Freemen of Newcastle Part 2 Skinners and Glovers

The Skinners were one of the oldest guilds of the town of Newcastle, dating from at least medieval times. Following the dissolution of the monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII, Blackfriars in Newcastle was bought by Newcastle Corporation in 1544 and leased to some of the town’s guilds.  The Skinners and Glovers were based in the buildings of Blackfriars for centuries.  The buildings of Blackfriars survive today forming a picturesque survival from medieval times with small shops and a restaurant.

There were Wouldhaves admitted to and working in the Guild of Skinners and Glovers from the beginning of the seventeenth century until the middle of the eighteenth century, all from one family line. They are all recorded in the registers of St Andrew’s Church, which dates from the late 1100s.

 

The baptismal font at St Andrew's
Church, Newcastle

Thomas is the first Wouldhave mentioned in the registers as a Skinner and Glover. He was possibly born in 1610, the son of Thomas Wouldhave, a yeoman, who died before his son’s birth.  From the books of the Skinners and Glovers, available to view at Tyne and Wear Archives, Thomas was apprenticed to Robert R Bates in 1619. Thomas married Elizabeth Hixson in 1628 and their son Robert was born in 1629. Thomas died in 1653 and in his will he asked to be buried in the Parish Church of St Andrews, on the North side. He left his house to his wife, Elizabeth and another “little house” adjoining it. After her death, the house was to pass onto his son, Robert.  The “little house” was to pass to his daughter Elizabeth after his wife’s death.

Inside St Andrew's Church,
the North Aisle is on the left
of this picture

Robert Wouldhave appears on the list of Newcastle Freemen in 1649 as a Skinner and Glover.  He also was the Parish Clerk of St Andrew’s from 1667.  He seems not to have been successful in the parish clerk role because in 1673 the Vicar complained about his conduct and asked for him to be excommunicated. Robert married Susan Stanger in 1652 and they had a number of children who did not survive infancy.  Their son John (JO039) born in 1671 was entered into the book of Skinners and Glovers in 1677 as a free brother’s son.

John married Ann Smyth in 1695 and their son William (WI039) was born in 1697. John lived in the Groat Market of Newcastle, where he is likely to have sold his wares; he died in 1704 and was buried in the North Aisle of St Andrew’s.  In his will he left all his “ready money, household goods, plate, stock in trade, shop goods and all other effects” to his wife Anne. 

William was apprenticed as a Tanner to Thomas Pattison and appears to have been very successful in this area.  His death notice in the Newcastle Courant in 1759 said

“He had acquired a handsome fortune in the business of a Tanner and Skinner with good character”

William's signature on the will of Susan Hylton

William did not marry.  His will included some small gifts:

·         John Barnes of Sunderland, Boatbuilder £100;

·         William and Francis Stainback , sons of Francis Stainback, late innkeeper of the city of Durham £50 each;

·         Servant Mary Smailes £20;

·         Ralph Smith, saddler’s apprentice in Sunderland, son of Ralph Smith of Sedgefield, Balcksmith, £20.

The residue went to his sole executrix Alice Thompson, wife of Thomas Thompson, Newcastle upon Tyne, Joiner.  It’s not yet clear what relationship there was between William and Alice.

William was also involved in the wool trade.  In some communication with Isaac Wilson in Kendal about an alleged debt for wool received, it is clear that William is dealing in wool of various qualities (Letter available for viewing at Kendal Archives).  Thomas Thompson pursued the debt after William’s death.