Philip Comber (c1606-1680), Elizabeth (????-1654) and Dorothy Hounsell (????-1714).
My 9th great-grand uncle and aunts.
Philip Comber was probably born in West Hoathly, Sussex, but baptism records for the parish survive only from 1606 so his birth year remains a guesstimate. His parents were Thomas Rivers Comber and Ann Burstow and he received £10 from his father in his will dated 1632.
Philip moved from Sussex to the City of London, where he became a Merchant Taylor, a member of one of the city’s leading and historic livery companies. The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors was set up before 1300 as an association for the city’s tailors but by the 17th century it was more of a philanthropic organisation than a trade guild. He married twice, his first wife being Elizabeth. I’ve yet to find a marriage record or details of her family. The couple had at least three children and would’ve been living in the city during the turmoil of the English Civil War years, when the city authorities were largely loyal to the Parliamentarian cause.
Elizabeth died in 1654, five years after the King’s execution and the establishment of republican rule, and was buried in Philip’s home parish of St Martin’s Ludgate in the City on 6 June. He then married Dorothy Hounsell at her home church of St Clement Danes in the City of Westminster on 29 January 1655 (or 1654 in the old calendar). He was described as from the parish of St Martin’s Ludgate. Again, her ancestry is unknown. They would’ve lived through both the bubonic plague that raged through London in 1665 and the great fire in 1666, having to deal with the aftermath of both. Whether they stayed in the city throughout or left to find refuge in the country is unknown. The couple had at least three children, baptised at St Martin’s.
Philip must be the man buried on 8 December 1680 at St Giles Cripplegate in the City of London, referred to as aged and a taylor. His will dated 15 November 1680 showed that Philip had made a success of his life. It referred to land and property “lying and being in the severall parishes of Feversham [Ludnum] and Ower in the County of Kent knowne by the names of Upper Howlets and Neither Howlets”.
Beneficiaries of his will were niece Elizabeth Comber the daughter of his brother Thomas Comber, 50 shillings; niece Elizabeth Comber the daughter of his brother John Comber £5; John Comber the son of his brother John Comber, 50 shillings; Thomas Comber the son of his brother John Comber, 20 shillings; his cousin Thomas Reading and his wife 20 shillings each; the four children of his nephew Thomas Comber of Philipots 20 shillings each; the six children of his niece Anne Pryor 20 shillings each; his wife’s kinsman Mordecay Norcott £5; the poor of the parish of St Martin’s Ludgate 40 shillings; his Reverend and worthy friend Doctor Jacomb 40 shillings for him to buy a ring; and his friends William Gouge and Richard Blaney 40 shillings each so they could also buy rings. His son Benjamin Comber was given £400 from the sale of his property. I have yet to find a baptism record for this child but he was probably born after 1660 as the will mentions that he had not reached the age of 21. A further £200 was to be given to his daughter Elizabeth Comber, the wife of John Partridge, goldsmith, for her sole use. The remainder of his goods, chattels, money and so on was to go to his wife Dorothy, who was also appointed his executor. The Kent property owned by Philip became the subject of Court of Chancery proceedings in 1685, brought against Dorothy and the will overseers by Elizabeth Partridge.
Dorothy was buried on 14 August 1714 at St Botolph without Aldgate in London.
Philip’s known children were:
- Sarah Comber (1640-1641), a daughter of Philip and Elizabeth, was baptised and buried at St Martin’s Ludgate in the City of London.
- Philip Comber (1644-1647), a son of Philip and Elizabeth, was baptised and buried at St Martin’s Ludgate in the City of London.
- Elizabeth Comber (1638-1654). She was baptised at St Martin’s Ludgate in the City of London and buried there on 15 May 1654 just a few weeks before her mother Elizabeth Snr. Some sources claim this child survived and was married to a John Partridge, but that must’ve been a daughter Philip had with Dorothy instead.
- Thomas Comber (1655-????), a son of Philip and Dorothy, was baptised at St Martin’s Ludgate in the City of London. He wasn’t mentioned in his father’s will, suggesting he had died young.
- Elizabeth Comber (1656-????), a daughter of Philip and Dorothy, was baptised at St Martin’s Ludgate in the City of London. Elizabeth was granted £200 in her father’s will dated 1680, following the sale of his property. She was also described as the wife of John Partridge, goldsmith, and the money was stipulated to be for her sole use. The Kent property owned by Philip became the subject of Court of Chancery proceedings in 1685, brought against Dorothy and the will overseers by Elizabeth Partridge.
- Susanna Comber (1660-1662), a daughter of Philip and Dorothy, was baptised and buried at St Martin’s Ludgate in the City of London.
- Benjamin Comber (1661-????), a son of Philip and Dorothy. I’ve yet to find a baptism record for this child but he was mentioned as a beneficiary in his father’s will. He was to receive the sum of £400 once Philip’s property had been sold. He was not yet 21 when the will was written in November 1680.
- Anna Comber (1661-????), a daughter of Philip and Dorothy, was baptised at St Martin’s Ludgate in the City of London. She was not mentioned in her father’s will so may have died young.
Sources: BMDs and wills on Ancestry.co.uk and Findmypast .co.uk. Inventory of Philpots 5 May 1673 held at the National Archives in London PROB 4/10848. East Sussex Record Office – will PBT 2/2/6/111, will PBT/2/2/5-8, church attendance QR/140/9. Surrey & South London Will Abstracts 1470-1856 SW/26_560. National Archives wills: PROB 11/341/539, PROB 11/364/566, PROB 11/164/412.