The WHITE Family settled in Fordington well before the start of parish registers where fragments survive from as early as 1577. Many Registers are also missing for the entire period 1577 to 1663 inc⁽¹⁾. What we do know of them comes from a series of Wills and Letters of Administration held at the Wiltshire Archives as Fordington, which unlike the rest of Dorchester, came under the peculier jurisdiction of the Dean of Sarum. From these wills it is clear that they were husbandmen, and yeomen living in Fordington and working agricultural strips in Fordington Fields. They are interesting in that several inventories give us a good insight to the way they lived and a few of the people they interacted with and more importantly family relationships. This family are not related to the Rev John WHITE Rector of St Peters and Holy Trinity (see separate biography)

1. Agnes WHITE [WHYTE] (d. May 1576) widow of Fordington appears to be the matriarch of the family and lived the last 43 years of her life under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. We know Agnes wrote her Will on 8th May 1576 and died within a few days, as after her death an inventory of her goods was taken on 21st of the same month, which was the same day probate was granted.[Link to an images of her Will and short Inventory].

In her Will she names five children Ambrose, John, Elizabeth, Eleanor, and Agnes and more information about them is listed below. I think that from all the evidence available it seems highly lightly that Agnes also had an elder son Robert WHITE (d.1576) who had already inherited part of her husbands estate (including fields of wheat and barley close to hers) and had a family of 4 children living in January 1576 when he died. This was 4 months before Agnes and her daughter Eleanor who died in May 1576, and as he had already died and received his inheritance he is not mentioned in her Will.

When Agnes died Robert's Will, dated 6th January 1576, had still not been probated despite an inventory of his goods having been drawn up on 21st Jan 1576. I think this was because they are all one family and more concerned with spring planting and helping Robert's son John, who was young and perhaps only just approaching his age of maturity, to cope with his new responsibility in running the farm with his younger brother William who inherits part of it, and looking after his under age sisters. Furthermore if Robert died of one of the infectious diseases prevalent during the 16th Century, Agnes and Eleanor may well have caught it from him and been unwell. Additional evidence of continued close contact between these families comes later in 1595 when Thomasine White the 6th child of John White Senior (Robert's brother) is physically present when Roberts son William dies leaving a nuncupative will, and despite being young she is listed as one of the witnesses.

Agnes and Eleanor's Wills were both probated on the 21st May and Roberts Will on the 22nd May after the Court is happy with the bond and sponsors put forward by his son John. Agnes also owned some land at Chideock in Dorset from which she derived an income which she distributes to her children. As she held this property in her own right it may have come to her from her parents and indicate her place of origin. I have surmised therefore that her known children were:-

1.1 Robert WHITE (c.1530-1576) We know from the inventory of his goods taken on the 21st of January 1576 that he died shortly before that date and has therefore already died when Agnes wrote her will. His younger brother John is one of the four appraisers appointed to assess his estate. Compairing the inventories of Robert and Agnes I think Robert was the main beneficiary of her husbands estate (and may have taken his name ⁽⁸⁾ and that Agnes was left 9 acres of fields as an income to support her in her widowhood. There is no mention of other goods in her Inventory and this is usually because her husband would have left the bulk of his estate to his eldest son but made provision for her to retain use of the house and goods for the rest of her life. If this is correct Agnes may still have been living with him and his family. Her will therefore just distributes her 9 acres; and Robert's estate, including his 13 acres in Fordington Fields, descends to his children. We do not know exactly where in Fordington Fields the bulk of these acres lie, but some are at 6 barrows and at least one at Collys [Collins] stone. See Section 2 below for more information about his family.

1.2 Ambrose WHITE (c1532- aft 1587) . He probably also inherited some land from his father, but in 1576 his mother Agnes specifically leaves him one acre of wheat lying at the west end of Long Barrow Way and one half of an the acre of barley that lies at Collyns [Collins] Stone (both in Fordington Fields) and all the iron that belongs to their plough. Agnes also makes bequests to his two children Elizabeth and Lawrence and makes Ambrose the main beneficiary and executor of her will. John SERVANT, another husbandman living in Fordington, wrote his will on 23rd May 1587 and he died the following day when an inventory of his goods, chattles and debts was drawn up and appraised by 3 friends, one being John WHITE Junior his nephew. The inventory includes a list of debts owed to John SEVANT at the time of his death and Ambrose WHITE owed him 8s. 4d. William WINSOR senior the husband of his neice Thomasin is also listed.

We lose track of Ambrose and his family after that, but it's clear that he married, probably by 1560, and that at least 2 of his children were still living in 1576. It was traditional to name the eldest son after the father and it seems likely that among his other children would have been an Ambrose WHITE junior so I have also given below an indication of some other surviving records which are likely to be his descendants:-


(1.2.1) Lawrence WHITE (c1563- ?) Beneficiary under his Grandmother Agnes White's will in 1576 when she leaves him 1 acre of wheat lying at Mambury (also in Fordington Fields).
(1.2.2) Elizabeth WHITE (c1565- ?) Beneficiary under his Grandmother Agnes White's will in 1576 when she is left 20 shillings

--------------------------Other likely descendants-------------------------- (a) Ambrose WHITE who married Mary BIRD at St Georges Church Fordington on 16th Feb 1606. No trace of any children etc but records for 1609-1613 inc are missing so it is even possible that Mary died and Ambrose re-married as per next record

(b) Ambrose WHITE who married Elizabeth RASKER at St Georges Church on 4th July 1614. Follow link provided for more information about him and his family of 4 known children. Ambrose WHITE is listed as a tenant in the 1600 Survey of Fordington Manor holding a half place by copyhold grant dated 1591.

1.3 Elizabeth WHITE (c1534-aft.1576) She inherits from her mother one acre of wheat which doth sit out against Long Barrow & half of the acre of barley that lies west of Two Barrows in Fordington Fields. No other information available.

1.4 Elyner WHITE (c.1536-May 1576) (variously also referred to as Elyne, Eleanor, Hellinor). A spinster she inherits in 1576 from her mother (but after Eleanor's death) one acre and a half of wheat lying by East Gowl stone and the other half of the acre of barley with Elizabeth [i.e. at Long Barrow]. Eleanor also left a Will dated 7th April 1576 but I think she was desparately ill already when her mother wrote her will on 8th May but included as she would not have known at that point whether she would survive. Eleanor in her will leaves 30s to her brother John and another 30s to her brother Ambrose eldest daughter. To her sister Agnes she leaves a bullock, a skillet, a dish and half her linen clothes. The rest of her estate she leaves to Marian COLLUM whom she makes executrix of her Will. Both her and her mothers inventory of goods were taken on 21st May so they died very close together but Mary Collum is granted administration and would have inherited the land.

1.5 John WHITE (c.1538-1600) Senior (or the Elder). He also inherits from Agnes in 1576 one and a half acres of land with the other half acre at Collyns [Collins] Stone left to Ambrose. He married an Elizabeth and had 6 children. See Section 3 below for more information about his family.

1.6 Agnes WHITE (c.1540-1597) She inherits from her mother in 1576 one acre of wheat lying at Ropers? Style? and half an acre of barley upon Shylnes? Also with the death of her sister Eleanor (also in May 1576) she inherits a bullock, a skillet, a dish and half Eleanor's linen clothes. She remained a spinster and seems to have gone to Dorchester to live with her eldest nephew John WHITE (c1556-1597) where she pre-deceased him being buried at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester on 26th March 1597.

2.1 John WHITE (c.1556-1597) yeoman: His father makes him exectutor of his will and leaves him, after bequests to his other children, the rest of his estate. He is therefore being treated as an adult by his father and working back from his sister Betteris's marriage was probably born in the late 1550's. Allowing for the death of some children I have used 1556 as an approximate date and this would make him aged 20 when his father died. I think his being a bit short of his age of maturity may well be correct and added to the complications over proving his father's will. In these circumstances it would be usual for Agnes to step into the breach as next of kin and arrange for a bond and Letter of Administration and this process may well have started and her illness and evenutal death be behind the reason for delay. Her daughter (and Roberts sister) Eleanor WHITE however became ill and wrote her will on 7th April 1576 and Agnes herself also sickened writing her will on the 8th May 1576. They were both dead before the 21st May.

John was a good friend of Peter GOODFELLOW of Dorchester, a baker by trade who lived in Durn [later called Durngate] Lane in All Saints Parish. When Peter wrote his will on 25 Nov 1587 he made John White one of the overseers to ensure it was carried out properly by his wife Agnes Goodfellow and his eldest son Robert. The two families were obviously close as the following year his sister Betteris White married Paul Goodfellow another of Peter's sons. When the widow Margaret BURDE of Fordington died intestate about May 1592, the court appointed (on 2nd June) her 'natural and lawful son Thomas BISHOP' a husbandman of Fordington to administer her estate. In the Letter of Administration both Thomas Bishop husbandman and John WHITE yeoman of Fordington were jointly bound to the Dean of Sarum in the sum of £40 to ensure correct administration.

John WHITE Married on 18th April 1594 to Marrian POWNCEY [POUNCY] at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester . Although we do not have her baptism it seems highly likely that she was another child from the marriage of John POUNCEY to Margaret HAGGARD who had married at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester on 16th June 1570. I have not been able to trace any children from John and Marian's marriage.

When his brother William died in 1595 leaving only a brief nuncupative will, John was appointed by the court to administrator his estate and even made guardian of his two children George and Eme White. The accounts of his administration were dated 10th Jan 1595/6. I can trace nothing else about John WHITE before he died and was buried at Holy Trinity Church Dorchester on 12th May 1597. Mariam his widow re-married to John TURNER at Holy Trinity Dorchester on 21st June 1599. They had only 3 children that I can trace and interestingly the first is baptised at HT on 25th Nov 1599 as Emme Turner. Given that this is only 5 months after marriage it is just possible that Marian was left with the Guardianship of Emme WHITE who had been baptised at St George Church on 24 Sep 1587 and that John was prepared to take this 12 year old under his wing but wanted her to adopt his surname and had her renamed. This may also account for why I have not traced Emme WHITE after this date.

2.2 Katherine WHITE (c.1560- aft 1576) Her father in 1576 leaves her £5 in money 6 platters 2 pottingers, 2 saucers his second best pan, his kettle, his second best candlestick, a coffer, a bolster, his best pillow, a coverlett, a pair of sheets, and a tester but to be delivered unto her at the age of twenty one years. We know for sure therefore that she is under 21 and older than her sister Betteris. The fact that she is left a list of specific household items also suggests she is a teenager at least. I think she was possibly born around 1561 but of course we have no way of knowning whether there were children in between that died, which is quite likely given the high death rates during the first year and under those aged under 5. I have used 1560 as a very rough yardstick for her birth.

2.3 Betteris (Beatrix) WHITE (c1563-aft 1617) Her father in 1576 leaves her £5 in money, his best pan, his least kettle, 6 platters, 2 pottingers, 2 saucers, a candlestick, a pair of sheets, a tester, a pillow, a bolster, a coverlett, & a coffer but to be delivered unto her at the age of twenty one years. Betteris married Paul GOODFELLOW on 29th July 1588 at St Georges Church in Fordington. Follow link for more information about his family. The average age at which women married at this date was 25 ⁽²⁾ which would make her born very approximately about the year 1563. This would leave her aged 13 when her father died. All we know for sure however is that she was under the age of 21. Her husband was a weaver by trade and they were living in Fordington in 1617.

2.4 William WHITE (c.1565 - 1595) His father leaves him his cupboard, his table-board, his second best brass pot, the best kettle, 2 platters & one pottinger. He also left him a steer bullock & the worst heifer bullock, and 2 acres and half of wheat lying at six barrows and 3 acres of barley 2 lying in cacharme? & one lying on the east side of Collyns [Collins] stone. He died on 21st March 1594/5 in the presence of his elder brother John WHITE and left a nuncupative Will recorded on 30th March 1594/5 which was subsequently proved on 1st Nov 1595. Another witness at his deathbed was Thomasine WHITE the daughter of John WHITE Senior who was Robert WHITE's (d.1576) brother.

He left his estate to his two under age children George WHITE and Eme WHITE. The Court appoints his elder brother John WHITE as Guardian and trustee of his two children placing a legal obligation upon him to provide them with sufficient food lodgings and education until they are old enough to inherit their fathers estate. Link to the Nuncupative Will of William WHITE (d.1595), Letter of Administration, an Account exhibited into the registry of the Dean of Sarum by John White, and an Inventory of William's good chattels and debts. The surviving Bishops Transcripts for Fordington show that his daughter Emme WHITE was baptised at St George's Church in Fordington on 24th Sep 1587 so she was 8 years old when her father died. Records at this date were badly damaged and some did not survive at all. Her brother George was probably older and may have been baptised during 1579-1584 when records are missing. Unfortunately their Guardian John WHITE (c1556-1597) died only 2 years after their father and was buried at St Georges church on 12th May 1597. Guardianship may therefore have fallen to Marion his widow who remarried in 1599 to John Turner at Holy Trinity.

3. John WHITE Senior (c1538-1600) Yeoman as referred to in his Will, or John WHITE the Elder as referred to in the Letter of Administration granted to Elizabeth his widow. He was the 3rd son of Agnes WHITE above and brother of Robert WHITE (d.1576) in section 2.

The White family clearly made their living by farming strips of land within the 2000 acres of Fordington Fields which surrounded Dorchester on 3 sides. [Note:- Link to 1844 Tithe Map showing how extensive Fordington Fields were]. As the more wealthy landowners and traders in Dorchester mainly moved within their own social circles so do the farmers operating within Fordington Fields so there are many marriages within this social group and many became close friends. Some examples survive. John WHITE was present when the yeoman John OLIVER wrote his will on 17th May 1573 as he is one of the witnesses. John OLIVER's will was proved on 31st July 1573 and John White along with Roger Keate and William Colson the elder took on the responsibility of appraising his goods and drawing up an inventory which has survived. This of itself is interesting as it gives us a glimpse of their world. The inventory starts with listing 52 sheep. It then lists a further 23 'rotten sheep' meaning they were infected with rot caused by liver fluke and were of less value. He also had 15 acres wheat, 16 acres barley, 5 acres of oats, 5 horses 2 cows 2 weanling calfs 2 pigs, cart & plough 5 bushels of wheat, 3 quarters of malt + household goods. I think this would be similar to the holdings of John White.

When his mother died in May 1576 he inherited one acre of wheat lying in Fonnse? and half an acre of barley with his elder brother Ambrose [i.e. the other half of an acre at Collyns Stone]. He also received a pair of trayses [tresses]

It is clear from his Will that he held Copyhold Land and dwellings in Fordington from the Lord of the Manor and that this could only be transferred to his sons Robert and Roger by its surrender to the Lord and admission by him of the new tenant(s), This should have been recorded in Manor Rolls if they survive, a copy of which would be given to the new tenant for whom it fulfilled the function of a title deed. Hence the name Copy-hold. John CHRISTMAS, recorded as a servant to John WHITE the elder, was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington on the 16th August 1587. John WHITE wrote his Will on 3rd Jan 1597, but from the inventory of his goods attached to his Will we know that he died on 27th May 1600. Unfortunately burials registers from 1593-1602 have not survived. His ability to leave his dwelling house, through custom of the Manor, to his children, employ servants, work over 26 acres of land and have the stock shown in the inventory would place him as a 'yeoman' rather than a 'husbandman'. The 1600 Survey of Fordngton Manor was carried out shortly after his death in 1600 and records John WHITE (deceased) holding a copyhold grant issued about Michelmas (29th Sep) 1599 for a whole place paying a annual rent of 22s. 1d and currently held by custom of the manor by his widow having paid a custom fine of £8. As explained below this copyhold has descended to Hamnet WHITE by the 1615 Survey.

MARRIAGE: c1550: From John's Will we know he married an Elizabeth whom he makes his executrix, and from her mothers Will dated 26th Jan 1591/2 we know she was the daughter of Maryan BASCOMBE a widow by then of Fordington. When her mothers Will was proved on 21 Jun 1592 she made a bequest to Elizabeth WHITE my daughter and left her 'two acres of wheat in the field & xij [12] bushels of my barley that is in the barn'. Clearly they were another of the families living in Fordington with a working farm somewhere within the 2000 acres of Fordington Fields. Returning to John White Senior's Will he names 5 of his children who are listed below. He also however leaves bequests to the three children of Christopher WAY who is actually his son-in-law.

Queen Elizabeth I died on 24 March 1602/3 at the age of 69 after a reign of 45 years. Her successor was King James VI of Scotland who then became King James I of Great Britain. His reign of course embraced the Gunpowder plot of 5th November 1605.

Only two years later in 1607 the White Family suffered five deaths in very quick succession. The first to die was John and Elizabeth's son William, who was studying to become a priest and as such would have been away from home a lot. I think he became ill and returned home and possibly brought a disease into the household. He was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington on 13th October 1607. The following day 14th October his brother Robert was buried along with Cicely White the daughter of their brother Roger White. Their mother Elizabeth quickly wrote her own will on 18th October 1607 but also died and was buried at St Georges church on 5th November 1607 (i.e.the night of the gunpowder plot 2 years earlier). Administration of William, Robert and Elizabeth estates fell to their surviving brother Hamnet and were all approved on 15th December 1607. The fifth member was William WINSOR Senior, the husband of Thomasin nee White, who was buried at St Georges Church on 25th Feb 1607/8.

WHITE & BARNES FAMILIES : SOCIAL ACTIVILTY IN FORDINGTON

Many of the farmers in Fordington, including members of the White Family, would meet after work in the local ale houses. As is so often the case we know of one alehouse in Fordington in particular because it came to the attention of the local JP Sir Francis ASHLEY, and his casebook for the years 1614-1635 has survived and records many of the examinations and depositions taken on cases brought before him. Among his many tasks was keeping the peace and the issue of ale house licences and the disreputable alehouse run by Nicholas HELLIER of Fordington was a constant thorn in his flesh. David Underdown in his book 'Fire from Heaven' refers to it as an extremely unsavory alehouse, that was a base for poaching (even of swans and herons) and for many other kinds of iniquity⁽⁶⁾.

It needs to be remembered however that absolutely everybody including children drank ale as none of the water was safe to drink. As a consequence many farmers brewed their own ale and those most successful at it soon found a ready market amongst their neighbours. As a consequence drunken behaviour was not uncommon particularly in men who drank the strongest mash of ale. Sir Francis Ashley was a follower of the teachings of the Rev John WHITE (no relation) and saw it as his duty to take to task those that flaunted the concept of creating a Godly Community by descending into excessive abuse, violence or crime. He and the Corporation knew that drunkeness fueled much of this activity and it had long been necessary to have a licence to sell ale. We know for example that Paul GOODFELLOW the husband of Betteris WHITE was bound over in the sum of £10 on 31st March 1617 on condition that he does not hereafter keep a common alehouse without a licence. The casebook contains many references to members of the WHITE and BARNES Families into which they married and transcriptions relating to 'Fordington People are available on this site. I have extracted the following which paint a picture of a rough community, but interestingly this spans more than 15 years and by the end they seem to have elicited a change. Micheas BARNES is appointed Constable of Fordington for the first time before the quarter Sessions held at Sherborne on the 6th April 1630. The same record reveals that Nicholas HELLIER has been held in Dorchester Gaol and they order that he be placed in the town stocks for 3 hours and then released after which he appears to have left and gone to Briantspuddle a tithing in the parish of Affpuddle.:-

15th Jan 1615/6: That John WHITE Junior yeoman of Fordington, and the miller Thomas WHITE of Puddletown (presumably a relation), were both bound over in the sum of £20 to be of good behaviour especially towards Thomas Russell of Stinsford for reviling and calling him a puritan rouge and threatening to beat him. This charge was later dismissed at the assizes on 12th March.

18th March1615/16: John WHITE Junior and Mary his wife appeared at the Assizes to answer an accusation that she stole a pair of stockings from Henry HUNT and his wife who were staying overnight in their house. Mary maintained that she paid him 6d for them. A single woman Avis Rose of Fordington however was also bound over in £20 to give evidence against her. Unfortunately we do not know the outcome as the assize records have not survived prior to 1625. I think this means they were supplementing their income by taking in lodgers and presumably suppling ale and food.

17th Dec 1617: Hamnet WHITE was accused of being drunk in Anthony Clarkes house and abusive to his wife. Ambrose WHITE is present in Nicholas HELLIER'S ale house before leaving on a trip to Salisbury as he was with another husbandman of Fordington Thomas Tappe. He was drunk and abusive and three days later he was bound over in the sum of £10, together with his elder brother John WHITE (for a lesser amount of £5), for drunkeness. On the same day his father-in-law the yeoman William BARNES was bound over in £20 for keeping a tipling house without a licence and for threatening the Constable. On 27th Dec 1617 Nicholas HELLIER, referred to as a taylor by trade of Fordington, was also bound over in the sum of £20 to the next Sessions for tipling without a licence.

8th Jan 1618/19: Through his 2nd wife Christian, Hamnet WHITE was close to the BARNES Family, particularly her brother Micheas BARNES and they we were both up before Sir Ashley again on 8th Jan 1618/19 when they became embroiled in a drunken family affray which started when her brother William, a young agricultural labourer, was abusive to his father. Clearly things got out of hand and became more serious when someone struck the Constable who had been called to break up the affray. All Three were bound over to the next Quarter Sessions William Barnes Junior in the sum of £20 and Hamnet White and Micheas Barnes £10 each. There is a second entry for 8 days later on 16th January which seems to relate to the same incident and this time William Barnes Senior is also interviewed and bound over for £10 and Hamnet's fine reduced to £5. Two days after that William Barnes Senior and John White, Hamnet's elder brother (the most senior members of each family) were fined £20 and £10 respectively at the Blandford Quarter Sessions recorded as 'tipler supprest' which seems to have finally brought the matter to a close.

30th Mar 1618/19: Hamnet WHITE (£20), Robert WINSOR of Fordington (£20) and Hamnet's brother-in-law Micheas BARNES (£10) were all bound over to the next Quarter Sessions 'For shooting a musket between 9 and 10 oclock at night at the keeper's house and for being drunk. This suggests an antipathy towards the local gamekeeper and that they were possibly part of those who had a relaxed attitude towards poaching.

22nd Apr 1620: Ambrose WHITE (£10) and William BARNES Junior (3) are both recorded as 'Tipler supprest'

10th Jun 1620: Hamnet WHITE (£10), his brothers-in-law Michaes (£20) and John BARNES (£10) were all bound over to the next Quarter Sessions 'for taking a possession by force and refusing to let a Justice of the Peace come into the house.

14th Jan 1620/21: Hamnet WHITE husbandman of Fordington was tried at the Assizes and found guilty of stealing hay at night out of his neighbour Robert SEAGER's meadow (evidence given in Court by Stephen and Juliana FARY) also taking hay out of the barn of Nicholas INGRAM and carrying it to his own stable.

3rd/4th Oct 1626: Ambrose WHITE John and Michael [Micheas] BARNES all bound over & appear at the Dorchester Assizes where Ambrose and John plead guilty (charge not specified) and are fined 3s 4d each.

6th Apr 1630: Micheas BARNES is sworn in before the Sherborne Quarter sessions as Constable of Fordington.

24th Mar 1631: John REASON of Bryantspuddle yeoman (in £20) William MILLER of Dorchester brewer and John BARNES of Fordington were all bound over to to the next Quarterly Sessions for beating Michaiah [Micheas] BARNES on the highway. This was probably as a result of his duties as Constable. John BARNES might be his younger brother and there is a note added to the entry which states "Released upon petition of Micheas BARNES 7th April 1632".

7th Apr 1635: Micheas BARNES was sworn in before the Sherborne Quarter sessions as Constable of Fordington (2nd time).

CHILDREN:-

3.1. John WHITE Junior (1551-1622) Yeoman : His father is generally known as John WHITE Senior implying that he has a son John White Junior, and initially I was under the assumption that as he was not mentioned in his fathers will that he had pre-deceased his father. This is not the case however as when another husbandman John SERVANT died on 24th May 1587, and they had to draw up an inventory of his goods, John WHITE Junior was one of three appraisers of his goods. They also listed debts owed to John SERVANT when he died and Ambrose WHITE his uncle is listed as owing him 8s. 4d. John WHITE Junior was also a witness to the will of John TUCKER another husbandman when he wrote his will on 29 Apr 1588.

Also when his cousin William WHITE Clerk died in 1595 he still owed to John White Junior a debt of £6. 8s. When his father wrote his will on 3rd Jan 1597 John WHITE junior was therefore one of 3 witnesses, although simply recorded as John WHITE. When his father later died on 27th May 1600 he along with Richard Prower and his brother-in-law William Winsor carried out an inventory of his fathers goods (on the 2nd June 1600). The only other known John White's were his cousin John White the son of his uncle Robert who had died in 1595 and nephew John White the son of his brother Roger who was only about 9 years old.

When we look at the 1600 Survey of Fordington Manor it becomes clear why John WHITE Junior did not feature in his father's Will. He is already shown as a tenant in his own right holding a whole place by copyhold grant dated 1580 and thus has held his own tenement and farm for over 20 years. He married twice as shown below. By the time of the 1615 Survey of Fordington Manor and was buried at St Georges Church on 12th Nov 1622. I have not however been able to locate a Will or Letter of Administration for his estate.

1st Marriage:- All we know about his wife Mary was that she was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington on 13th May 1608 only a month after giving birth to their daughter Catherine. Known children:-


(3.1.1) Robert WHITE bap FStG 3rd Feb 1604
(3.1.2) Catherine WHITE bap FStG 28th Apr 1608


2nd Marriage:- Left with two young children and a smallholding to run 6 months later he remarried to Mary KEZIAR (d.1623) at St Georges Church on 16th Nov 1608. Unfortunately baptisms for the period 1609 to March 1614 have not survived but during this period we know of at least 1 child born to them as shown below. Mary, recorded as a widow, was buried at St Georges church on 3rd May 1623.

(3.1.3) Johane (Jane) WHITE (1618-1618) recorded as 'the daughter of John WHITE Junior' was baptised at St Georges church in Fordington on 3rd May 1618. She was buried there on 13th Sep 1618.


[3.2] (Elinor?) WHITE (c1554 - c.1594) John White Senior in his will dated 3rd Jan 1597 makes bequests to the three children of Christopher WAYE (d. aft 1640) as shown below. It is clear from the will of his widow Elizabeth in 1607 that Christopher WAYE was their son-in-law and the 3 three children their granchildren. There is no direct evidence of his daughters name but the eldest grandaughter is named Elinor and John WHITE Senior had a sister of the same name so my best guess is that this was also her name and carried down over 3 generations. There are no surviving records however and we can only speculate at what may have happened from John and Elizabeth's Wills. John makes no reference to her which makes it likely that she has already died prior to 1597 when he wrote his will. Elizabeth in her will, also makes no reference to her but separate bequests of 20 shillings each to Elinor and Margaret 2 daughters of her son-in-law Christopher WAY. She also makes a separate lesser bequest of 13s 4d to Joan the daughter of Christopher Way and the same amount to his 4 sons who are not named. I think Christopher may have re-married circa 1601. He witnessed the appraisal of the goods of William and Robert White when they died in 1607 and was also made overseer and witnessed the will of Ralph Palmer a vintner of Dorchester when he wrote his will on 17th Feb 1607/8.

Christopher WAY (d. aft 1640) was a hosier by trade, of All Saints Parish in Dorchester rather than Fordington. There are four references to Christopher Way in David Underdown's book 'Fire From Heaven' about Dorchester during the 1630's. He refers to him as being 'eminently respectable' and his wife as 'a very honest woman' and that Christopher regularly served as churchwarden in All Saints parish. From an entry in Sir Francis Ashleys Casebook made on 6th January 1620/21 we know that Christopher Way had recently attended the annual Fair in the City of Wells. Wells is situated 43 miles due North of Dorchester and it's principal manufacture is the knitting of stockings⁽⁷⁾ , so I assume this is where he purchased the hosiery stock he sold in Dorchester. Whilst at the fair Clement Barley, a shoemaker also from Dorchester, had come to his chamber at the George Inn where he was staying, but afterwards he had missed a pair of stockings. He also stated that they were the same stockings that Bailey was then wearing. Clement Bailey was bound over in the sum of £40 to appear at the next Quarter Sessions and Christopher Way in the same sum to give evidence against him. We do not know the outcome as Azzise records do not survive pre 1625. From the diary of William WHITEWAY of Dorchester (1618-1635) we know he was first appointed constable of Dorchester on 24th Sep 1620, and reappointed for a further year on 11th Sep 1621. He was later to serve a third term from 6th Oct 1629. He was also appointed as assistant to the Governor of the Company of Freemen (which controlled all the trade through Dorchester) on 3rd Oct 1625 and for a second time 6th Oct 1634.

On 2nd Feb 1640 Christopher took on Joshua the son of John HARDY as an apprentice for 9 years to learn the hosiery business.


Children by 1st wife :- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.2.1 Elinor WAY (c1590-aft 1607) she was left a platter, a pottinger and one salver in 1600 by her grandfather John WHITE Senior (d.1600). Her grandmother leaves her 20s in 1607.
3.2.2 Margery [Margaret] WAY (c1592-aft 1607) she was also left a platter, a pottinger and one salver in 1600 by her grandfather. Her grandmother refers to her as Margaret and also leaves her 20s in 1607.
3.2.3 William WAY (c1594-aft 1607) he was left a chilver hogg and a salver in 1600 by his grandfather. I have also assumed that he is still alive and the 1st of the 4 sons left 13s.4d by Elizabeth his grandmother in her will in 1607.

Children by 2nd wife :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.2.4 Joan WAY (c1602-?) As there is no mention of her in her grandfathers will she was probably born after 1600. I think that by making an entirely seperate lesser bequest to Joan (named as a daughter of Christopher Way by his grandmother) she was indicating that Joan is from his second marriage.
3.2.5 Christopher WAY (c1604-1616) possibly the second of the 4 sons left 13s. 4d in 1607 was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester on 7th June 1616.
3.2.6 Robert WAY left 13s. 4d in 1607 referred to as a son of Christopher WAY in Fire from Heaven (page 80).
3.2.7 4th son left 13s. 4d in 1607

3.3. Robert WHITE (c1556- 1607) When his father died in 1600 he and his brother Roger, in accordance with the custom of the Manor, successively took possession of the family dwelling. He was also left 10 sheep. Robert was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington on 14th Oct 1607. As explained above he died intestate along with Wm and his mother and only a short inventory of his goods and chattels and a brief Letter granting administration of his effects to his younger brother Hamnet survive. We only know of three children, two of which per-deceased him:-
3.3.1 Elizabeth WHITE (c1602- 1605/6) We do not have her baptism possibly because registers are missing from 1595 to 1602 inc. She was buried as the daughter of Robert WHITE at St Georges Church in Fordington on 22nd Feb 1605/6.

3.3.2 Susannah WHITE (1606-1607) She was baptised at FStG church on 1st day of Feb 1606/7 and buried as the daughter of Robert WHITE at St Georges Church on 1st July 1607

3.3.3 William WHITE (1608-aft 1636?) He was baptised at FStG on 22nd April 1608 ⁽³⁾. Described as being from Fordington he married Elizabeth CAMMELL in her parish of Winfrith Newburgh on 2nd Feb 1636.

3.4. Roger WHITE (c1559-d.1600/1602). He married Alice STANDLIE at St Georges Church in Fordington on 15th May 1586. When his father died in 1600 he and his brother Roger, in accordance with the custom of the Manor, successively took possession of the family dwelling. His wife was left one red petticoat, one kercher, one apron, one ptlett, one smock, by his mother Elizabeth in her will in 1607. He is not mentioned but bequests were made to their 5 children. Administration of his mothers estate fell to his younger brother Hamnet so I think Roger had died prior to 1607, some time after his father wrote his will in 1597 and Feb 1602/3 when parish registers are missing. Elizabeth refers to two more children than in her husbands will so probably in between 1600-1602.

3.4.1 Elizabeth WHITE (c1587- aft 1607?) . Her grandfather John White Senior left her one platter and one porringer in his will in 1600. She was left 13s.4d in 1607 by her grandmother Elizabeth White. [Note:- See genealogical note GN4]

3.4.2 Sisley [Cicely] WHITE (c.1589-1607) Her grandfather John White Senior left her one platter and one porringer in his will in 1600. She was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington on 14th October 1607

3.4.3 John WHITE (c1591- aft 1628?) His grandfather John White Senior left him a female hog in his will in 1600. He was left 13s.4d in 1607 by her grandmother Elizabeth White. He is thought to have married circa 1627 and had a son.

(3.4.3.1) John White (bap 1628- ?) Baptised at St Georges church Fordington 14th Sep 1628


3.4.4 William WHITE (c1593- aft 1642/1645?) His grandfather John White Senior left him a female hog in his will in 1600 and his grandmother Elizabeth White left him and his siblings 13s.4d each in 1607. He is thought to have married circa 1618 (only known Wm alive) and had at least the children shown below. I think he was probably the grocer William WHITE referred to by David Underdown in his book 'Fire from Heaven' who did well out of the war by filling large orders for powder, match and bullets during the siege of Sherborne.

(3.4.4.1) Frances White (bur 1619) Buried at St Georges church in Fordington recorded as Frances the daughter of Willaim White buried 23rd Feb 1619/20
(3.4.4.2) Theophilus White (bap 1621- ?) baptised at St Georges church in Fordington on 21st Nov 1621. [Note:- Theophilus is a biblical name meaning “friend of god”. ]

3.4.5 Unknown WHITE (c1595- aft 1607). He/she were left 13s.4d each in 1607 by their grandmother Elizabeth White who on the 18th Oct 1607 made bequests to each of Roger's 5 children.


3.5. Hamnet WHITE (c1561- d.1633/4) Husbandman When his father John WHITE Senior died in 1600 he took over the family bakehouse with the yard at the back. Hamnet then had to take over the obligations to pay the yearly rent of two shillings by even quarterly portions and also his obligation to bake all the bread required for the tenants provision. Hamnet also inherited four acres of arable land within Fordington Fields, two acres of which were next to an acre belonging to William WINSOR (soon to be his brother-in-law) lying on the south side of two barrows, one acre near adjoining unto long barrow, and the other on the west side of Mambury. He was also bequeathed 'as many sheep as shall make him a score [i.e. 20] with those which already he holds' and a cow. Hamnet's mother Elizabeth therefore continued gto live with Hamnet in their family plot after her husbands death. Elizabeth quickly wrote her Will on 18th October 1607  in which Hamnet is appointed her executor and she was buried at St Georges church on 5th November 1607. He proved her will on 15th December and inherited the rest of her estate after payment of her debts and legacies. Link to his entry in the 1615 Survey of Fordington Manor when he is shown holding their tenement and whole place of 60 acres and 3 rood of land.

1st Marriage: Hamnet WHITE married twice, all that has come down to us about his 1st marriage is her burial record at FStG which states "Joane the wife of Hamnet WHITE was buried the 11th September 1608". It seems likely that Joan WHITE (c1570-1608) died as a result of complications following the birth of their daughter Elizabeth who was baptised only 10 days earlier. They may have had an earlier child as Hamnet's mother, Elizabeth, in her will  dated 18th Oct 1607 left another bequest to 'my son Hamnet's child 40 shillings' which is 11 months prior to his daughter Elizabeth's baptism as shown below.

3.4.1. AN Other? - (See comments above)
3.4.2 Elizabeth WHITE (1608-aft.1650) baptised St George Church Fordington on 1st Sep 1608. See comments above. Elizabeth was still unmarried and living with her step mother Christian WHITE nee BARNES in the 1650 Survey of Fordington Manor.

2nd Marriage: With a young child/children Hamnet soon remarried to Christian BARNES at FStG Church on 28th Feb 1608/9. Christian BARNES was the 5th child of William BARNES the Younger another husbandman of Fordington and sister to John and Micheas BARNES who feature with Hamnet WHITE so prominently in Sir Arthur Ashleys Casebook referred to above. I have not however located any children until 1626, so this may well initially have been simply to secure her future and solve the immediate problem of care of the house and children.

(3.4.3) John White (1626-?) baptised at FStG 30th May 1626

(3.4.4) Jane WHITE (1631-?) baptised FStG 17th Apr 1631.



Death: Hamnet WHITE died intestate and was buried at St Georges Church on 10th January 1633/4. It took a while before a Letter of Administration dated 24th Sep 1635 could be granted to his widow Christian WHITE who entered into a bond with her brother Michias BARNES to enable her to administer his estate which amounted to £70. 14s. 8d. After his death Christian WHYTE in her widowhood continued to run their whole place plot consisting of 3 acres and half of meadow and 57 and a half acres arable land with a tenement and is recorded in the 1650 Survey of Fordington Manor.

3.6. William WHITE Clerk (c1563-1607) When his father died in 1600 he was bequeathed £10 to be delivered unto him at such time as he shall be fully admitted to the Ministry of the sacrements, or if this did not happen, he was to be paid by his fathers executor the sum of twenty shillings until the full term of ten years after his decease at which time his will was that he shall then receive the ten pounds. He appears to have married circa 1602 and had a daughter Elizabeth baptised at St Georges Church in Fordington on 22nd May 1603 ⁽⁴⁾. William along with 4 other members of his family died in 1607 and was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington on 13th Oct. His estate was dealt with alongside that of his brother Robert and a Letter of Administration and Inventory of his goods have survived. I have not been able to locate him in the Clergy of the Church of England Database but records are fragmentary this early particularly for a curacy.

3.7. Thomasin WHITE (c.1565-1655). She was a witness at the death on 21 Mar 1594/5 of William WHITE her nephew (the 4th child of Robert WHITE) and her name appears as such on his nuncupative Will recorded after his death on the 1st Nov 1595. William WINSOR Senior (d.1607/8) was obviously a close family friend of long standing acting as a witness to John WHITE Senior's will in 1597 and supporting his widow Elizabeth in 1600 when he is bound with her in the Letter of Administration for the correct administration of his estate. When Thomasin's father John WHITE died in 1600 he left her £20 to be paid to her on her day of marriage. Her mother's Will was written on 18th Oct 1607 and refers to her as 'my daughter Thomason WINSOR' when leaving her a coverled, a pair of blankets, a pair of sheets and a bolster. Further down the Will are 2 more entries which refer to her as 'my daughter Tomsan' when leaving her a pettycoat and her best gown, and as 'my daughter Tomson' when leaving her a new smock. Her husband is also a beneficiary being left one acre of wheat & one of barley. Helpfully she also leaves 13s 4d to each of 'my son-in-law William WINSOR his three children' and even makes specific bequests to them as shown below. We know she was unmarried in 1600 so it is clear that they must have married at St Georges Church c1602/3 when parish marriage registers have not survived.William WINSOR Junior was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington on 25th Feb 1607/8.

After her husbands death in 1607/8 Thomasin inherited their cottage held by copyhold grant dated 1586, as well as a whole place plot in Fordington Fields held by copyhold grant dated 1567/8. Follow links provided to them in the 1600 Survey of Fordington Manor. Records regarding the burial of his widow Thomasin would have been lost during the Civil War/Restoration but she left a Will dated 20th March 1649 and died c1655 when an inventory of her goods and chattles was taken. Follow link provided for a transcription of her Will and Inventory of her goods and chattels.


3.7.1 John Winsor (1604-aft 1655) was baptised at St Georges Church in Fordington on 2nd June 1604 recorded as the son of William Winsor Senior and left 13s 4d and a bullock in his grandmother Elizabeth White's Will in 1607. John is also left a furness pan with its stand and a long truckle bed in his mother Tamasine Winsor's Will dated in 1649 and this also leaves a sheep each to his son John and eldest daughter Tamsine and a lamb to each of his other 2 daughters. This suggests that he had at least 4 living children in 1649.

(3.7.1.1) John Winsor ( -aft 1649) Left a sheep in his grandmother Tamasine's will in 1649

(3.7.1.2) Tamasine Winsor ( - aft 1649) Left a sheep in her grandmother Tamasine's will in 1649

(3.7.1.3) another daughter ( - aft. 1649) Left a lamb in her grandmother Tamasine's will in 1649

(3.7.1.4) another daughter ( - aft 1649) in her grandmother Tamasine's will in 1649

3.7.2 Margarita Winsor (1604/5-1618) (known as Marie and Margerye) was baptised at St Georges Church Fordington on 20th Jan 1604/5 recorded as the daughter of William Winsor Senior and left 13s 4d and a branded heifer, a cupboard 4 platters and a kettle in her grandmother Elizabeth's Will in 1607. She was buried at St Georges Church in Fordington on 2nd March 1618.

3.7.3 Thomasin Winsor (1607-1626) was baptised at St Georges church in Fordington on 17th May 1607 recorded as the daughter of William Winsor the elder. Her grandmother Elizabeth WHITE was buried at Fordington on 5th Nov 1607 and leaves a bequest to 'Thomasyn the daughter of William WINSOR one red sawkes? calf' and like her siblings 13s 4d . Thomasin died when she was 19 being buried at St Georges Church on 24th January 1626 when she is recorded as 'Thomasin the daughter of Thomasin WINSOR widow was buried'