Skeletons

Some years ago I became interested in researching my family history. In those days it was a slow process but the advent of the Internet has speeded things up considerably. When I started, I was happy to have found 2 or 3 ancestors a week, whereas now I can find as many in 10 minutes - when I can be bothered, that is.

As well as discovering something about where I came from, I suppose I was secretly hoping to uncover skeletons - long forgotten scandals. Maybe a highwayman, or a child transported to Australia for stealing a loaf of bread. Unfortunately there has been little of that sort of thing, but my 7 x great grandfather must have been quite a character.

Simeon Waldegrave was born sometime in the 17th century - when and where is not known - and he lived in Portsmouth, where he died in 1705. There is a family legend that he made a fortune supplying the English fleet which was blockading Cadiz, but how that arose I don't know. What is known is that he left his son, Heyman, the sum of £500 in his will and that Heyman thereafter decribed himself as a 'gentleman'.

There are a few documents still in existence which throw a little light on Simeon.

On 14 September 1702, at Portsmouth, "Robert Hewett and William Tooth do formally make oath that this day how at Portsmouth Simeon Waldgrave did in his dwelling house sell and retail beer and those depositioners do further make oath that they have heard and believe that the said Waldgrave is not licenced to sell and retail ale or beer according to law."

Then on 13 January 1703, "John Oglander, surgeon, maketh oath that he doth look after Daniell Lowe a minor, that he the depositioner is clearly of opinion that he [Daniell Lowe] is not in danger of dying by the wound he now hath and [which is] supposed to be given him by Simeon Waldgrave."

I like to think Simeon was really a likeable rogue as he was an overseer of the poor (probably an unpaid position) and possibly a magistrate. But maybe that's just wishful thinking and he was an out-and-out rascal.