Henry & Judith Becher of Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire
Henry Becher was the eldest son of Henry Becher and Alice Heron. He is
thought to have been born in about 1542, probably in London. In 1541 his father
is recorded in the Subsidiary Roll for Walbroke Warde in the Parish of St
Swithins. A 1543 will written by William Becher records the same address. By
1559 the family is living in the Mansion House known as The Worm on the Hoop,
next door to St Christopher Le Stocks, Broad Street [know Threadneedle St]. In
1580 Henry sold The Worm om the Hoop to Peter Tryden of the Dutch Church. He
apparently moved to the Parish of St Mildred and St Mary Wolchurch, London.
Henry was a Haberdasher and a London Alderman like his father. On the 16th of
May 1566 at St Christopher Le Stocks he married Judith Riche, the daughter of
John Riche of Deptford and Anne Kelke. The first seven of their children were
baptised at St Christopher Le Stocks between 1572-1589 and the final child
baptised 1n 1590 at Southill, Bedfordshire. In 1597 Henry Becher bought land and
the College, Rectory & Mansion house at Fotheringhay from Gamaliel Cruys. This
property stayed in the family until it was sold in 1629 to John Browne.
An inventory and list of rooms at Fotheringhay was written after Henry's death
on the 1st March 1608 & survives in the Bedfordshire Archives. It can be seen
that it must have been a large and impressive house! The Hall. The Best Parlour.
The Chamber over the Parlour. The Gallery. The Chamber at the end of the
Gallery. The Green Chamber. The Chamber over the Green Chamber. The Parlour. The
Chamber over the Little Parlour. The Chamber within that. Another Chamber within
that. Little Chamber beyond that. The Chamber next to that. The Chamber over the
Churchyard Gate. The Corner Chamber in the Cloister. The Chamber within that.
The Higher Corner Cloister Chamber. The Inner Chamber within that. Another High
Chamber in the Cloister. THe Chamber Next that. The Chamber at end of the
Cloister. Kitchen. Brewhouse. Buttery and Pantry. Cellars and Dairy. Listed
contents include a Court Cupboard, crimson velvet cushions embroidered with
gold, green velvet cushions, gold taffeta, a 33 yard painted cloth of the
Prodigal Son [quite probably the same one listed in his father's inventory],
coverlets, curtains, carpets and a painting of Queen Elizabeth.
Judith died in 1615 and they are both buried at Fotheringhay.
Henry BECHER married 16 May 1566 at St Christopher Le Stocks to Judith RICHE.
They had 8 known children;
1. Jane BECHER
b. Baptised 23 November 1572 St Christopher Le Stocks
d. Buried at 16 August 1575 St Christopher Le Stocks
2. [Sir] William BECHER
b. Baptised 12 September 1574 St Christopher Le Stocks
d. Buried 22 December 1640 at Renhold, Bedfordshire, England
Sir William Becher married Elizabeth ST JOHN [daughter of Lord Oliver St John &
Lady Dorothy Read of Bletsoe on 25th February 1594 at Southill, Bedfordshire.
She was buried 15 September at Renhold, Bedfordshire, England. William and
Elizabeth Becher had 17 children. From 1603 they were resident at Howbury Hall,
although it was not purchased from Edward Gostwick until 1624. They also owned
Fotheringhay until 1629. William Becher was Knighted at Kirby in 1619 [it is not
known what he did to earn this honour].
3. Edward BECHER
b. Baptised 3 August 1577 St Christopher Le Stocks
d. About 1658. His will was dated 18 March 1655 and probated 15 October 1658.
Was of Peterborough and Longthorpe and did not marry. He was mentioned in his
father's will in 1613 and brother William's will in 1640. He matriculated from
Peterhouse College Cambridge in 1592 & was admitted to Lincoln's Inn 10 Feb
1595/6.
4. Elizabeth BECHER
b. Baptised 6 July 1580 St Christopher Le Stocks
d. Buried 19 September 1652 at Great Barford, Bedfordshire, England
Elizabeth married on 17th August 1602 at Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire to
Thomas ANCSELL/ANSELL of Barford. They had at least 4 children [Thomas, Marie,
Henry, Mary ]
5. Frauncis BECHER
b. Baptised 14 April 1583 at St Christopher Le Stocks.
I haven't been able to find out anything further about Frauncis.
6. George BECHER
b. Baptised 17 April 1587 at St Christopher Le Stocks
d. Alive in 1613 as mentioned in mother's will. Mentioned in brother William's
will in 1640.
Said to be of Clavering, Co Essex.
Married on 2nd September 1618 at St Mary, Battersea, London to Elizabeth WHYTNEY/WHITNEY.
She is said to be the daughter of John WHYTNEY & baptised at Ashdon, Essex on
9th July 1598 [I need to verify this]. They had at least 4 children; Elizabeth
[married a Mr Elliott or Mallcott], Dorothy, Henry [married Barbara Nevy &
Elizabeth Cox] & George.
7. Ursula BECHER
b. Baptised 5 January 1589 at St Christopher Le Stocks
d. After 1640 as mentioned in the will of Sir William Becher.
Married 26th February 1608 at Fotheringhay, Bedfordshire, England to Matthew
ROBINSON of Longthorpe, Peterborough.
8. Dorothy BECHER
b. Baptised 25 October 1590 at Southill, Bedfordshire
d. After 1640 as mentioned in the will of Sir William Becher.
Married 27th November 1610 at Fotheringhay, Northampton to George KIMPTON/KYMPTON
of Weston, Hertfordshire. In 1650 George Kympton settled Howells Farm on Henry
Becher [nephew of his wife] & his wife Barbara
Sources: Parish Registers, "The Bechers Through Twelve Generations" by Eve
Becher, Newspaper Collections, The Culleton Collection notes on the Becher
family [LDS film]