Notes for: John FOSKETT
It is believed that this John is the son of William Foskett of North Crawley, named as an under 15 year old in his will of 1656. Not only is the date about right. The North Crawley Foskett's were staunch Baptists, and the said John does not appear in any other North Crawley records as far as can be ascertained.
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Descendants of this family claimed that this John Foskett was a Huguenot who fled France due to religious prosecution, with just two pieces of gold. However there is absolutely no contemporary evidence for this. This family subsequently became very wealthy (armigerous) and it is believed they hid their more humble beginnings with this tale. The reason for the Huguenot story may also be connected to the fact that these Fosketts made their fortune as weavers in Stepney and this was the home of many Huguenot weavers. A question to ask here is why these Fosketts hailed from Hitchin in Hertfordshire prior to their arrival in Stepney. (Proven from wills and marriages of daughters in the Hitchin area). As far as can be ascertained, there is no history of Huguenots fleeing France and settling in Hertfordshire. However, there is no doubt that John and his descendants were Baptists and worshipped at the Tilehurst Baptist Chapel in Hitchin. His daughter Elizabeth bequeathed £100 to the minister there in her will of 1752. Later generations were buried at Bunhill Fields, London, a non-conformist burial ground.
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DNA testing has shown that descendants of this family are directly related to John Foskett of Massachussets, USA, who was born in England circa 1636. This further discounts the Huguenot story about this John's ancestry for if he had been born in France, then John of Massachussets would have had to been born in France also.
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There is a John FOSKEW marrying in Lilley, Herts to a Mary Hobbs on 14 Jan 1674/5 which could be John's marriage, particularly as Nicholas Hobbs( the father of Mary) is named on some of the deeds connected with the Fosketts
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L4/183 Assignment of term. 10/-
(i) Jn. Compton of Clophill
(ii) Jane Nodes of Hitchin, Herts.
(recites as in L4/175, also L4/166, L4/168.)
2 closes called Heath close cont. 5 a. & 4 a. now
one close reputedly cont 10 a., and 1/2 a. mead. on
Hard mead.
seal of (i); signet on tag.
witnesses: as in L4/182.
endorsed: (ii) married to Hy. Kingsley of Hitchin,
and that Sam. Carter of Sutton, yeo.has bought within property terms therefore assigned to him 6-7-1698: witnessed by Jn. Foskett, My.Lawrence, My. Hurst.
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Item Refs Item Description Date/s L4/184 - 185 Conveyance (L. & R.) 228.
(i) Hy. Kingsley of Hitchin, Herts and wife Jane, nee Nodes.
(ii) Sam. Carter of Sutton, yeo. and wife Ann. Heath closes in occ. Th. Costing; 1/2 a. in Hardmead; 1 a. in Impey field
seals of (i): signets on tags.
witnesses: Jn. Foskett, My. Lawrence, My.Hurst
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Item Refs Item Description Date/s
Z876/2/2 Indenture (paper) of Demise for 1000 years at a peppercorn rent from Hamlett Awdley of Hitchin (Herts.), maltster, to John Foskett of Hitchin, draper, and Edward Plumer of Hitchin, tanner, for a 'valuable' consideration (not specified), of:
(a) two messuages or tenements with appurtenances in Shefford late in the occupation of William Rawlins and Edward Harris [as in /1(a)-(b)]
(b) all other freehold realty of HA in Shefford and Campton als. Camelton; all which were heretofore the land of Mathew Hobbs deceased.
Sealing, delivery and stamping in the presence of William Hanscombe, Ralph Bigg and John Pakes.
Described in an inscription on the dorse as 'release' [the operative words employed in the deed are 'demise, grant, bargain sell and to farm let'] 6 Mar 1694
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Z876/2/3 Deed poll by Lettice Hobbs of Bedford, widow and relict of Matthew Hobbs, late of the same town, draper, deceased, quitclaiming to Edward Plumber of Hitchin, tanner, and John Foskett of the same, draper, executors of the will of Hamlett Audley, late of Hitchin, maltster, deceased, all rents, issues and profits due and owing to her since her husband's decease to 25 March 1696 arising out of and from land as in /1 (a)-(e) above, described here as now in the tenure or occupation of Thomas Kent or his assigns and heretofore mortgaged by Matthew Hobbs to Hamlett Audley.
Witnesses to sealing and delivery: John Spencer and Ebenezer Chandler. 18 Jun 1697
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Item Refs Item Description Date/s Z876/2/4 Indenture of Demise from Nathaniel Hobbs, son and heir of Matthew Hobbs late of Bedford, maltster, deceased, to Edward Plumber and John Foskett as in Z876/2/3 of land as in Z876/2/3 (i.e. as inZ876/2/1(a)-(e) above; variations in parcel descriptions being as follows - (c) described as abutting land of William Rawlins on the one side, and (d) as eleven roods), all which were in the occupation of Edmond Harris and are now of Thomas Kent or his assigns or undertenants, being a Lease for one month at a peppercorn rent forming part of a conveyance by Lease and Release, the Release of which is missing. Dorse: sealing and delivery in the presence of John Timms, Thomas Law and Samuel Hensman. 5 Apr 1698
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