas Chamberlain and William Chamberlain, were probably his friends, who joined him in a collusive suit to secure his title. It is significant that Thomas Chamberlain and William Chamberlain were witnesses to the will of Emett Webster, John's widow. In 1554 John bought this house and farm, where he had lived for some years. His name appears twice in the churchwardens' accounts: in 1545 he paid rent for a piece of land (a butte) and in 1549 he held the office of churchwarden.

Family/Spouse: Emett Welle. Emett died before 20 Mar 1558; was buried on 20 Mar 1558 in Cossington, Leicestershire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"The churchwardens' accounts show John Webster II paying his mother's legacy, collecting a levy and doing business for the village at Stamford. Stamford, whose fair was one of the most notable in the Midlands -- its fame penetrated even to Justice Shallow in remote Gloucestershire -- is about thirty miles from Cossington, and that, with a laden waggon on Tudor roads would be three days' journey. His spouse, the 'goodwyfe Webster,' was responsible for the church's washing." [Skillington et al., citation details below.]

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From Skillington et al., citation details below:

John Webster III, whose domestic life was punctuated by a pathetic succession of lyings in and layings out, appears to have married shortly after his grandmother's death. His bride, Isabel, died in childbed within a year and he married again very soon, for another babe was laid in the churchyard before sixteen months were out. In those days, when no man could run a farm or a business without a helpmeet, he would not be accused of inconstancy.

He prospered in business; the accounts show that he ranked extra land and that he was taxed quite highly for parish purposes. He became, after the squire and the parson, a leading man in the village; in fact, his name appears next after theirs in the articles of agreement made in 1585. It is interesting to note that these rules, that were "to conynew for ever," were drawn up at a time when England was in greater peril than she was ever to be again until 1940.

John married (Unknown second wife of John Webster) after Aug 1560. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]