By Varla Jane Owens Wright

There has been a significant amount of confusion in published works concerning the father of Thomas Hurt of Bristol and grandfather of immigrant ancestor William Hurt, Sr. In the parish register of All Saints Church, one of the seventeen ancient parishes of Bristol, Gloucestershire, England, we find the baptism of “Thomas Hurte, son of Ralfe Hurt, 16th Januarie 1570”. Thomas was the fifth child born to merchant-grocer Ralfe Hurt and his wife Alice Milwarde or Millard in a family of thirteen children. Only five of these appear to have lived to maturity.

Ralfe was born prior to the beginning of the Ashbourne, Derbyshire, England parish register somewhere between 1539 and 1545, the son of Robert Hurt, Sr. and Ellyn or Helena Hurd of Ashbourne. We find the connection between his home in that town and his move to Bristol, Gloucestershire in the Calendar of the Bristol Apprentice Book, 1532-1565,, part IIi, Bistol Record Society Publication, vol. 43, pg. 35, entry #446 [FHL # 942.41/B2 B46] which reads as follows under the year 1555:
“446. August 14: Ralph s of Robert Hurton Ashbourne Derby fishmonger to Philip Langley grocer [no wf given] for 8 yrs. App to have at end 20/-f 4/6 etc.” It would appear that Robert Hurt(on) had chosen to apprentice his younger son to a business associate in the merchant community. Records show that he made a wise decision.

Philip Langley was a prime mover and shaker in the city of Bristol. A grocer – possibly just having completed his journeyman work and emerging as a Master in the Grocer’s Guild (general merchants in those times), and not yet married, Philip Langley married Mary Pepwall in St. Nicholas parish church, Bristol, 11 Sept. 1557 and subsequently took on several more young apprentices to train as his business grew. These included John Hewghes, Edmond Maddock, John Wallie and John Roberts. In 1566/1567 he served the city of Bristol as sheriff. In 1581/82 he filled the office of Mayor of Bristol. During the following years he was listed as one of the city aldermen until the time when he was elected Member of Parliament during the final years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. [“The Maire of Bristowe is Kalendar: It’s List of Civic Officers Collated with Contemporary Legal Mss.”, John Latimer, Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucester Archealogical Society for the Year 1903, pgs. 108-137] and [Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucester Arch. Soc. for the Year 1894/1895, pgs. 130-139]

Philip certainly stood as a role model for young Ralfe. In late 1563, he completed his training under Master Langley, and appears to have become a business associate, as he and the Langley family remained close friends. He was named in Philip Langley’s will dated 5 June 1587 as “my good friend”, and his name also appears on several other Langley family legal documents as a friend of the Langley children or as a witness. [Great Orphan Book and Book of Wills Abstracts; Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucester Archealogical Soc., suppl. 2, 1886 pg. 465-468, FHL# 874366]

Somewhere between 1560 and early 1563, Ralfe Hurt married Alice Mylwarde or Millard, youngest living daughter of Roger Phillpott alias Mylwarde and his wife, Matilda. Roger Phillpott als. Mylwarde served as Sheriff or Bristol in 1550/1551 and wrote a lengthly will detailing a list of items in Alice’s trouseau, her dowry, wedding clothes, jewelry, household goods and a house. The will was dated 25 Jun 1560 and probated in London 24 Oct 1560. [Prerogative Court of Canterbury Probates – folio 47 Mellershe, FHL# 91938]. Note: all guild member’s wills were probated through their guild headquarters at London in the PCC.

Ralfe and Alice appear to have married shortly after her father’s death, (as she was obviously preparing for marriage at that time,) but possibly before the beginning of the All Saints parish register, which commenced in the latter part of the year 1560. The house that Roger Phillpott bought from Mr. William Younge and left to Alice in his will may be the “house on Highe and Broad street” that is shown as a family residence for Ralfe and later for Thomas and Martha’s family. This house is also mentioned at the beginning of the All Saints parish accounts as being tithed at 1 pound 40 shillings on 20 January 1597.[FHL# 1596357] There is also mention of a similar property in the will of John Whyte, merchant “of the citie of Bristowe” dated 26 nov 1569 and proved at London 1 May 1570 which mentions “also to him, and his heirs, a tenement sitting and beinge in the highe streate in the farm and occupation of one Ralph Hurte.” [Bristol Wills 1379-1792, Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Arch. Soc., pg. 202-203, FHL# 942.41 C4bg.] In the Mayor’s Audit 1627-1628 there is listed “Item: a tenement in Highe streete in the tenure of Thomas Hurt in fee farme – ii pounds – vj shillings – viii pence”. If this is indeed the same house as Ralfe resided in, the taxes certainly went up. One small note of interest; the Langley family still lived two doors away from the Hurt household. [Mayor’s Audit 1627-1628, Mr. John Gonninge, Mayor, found in City Chamberlain’s Accounts in the 16th and 17th Centuries, Bristol Record Society Publication for 1966, vol. 24, pg. 88 FHL# 942.41/B2 B4b].

Ralfe Hurte’s name appears on numerous guild documents during his term as Sheriff of Bristol. He appears on page after page of legal proceedings for the “Fellowshipe of Sopmakers and Chaundlers” in the Bristol Record Society’ Publication, 1940, vol. 10 Proceedings of the Company of Soapmakers, 1562-1642. [FHL# 942.41/B2 B4b]

As Mayor in 1602/1603, he is referred to as “the right worshippee Raph Hurte being then mayor of the same citie” in administering the oath of office of Master in that guild to newly advanced journeymen soapmakers, approving city expenditures to that guild for services rendered, overseeing the legality of apprenticeship contracts, etc.

One annotation on the Calendar of the Mayors of Bristol shows all was not business as usual: “In this yeare in the mounth of Julie 1603, began the greatest plage that ever was in Bristoll, which continewed untill the mounth of Januarie 1604, and died the number of 3,000 and more.” The parish registers of those months specifically list those who died of the plague, and none of the good mayor’s family members are found on those lists within the city. This suggests that Ralfe Hurt, like his mentor, Philip Langley, had a country estate where the family fled for safety.

So far, records of this country residence have not yet been located. Philip Langley’s will lists properties ” a dwelling on highe streate (the one two doors away from the Hurt home), a messuage on that same street, two tenements in St. Nicholas St., two tenements in St. Mary Port St., four tenements in Wynestreate as well as lands and houses elsewhere in Bristol, Somerset, Gloucester and Monmouth and elsewhere in the realm of England.” Further research may yet turn up records of the Hurt family in these neighborhoods. [Notes on Bristol Wills, Transactions of the Bristol Record Society, pg. 265-268, FHL# 942.41/B2 S2w]

Ralfe and his wife, Alice, apprenticed William Townsend on 17 Feb 1581 and Walter Woolfield on 13 Sep 1581. [Bristol Apprentice Books, 1576-1586, vol. 3 FHL# 942.41/B2 62m] This is the last record we have of Alice. She died sometime between that date and 1610, but no burial record has been located. A younger son, Roger, left a marriage record and will indicating that he was born sometime in the mid-1570’s. He was not christened in Bristol. Both Ralfe’s will and the Visitations [Kent-1619 and London-1636] show William Hurt of Dover and Bishopsgate Ward London to be their youngest son. He was born around 1580. While he left a great number of records during his lifetime, we have not yet located his baptismal record. Roger and William were born and baptised elsewhere. Possibly when these entries are located, we will find Alice’s burial and the location of the country estate.

In the neighboring parish of St. Nicholas, we find the burial of son, Roger and nearby, the burial of “Maude Hurt, wife of Ralph Hurt, Alderman, buried 16 Februarie 1611”. Again, no second marriage for the good Alderman has been found. Was Maude a second wife – or was this Ralfe’s affectionate nickname for Alice? [Parish Register of St. Nicholas Church, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England FHL# 1596630]

During the later years of his life, “Radulphus Hurte, Aldermanus” was assigned to oversee shipping from the port of Bristol for the merchant interests of that city. He was listed on 31 May 1605 as one of the city’s 97 merchants who made up the Bristol members of the Spanish Company, created by letters of patent on that date by King James I, being a new grant of incorporation to the English merchants trading with Spain and Portugal. [Records Relating to the Society of Merchant Venturers of the City of Bristol in the 17th Century, Bristol Record Society Publication, vol. 17, pg. 2-5, FHL# 942.41/B2 B4b] He was one of the charter members/officers of the reorganized Company of Bristol Merchant Adventurers on 31 Dec 1605, which company disassociated itself from the London group similarly organized under the King James I patent.

Ralfe Hurt wrote his will 28 Oct 1613. It was probated 19 Oct 1615 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury [folio 88 Rudd]. He was buried 19 June 1615 in All Saints Church in Bristol. His eldest living son, Thomas, was his executor.

We also have the will of Ralfe’s fourth son and eighth child, Roger Hurtt, which was dated 1 Sep 1612 and probated in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury at London, being a guild-member will, by Margarete Hurte, executrix, on 27 Oct 1612. This will has the irascible, cranky tone of a testator who was suffering from a rapidly progressive disease. Roger died in his mid-20’s or early 30’s, having been married only three years. He tells us he was a merchant of Bristol and that he left no children. His wife, the former Margaret Vawer, came from a noteable merchant family in that same city and re-married soon after his death. His will does provide us with a considerable amount of information regarding other family members and relationships.

Note: FHL = Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. The # and following numerals referr to the call number for microfilm, microfiche or book in that library.

Will of Raphe Hurte, grocer and merchant of Bristol, w.d. 28 Oct 1613, w.p. 19 Oct 1615, Prerogative Court of Canterbury – folio 88 Rudd – 1615, FHL# 92062.

In the name of God Amen

The Eight and Twentith day of October in the year of our Lord God 1613 and in the yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraiyne Lord James by the grace of God of England Ffrance and Ireland King, defender of the faithe, the Eleavanth And of Scotland the seaven and ffortith. I Raphe Hurte, one of the Aldermen of theCittie of Bristoll being in health of bodie and of perfect mynde and memorie Doe make and ordeyne this my last will and Testament in writinge in manner and forme followinge. Ffirst I bequeath my soule unto Allmightie God my maker Redeemer and Saviour by whose death and passion I onolie doe Stedfastlie beleve to be saved without any meritte or deserte of myne owne. And my bodie to be buried in the parish Church of All St.s within the said Cittie of Bristoll.

Item: I give and bequeath to my youngest sonne Willm Hurt Three score Pounds of Lawfull English money to be payed unto him in manner and forme followinge. That is to Saye, Thirtie pounds thereof with in six monthes after my decease. And the other Thirtie Pounds within one Yeare likewise after my decease.

Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Maude nowe wife of Daniell Addams my little mazar that is garnished with Silverguilt. And a deepe Silver goblet guilte. [Note: a mazar is a two-handled cup carved from maple wood.]

Item: I give to every of the children of my said Daughter Maude and the said Daniell Addams Twentie Shillings to each one of them.

Item: I give and bequeathe to every one of my three sisters ffortie Shillings in money to each of them.

Item: I give to my Sonne in law Willm. Preistlie Twentie Shillings, And also I give to everye of the Three children who he has by my Daughter, his late wife, deceased Twentie Shillings a piece.

All the rest of my goods and Chattles moveables and unmoveables, my debts and legacies being payed and my funerall expenses being disbursed and payed, I give and bequeath unto my sonne Thomas Hurt whome I make my full and sole Executor of this my last will and Testament. And also my will is that my said Executor imediatlie after my decease shall give and deliver unto everie one of the Almes women of the Almes house belonging to the said parishe of All St.s Twelve pense A piece. In witness whereal I have hereunto put my hand and seale the daye and yeare above written.

Raphe Hurte

Witnesses herunto Richard Winter Richard Gente

Go to page of Raphe Hurte’s son, Roger Hurte.

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