John “Jenkin”, “the Younger” Carpenter

Biography

From https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carpenter_(town_clerk)_

John Carpenter, the younger (about 1372 – 1442), was a Town Clerk of London. He was elected as Town Clerk to the City of London during the reigns of Henry V and Henry VI. He was the author of the first book of English common law, called Liber Albus (the White Book). He was a member of the English Parliament from London in 1425. He is also recognized as the founder of the City of London School for boys. He resided in the Parish of St. Peter, Cornhill, London, and was buried in the Abbey of St. Peter, Westminster, where his wife Katherine was later interred.

Statue of John Carpenter (1372-1442) which stands in a prominent position on a plinth high up on the wall of the City of London School's glassed ceiling atrium standing over the door to the balcony of the Great Hall. In this position 'He' also 'sees' the full splendour of St. Paul's Cathedral Dome.

He is frequently distinguished in historical documents as "John Carpenter, the younger," "John Carpenter, Junior," and as "John Carpenter, Jenkin." Jenkin or Jenken is a diminutive of the name John.[3]

John Carpenter was one of three historical John Carpenters who were prominent during the 1400s. Both are mentioned in John Carpenter's 1442 will. One was his brother, John Carpenter, the elder, who received much property from his younger brother.[4]

John Carpenter was the uncle to the other John Carpenter who was the Warden of St. Anthony's Hospital, Rector of St. Mary Magdalen's and finally known as the Bishop of Worcester. Bishop John Carpenter was willed, by the subject of this article, "that book on architecture which Master William Cleve gave me." Cleve was King's Chaplain and clerk of the works, and carried out building at the Palace of Westminster and the Tower.[5]

[edit] Early life & ancestry Thomas Brewer in his 1856 book on John Carpenter found no significant record of his life until his election as the Town Clerk or Common Clerk of the City of London on April 20, 1417, at about age 45. The exemption mentioned on page 14 suggests that John Carpenter had been in the City of London's service "from the time of his youth." It is assumed that he was apprenticed to John Marchaunt, his predecessor as Town Clerk.[6] Based on Liber Albus (see below) and other works, he was familiar with the law.

Genealogical efforts have revealed a baptized or christened date of 18 Dec 1378 Hereford Cathedral, Hereford, England, but he was probably born earlier with about 1372 being generally accepted. His father is listed as Richard Carpenter and his mother as Christina.[7]

His father, Richard or Renaud Carpenter, is believed to have been born about 1335/1337 in or of, Grand Pont, Cambrai, Nord, France. He may have been alive as late as 1412 in London. He married Christina, last name unknown, who was of London. Their known children:

John Carpenter, the elder, born circa 1362. The father of John Carpenter (bishop). His baptism or christening date of 20 Sept 1371 in Battlesden has not been confirmed and is probably wrong. His death date not known.
Robert Carpenter, born circa 1368, of London. In his brother's will - it indicates that he had a son (named) Richard and two daughters (named) Joan and Katherine. John Carpenter, the younger - the subject of this article. His grandfather, John or Jean Le Carpenter or Carpentier, born about 1303 of Le Grand Pont, Du Nord, France and died after 1345 in Dilwyne, Herefordshire, England. He married Jeanne Tabarie, who was born circa 1310 near Cambrai, Nord, France. His parents are disputed and are not listed in this article.

[edit] Marriage The date of John Carpenter's marriage has not been found, nor has the maiden name of his wife, Katherine.

Katherine was born in or of "Zeeland" (now the Netherlands) about 1372. Her will was written 31 Mar 1457 and proved in June 1458. She was later buried with her husband in the Abbey of St. Peter, Westminster, Middlesex, England. They had no children.[8]

[edit] Political life John Carpenter was elected the Town Clerk or Common Clerk of the City of London on April 20, 1417. This was two years after the Battle of Agincourt. [9][10]

"Procla macio sup' judicio billor'" - This proclamation appears to be the first instance of John Carpenter, the Town Clerk of London signing a public document with his surname only.[11]

He obtained a letter of patent from Henry VI dated 3 Dec. 18 (1418?), exempting him "for the whole of his life from all military and civil duties whatsoever, which included election as a member of Parliament and receiving the Honour of Knighthood."[12] What service he rendered the Crown is unknown, but it can be assumed he provided a great service.

John Carpenter was a member of the English Parliament from London in 1425.[13]

[edit] Coat of arms John Carpenter's Arms appear to be of French or Norman heritage, "Paly of six, argent and gules, on a chevron azure, 3 cross crosslets or." These Arms are often referred to as the Hereford Arms, named for the later ancestral home of the Carpenter Family in Hereford, England. The Crest, supporters & motto apparently has changed several times over the centuries. A more current motto is: "Per acuta belli". [14] These later became known as the Hereford Arms.

Sample of a medieval knight with an early Carpenter Coat of Arms on shield. The Hereford Arms were granted in 1719 to George, Lord Carpenter (1657-1732). He was a Lt. General and commander-in-chief of all the Crown's forces in Scotland where he was elevated to the peerage of Ireland, by patent dated 29 May 1719, as Baron Carpenter, of Killaghy, county Kilkenny, Ireland.[15][16] Please be aware that there is no direct male to male Carpenter descent connecting Lord Carpenter & Sir William Boyd Carpenter. The family connection is by marriage through the females in the family.

Sir William Boyd Carpenter (1841 - 1918), an English clergyman of the Established church of England, Bishop of Ripon, afterwards a Canon of Westminster and Chaplain to the reigning sovereign of England, wrote in a letter dated 7 August 1907 that his family bore the Hereford Arms. Sir Noel Paton, upon painting the Family Arms, informed him that the supporters were originally a round-handled sword, which in drawing over time became shortened, until nothing but the cross and globe were left beneath it. Those Hereford Arms were used by "John Carpenter, town clerk of London, who died 1442 A. D."[17] His grandson John Boyd-Carpenter, Baron Boyd-Carpenter (1908-1998), continued the Arms into the new century by passing it down to his son, Thomas Boyd-Carpenter, who was himself knighted after a military career as a Lieutenant-General and in public service.

NOTE: The Hereford Coat of Arms described above should not be confused with the Arms of Bishop Richard Carpenter (c1450s?-1503) presented in the "Visitations of the County of Oxford taken in 1566, 1574, and 1634, published in 1871, which describe the arms displayed in the buildings at the University in Oxford - "In the Lyberarye of Baliall College." - as recorded by the officials performing the visitations in those years. The Visitations describe the arms of Richard Carpenter (theologian) as: "Paly of nine Gu. and Az. on a chevron Arg. surmounted by a mitre Or, three cross crosslets of -- nine pales alternating red and blue, with a silver chevron bearing three gold cross-crosslets. [18]

[edit] Liber Albus John Carpenter was the author of first book of English Common Law called "Liber Albus" ("White Book"), completed in 1419. It was one of the first common law books in England that provided a basis of legal, social and history of the law relating to the City of London. The statue of John Carpenter, now residing within the City of London School for Boys, shows him holding this book. [19]

The following lines[20] were hand written (probably in the 1500s) on the fly-leaf of "Liber Albus" translated from Latin:

The book that once was white is white no more; Made black with grease, and thumb'd its page o'er. Then, while it still exists, transcribe each page; Once gone, 'tis lost to every future age. And if so lost---some fault of ours, 'tis true-- Ah me! thou gem of greatest price, Adieu! [edit] Latter life At one point, John Carpenter reportedly owned over 300 tenements. He had a fish pond, doubling as a reservoir, on top of his own house. Most of these properties he later willed to his brother.[21] He resided in the Parish of St. Peter, Cornhill, London, England.

John Carpenter's will was made in his 70th year, dated 8 March 1441 and proved 12 May 1442. This indicates he was born about 1372 and that his death may have been some time in April of 1442. He was buried in the Abby of St. Peter, London, Middlesex, England.[22]

Bequest for the betterment of poor children: John Stow[23] recorded the actual bequest as, "He gave tenements to the Citye for the finding and bringing up of foure poore men's children with meate, drinke, apparell, learning at the schooles in the universities, &c., until they be preferred, and then others in their place for ever."[24]

By leaving property to the City of London, later known as the Corporation of London, this provided "Carpenter's Children" (as they became known) to assist at divine service in the choir of the [Guildhall] chapel on festival days. That continued for almost 400 years until an Act of Parliament (1834) permitted the combining of several accounts to establish the City of London School. Since 1986, the school has resided on the east end of John Carpenter Street and Queen Victoria Street.[25]

John The Senior11 Carpenter, son of Richard, was born Abt. 1361 in London, Middlesex, England.

   Children of John The Senior Carpenter are:

 i. John Carpenter, born Abt. 1399 in London, Middlesex, England.

ii. Margery Carpenter, born Abt. 1402 in London, Middlesex, England.

iii. John The Younger Carpenter, born Abt. 1410 in London, Middlesex, England; died 1476 in Worcester, Worcestershire, England.

http://kkeener.com/carpenter.html

Brother of the town clerk of London.

source: http://www.concentric.net/~pvb/GEN/carpenter.html

"John Carpenter, Sr., son of Richard Carpenter, and brother of John Carpenter, Jr. the famous town clerk of London, whose bequest to the city of certain funds was the foundation of the city of London school. It was perplexing, one would think, to have two sons in the same family of the same name, but it was a common practice, even when both were living. The younger was call Junior, sometimes Jenkin. John, Sr. was wone of the executors of John Jr's will and he was mentioned in the will as well as another brother, Robert who was given "one of those two silver gilt cups with a lid which Thomas Knolle gave me." Robert was also an executor."

Source - Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Worcester County Massachusetts

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=99421439&ref=wvr