Samuel Cromleholme MA (1618-1672)

1) Samuel’s Father :  Revd Richard Cromleholme (1592-1648)

1.1) Born :  1592  Lancashire (UK) ⁽¹⁾ (from university entry)

1.2) Place : University records – “of County Lancaster” (see note under Samuel’s birthplace below).

1.3) School :  School not known – presumed in Lancashire

1.4) University : 

Brasenose College,  Oxford ⁽²⁾
Entered as commoner 7th May 1609 aged 17
Admitted BA – 8th February 1612/13    

As a Deacon ⁽³⁾ - 18th December 1614

First unknown – presumed in Wiltshire as given on eldest son’s (Samuel) university records.

Rockbourne Church

Recorded in Rockbourne⁽⁴⁾ (just north of Fordingbridge in Hampshire) in 1619 where he was incumbent of St Peters until 1624.
....Richard Cromlum came to Rockborn the seventeenth of March 1619”

St James Church Quedegeley

Recorded in Quedgeley (3 miles SSW of Gloucester) on 4th July 1624 ⁽⁵⁾ – recorded here as minister in 1625.
………”Richard Cromlum came to Quedgeley the 4th July in anno ab .In carnatione supradirto. Anno Regni Jacobi 22” (1624).
He appears to have stayed here for the rest of his life.

It seems likely that his first marriage (presumably prior to Samuel’s birth in 1618) may have taken place in Wiltshire as noted above.  No records of his first wife (Samuel’s mother) have been found to date apart from a reference to her death perhaps in during the birth of Samuel’s sister Elizabeth (bap 7/9/1620 Rockbourne) as noted below.

However, a (second) marriage of Richard Cromlum to Sybill Guidott ⁽⁶⁾ on 4th February 1621 has been found in Rockbourne a small Hampshire village but very near the Wiltshire border. Samuel would have been aged 3 years when his mother died but his father married again within 6 months. Richard’s other children were born to his second wife after his move to Gloucestershire in 1624.

The Guidott’s were originally a Florentine family who settled in the Southampton area in the 1530’s. Sir Antonio Guidotti (b approx 1500) was a wine merchant and confidential messenger to Henry VIII . In 1550, Edward VI knighted him for his part in negotiations with France and also gave him an annual pension of £250.  John Guidott was born approx 1530 the son of Antonio and his wife Anne (nee Huttoft). John was also given 37 pounds by the King and the right to his father’s pension during John’s lifetime.

John’s son William had a family all born in Rockbourne :  daughters - Sybill (27/9/1589); Frannces (11/8/1591); Alice (4/5/1594); and sons - William (27/11/1595); Franncis (18/1/1597); Keylwey (12/5/1600);  and John (… 1603).

Thomas Guidott (1638-1705) “Physician and Chemist Contributor to the Analysis of mineral water” was born in September 1638 in Lymington, Hampshire (on the coast south east of Rockbourne) the eldest son of Francis Guidott. He was educated in Dorchester under Samuel Cromleholme and graduated BA 1659 and MA 1662 from Wadham College Oxford. He studied medicine and was granted MB in 1666.

An entry in “A calendar of the registers of apprentices of the city of Gloucester (1595-1700)” records Richard’s youngest son Giles :  1648, 18 December  Crumlum, Giles son of Richard, clerk dec’d of Quedgeley
As the next Rector at Quedgeley is recorded in 1649, it would appear that Richard died in 1648 ⁽⁷⁾ , aged 56 years.

No will is known to exist. Not recorded in the Will index 1541 – 1650 and there is a break in the records until 1660 due to the Commonwealth period.

As noted above, nothing is known of Samuel’s mother apart from her death when he was only 3 years old. His
stepmother is not recorded in the Quedgeley parish registers where Richard’s later children were baptized
(presumably by their father Richard)

Samuel :          b 1618  exact date / location (Wiltshire) not known
Elizabeth :         bap 7/9/1620 in Rockbourne Hampshire (her mother may have died in childbirth)

Step brothers and sisters :

William :          bap  21/12/1622 in Rockbourne Hampshire
                       (may have died as an infant as next brother also named William ?)
William ⁽⁸⁾ :     b. 23/11/1625   bap 1/12/1625 at Quedgeley, Gloucester.
Timothy ⁽⁹⁾ :    bap 10/1/1627  (all below at Quedgeley)
Joane :            bap 16/6/1629
Mary :            bap 25/8/1631
Gyles ⁽¹⁰⁾ :      bap 15/10/1633

To date, it has only been possible to calculate the year of Samuel’s birth date from his from university records. At this date, his father Richard was 26 years old and it is almost certain that Samuel was the eldest child in family.

Given as Wiltshire in his university record – exact place not known.
However this could be Wilpshire in Lancashire which is a parish adjacent to Blackburn where an Elizabeth Cromleholme married Robert Chew on May 16th 1618. In February 1672, Samuel takes a kinsman Elisa Chew as a pupil in his school and asked “to remember his love to the boy’s mother” ⁽¹¹⁾. See further details under 1672 below. 

The Kings School Gloucester

Although unfortunately the earliest school register commences in 1684, it would appear very likely that Samuel attended The Kings School, Gloucester close to his home in Quedgeley. Samuel was only 6 years old when his family moved to the area from Rockbourne in July 1624. It seems very probable that he was taught by John Langley who had become head master here in 1617 direct from university. Langley was to became Samuel’s “mentor” until he died in 1657 and even then had made a deathbed recommendation that helped Samuel to become Highmaster of St Paul’s School in London.

He was born (c1598) near Banbury in Oxfordshire and on 23rd April 1613 was admitted as a commoner to (the then Puritian) Magdalen Hall, Oxford and graduated BA in 1616 and MA in 1619. He was appointed by William Laud as headmaster of the College School at Gloucester 9th March 1617. He resigned from his post in 1627 but was readmitted on 11th August 1628. He finally resigned in 1635 and it is said that he held a prebend in Gloucester Cathedral. On 7th January 1640, he was appointed High Master of St Pauls School, London.

As a result of his educational achievements, on 20th June 1643, he was appointed (by parliamentary order) as one of the licensers of the press for books of “philosophy, history, poetry, morality, and arts”. However, he was petitioned on 20th December 1648 by the stationers and printers of London for latterly being remiss in these duties.

Having been sworn at the Lords' bar on 12th January 1644, on 6th June 1646 he was a witness before the Lord’s committees considering Archbishop Laud’s conduct of Cathedral services at Gloucester. He was a talented school master who had “a very awful presence and speech, that struck a mighty respect and fear in his scholars which however wore off after they were a little used to him.”

Langley died unmarried at his house in St. Paul's Churchyard on 13 Sept. 1657, and was buried on 21 Sept. in Mercers' Chapel when a funeral sermon, subsequently printed ' (on Acts vii. 22), touching the ' Use of Human Learning,' was preached by his friend Dr. Edward Reynolds, sometime dean of Christ Church, and afterwards bishop of Norwich. .The preacher warmly eulogises Langley's learning and character, and states that he was so much honoured by the governors that they accepted his recommendation of Samuel Cromleholme [q. v.] as his successor at St. Paul's. His will is dated 9 September 1657 and it was proved on 29 Sept. in the following year.

Corpus Christi College Oxford

Corpus Christi College ⁽¹²⁾, Oxford  matriculated 13th November 1635 (aged 17 years).

Graduated BA on 27th June 1639 &  MA in 1642

1639 – Graduated BA from Corpus Christi, Oxford (aged 21)

1639 -  Appears to have taught as a junior teacher at his former school King’s School Gloucester under his former head master John Langley. ⁽¹³⁾  Both were removed after Langley’s stand against Archbishop Laud.

1640 – Noted ⁽¹⁴⁾ as teaching at Huntingdon Grammar School (Cambridgeshire) but as yet not substantiated.
If so, he would have taught Samuel Pepys (1633 – 1703) who he definitely taught later as surmaster at St Pauls School in London (see below). Pepys was sent to St Pauls School in 1646 aged 13.

1642 – Awarded MA from Oxford (aged 24) Presumably whilst possibly at Huntingdon.

1642 -   Oxfordshire & North Berkshire Protestation Returns and tax assessments 1641-42 ⁽¹⁵⁾ record : Crumlum Univ Corp

1642 -  Buckinghamshire contributions for Ireland 1642 ⁽¹⁶⁾ ………”Mr Sam Crumlum  sch”

1644 -   Appointed as Master of The Mercers Chapel School (adjoining Mercers Hall, Cheapside, City
of London) on 21st March 1644.  John Langley as Highmaster of nearby St Pauls School had influence on this appointment. (aged 26)

1647 – Appointed on 19th February as surmaster ⁽¹⁷⁾ at St Pauls School, London under Highmaster John Langley. (aged 29)         Taught Samuel Pepys during this time. (1647 – 1650)

    

It had been founded by John Colet, the son of a prosperous mercer (merchant in textiles & silks) in 1509. Colet was a priest and by 1504 the Dean of St Pauls Cathedral. He was a good friend of Erasmus and his father, who had been Lord Mayor, left him enough wealth to allow him to set up a generous endowment providing places for 153 free scholars.

In 1512, he entrusted the school to the Mercers City Livery Company who have funded and administered the school ever since. The school was immediately to the east of the apse of the cathedral and the Highmaster’s dwelling formed part of the school on the north side. Surmasters had lodgings in the nearby Old Change.

1651 - Appointed schoolmaster of Dorchester Free School (Dorset) again upon Langley’s ⁽¹⁸⁾ recommendation.(aged 33)

“19th September – Mr Gower and Mr Whiteway are desyred to ride to London to treat with Mr Crumlum, and yf they can make an agreement with him to be scolemaster heer, and also yf  he please, to procure an usher to be heer vntill he commeth”

“10th October - Mr Samuel Cromleholme elected schoolmaster, from Michaelmas last.”

“20th October – it is ordered and desired that Mr Mayor ⁽¹⁹⁾ do pay or cause to be payed to Clement Bryne, for the carriage of Mr Cromleholme’s bookes  from London this weeke”

1657 -  2nd October – It is ordered and desired that Mr Cromleholme shall have xxl given to him in consideracion of his repayring the house and building of the new washing house, and of the fruit trees, herbs and flowers in the garden, which  the Company desire may not be wasted nor defaced by the removal of poles, postes or anything else out of the garden.

9th October – Mr Cromleholm came to this company and deliuered up his order of deputacion which he had receiued  for scholemaster, being chosen Scholemaster of Pawles, and desired this company to chose another Scolemaster. 

1657  - 21st October - Appointed Highmaster ⁽²⁰⁾ of St Pauls School, London following John Langley’s death  (aged  39).

Samuel was a great linguist. …..”understanding a great many languages and exceeded his predecessor in that part of  learning, this tribute is borne out by the fact that the adjective plouglottos (= many tongues)was applied to him by his comtemporaries. ⁽²¹⁾ as being  “very curious in books” (“curious” then meaning painstaking and discriminating)

1658 – February 3rd – At the school’s Apposition Court, Samuel was voted in addition to the usual gratuity, a sum of £10
“in regard to the great charge he hath bin at in removing his family out of the country”.

1658 April 1st - Mr Crumlum recorded amongst the trustees of a scheme ⁽²²⁾ for selecting scholars for University Education

1659 – January 25th – “Feast of the Scholars” held for the first time at the school

February 2nd -  Again  granted £10 “in regard of his eminent rare and great paines in the schoole the year past”
                Sir Richard Wood’s scholarship was founded at St John’s College, Cambridge

1660 -  February- Similar grant  “in regard to his abundant care and pains”

April 23rd – Coronation of King Charles II – St Pauls School had  a puritan outlook and it was not it’s pupils who presented an address to the King as he came through St Pauls churchyard. The school had however presented a bible at the King’s public entry to London.

1661 – February   - Similar grant “for full satisfaction of Mr Crumlum’s extraordinary pains and diligence”

Dr Samuel Knight had preserved a collection of school and college exercises intending to print them as an appendix to his edition on John Strype who had been one Samuel Cromleholme’s pupils.  Styrpe had later edited and updated Stow’s Survey of London. He related that .. there is a copy of Latin Alcaics in imitation of Horace, which his master Crumeholm loved to talk of and commend, often telling him “I shall never forget the ode you made in such a place” pointing to some particular seat in a form he had been in”.

1661 -   In his 1720 edition of  Stow’s Survey, John Strype he mentions Samuel Cromleholme again ……”from whose care of my education which I think myself bound publickly to acknowledge I removed to the University of Cambridge anno 1661”. Strype had been placed in the Highmaster’s class and was nearly expelled by the surmaster whilst Cromleholme was out. Cromleholme later called him back and the surmaster told not to meddle with him.

1662 – February5th – Grant increased to £11 “in regards of his extraordinary  paines and care and the dearnesse
of graine”

August 7th – recorded ⁽²³⁾ as “Coadjutor” of Colet School near St Pauls (principal praeceptor)

1663 – February – again granted £11 in “regard to his outstanding paines and care in the schoole”

1664 – February – Grant increased to £12 “in regard to his extraordinary paines and care in the schoole”

Plague of London 1665

1665  - Midsummer’s Day - St Pauls School closed due the Plague.  Samuel remains in the school cataloging his books and library.⁽²⁴⁾ (aged 47) . The school remained closed for 8 months and reopened after a meeting held on 9th February 1666.

1666 - 7th September - St Pauls School lost during the Great Fire. Samuel (aged 48) loses reputably the largest private Library in London⁽²⁵⁾.  His library books had been stored together with many booksellers stock in the crypt of St Pauls (the original cathedral abutted the school to the west). One account relates that the books survived the fire but being very hot all burst into flames when the doors were opened and the fresh air flowed in.

However, Pepys describes the roof collapsing and in turn destroying the roof of the crypt below (see under Pepys 1666 below)

Bagford relates⁽²⁶⁾ …..”We have seen outher fernald (fine) Library withen ye Waulds (walls ?) of ye Citey as that of St Poules Scoale by Dr Deane Colet and since rebuilte by ye Company of Mercers. Ye founder left to them many good books which fild  ther library, both MSS and printed books most of them grammatical learning in Hebrew, Greke and Latin, which ware destroyed in ye late dreadful fire with those of ye Headmaster Mr Cromleholme a rayer collection of classacks and ye best impressions and editions printed by Aldus, Juntine, Greftons, Stephenenses, Elzevars, neatly bound and perhaps at that time of  day was of ye best for a privet in or about London”

And ye losse of these books I verily believe shortned his days for he was a grate lover of his books and spared for no cost fpr ye procuring them from all parts of Europe. Herethen I say have bin furnished with all sorts of Editions, Dicksinaries and Gramersin Hebrew Calde, Greeke, and Latten, for the use of the scholars of yer upper Schoole”

1666     After the Great Fire, Samuel teaches from a temporary school in Wandsworth⁽²⁷⁾ Permission was given to the three masters to seek other employment on the understanding that they would return to duty when the new school was opened.

Samuel and his staff were very fortunate in having the Mercers as generous employers as in addition to the above understanding  …….during the time of the school’s cessation they shall quarterly receive the salary⁽²⁸⁾ appointed them by the founder together with their liverys.

1671    28th March - The new St Paul’s School⁽²⁹⁾ opens on approximately it’s former site close to St Pauls Cathedral ⁽³⁰⁾ (aged 53)

   

1672     6th February – Apposition Court. “The Court considering the great pains of Mr Cromleholme since the instaurcon (sic) of the schole gave him an opposition grant of £50 for his encouragement.”

1672 -   19th February - A letter written by Thomas Greenfield to Roger Kenyon ⁽³¹⁾ on 20th February relates :

According as you desired, I give you the accompt, touching the Doctor’s reception of Elisha Chew. Yesterday, Dr Frankland went with myselfe and Mr Eilliam Clayton alongt with the boy to Dr Cromleholme, who readily gave the child, and us, a very free and welcome entertaynement; and to be short, he gave us, order to remember his love to the boy’s mother, and lett her know from him that he received her boy as his owne, and that (by God’s blessing) give him learning and send him to Oxford, and that he doubted not of friends to gett him preferment there.

He called upp his wife, and said “sweetheart you must take this child as myne and yours” which she denyed not, but asked her husband who he was like; he would have her judgement first, whereupon she sayd the boy was very like a brother of hers, and he concurred with her in the matter. He was very glad the boy was past the measles and small pockes. After we had drunk a glass or two of ayle about, he layd his hand on the boye’s head and blessed him saying “the Lord Almighty bless thee and not only give the wisedom and learning, but his grace alsoe”.

Upon which, other company comeinge to him, wee took our leave and departed; and to-morrow morning, I am to goe, with the boy, to him, and carry with him, his cloathes. And this is all, save that Mr Edward Bradhill writt to Dr Frankland, that one of Mr Cromleholme’s name, was likewise coming upp, by which Dr Frankland had thought of some fowle play in the case, and found a little fault with me, that I did not come to him sooner; which I had done, had not his friends desired me to keepe him aweeke and buy him cloathes. But all is well. ……………

1672 – 21st July - Samuel dies (aged 54) (see further details below)

21st  May 1655. Humphrey Gower (native) of Brampston Brian Herts, son of Stanley Gower, clerk, bred at Dorchester for 3 years, Pensioner,aet 17. He had previously been taught by Samuel at St Pauls in London, his father knowing John Langley well.  Gower became Master of St John’s College Cambridge. In his will of 1708, he left an exhibition to St John’s College Cambridge for boys of both his old schools in Dorchester and St Pauls School.

27th  June 1655 Stephen Torrington, of Dorchester, son of John Torrington, clothier (pannifici), bred at Dorchester for 3 years, admitted sizar, aet 18. (sizar = undergraduate receiving assistance on the grounds of poverty)

3rd  July 1656 Harry Henley (native of) Co Devon, son of Henry Henley, gent, of Colway in Line, Dorset, school Dorchester for 2 years, aet 16. (admitted fellow commoner 11 Nov 1659)

2nd  April 1657 William Gould, of Dorchester, Dorset, son of James Gould, merchant (mercatoris): bred at Dorchester for 7 years. Pensioner, aet 18  (also scholar and later fellow - died 4/7/1690)

Thomas Guidot (1638- 1705) (“Physician and Chymist Contributor to the Analysis of mineral water”) is noted as having been educated at Dorchester under Samuel Cromleholme and became a commoner at Wadham College, Oxford in 1658. He graduated BA in 1659 and MA in 1662. See notes under Guidott family above.

As mentioned briefly before he had strong west country connections. Born in 1650 at Ashe in Devon at the seat of Sir John Drake, his maternal grandfather where his father Sir Winston Churchill lived in retirement during the Protectorate. After the Restoration Sir Winston returned to his Dorset manor of Mintern which is only 9 miles from Dorchester.

Having moved to London, early in 1664 he sent his son to be educated by Samuel Cromleholme at St Pauls School, almost certainly because of his past record  in Dorchester. John Churchill left St Pauls to enter the Household of James Duke of York as a page in 1666.

Sir Winston Churchill (20th century) quotes a letter of his widow, Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough (in 1774) in which she speaks of the Duke as having been "whipt at St Pauls School for not reading his Book" Whether or not Samuel Cromleholme had carried out this punishment is not known!

 

 

Later the infamous "Judge Jeffreys".  He entered the school about 1659 & "applied himself with considerable diligence to Greek and Latin". He was Lord Chief Justice of the King’s Bench during which time the now famous The Bloody Assizes; took place following the Monmouth Rebellion.  At Dorchester in September 1685, 74 of the 312 tried were executed, the rest being  transported to the West Indies.  He was later appointed as Lord Chancellor, a post he held for 37 years.

Link to postcard showing Judge Jeffreys Lodgings in Dorchester circa 1894-1910

Link to the Life of Judge Jeffries 1st Baron Jeffreys of Wem

John Fuller :  Son of Thomas Fuller the author of   "The Worthies".

Samuel Bradford :  Bishop first of Carlisle and then of Rochester, and Dean of Westminster.

George Doddington    Lord of the Admiralty, patron of letters, and builder of Eastbury at Tarrant  Gunville in Dorset.

It is thought that he attended the school during Samuel's time. He became Governor of  Fort St George now known as Madras. He was a great benefactor to the College at New Haven, Connecticut, which became the University in Massachusetts that adopted his name.

An ultra-protestant divine who was said to have done more than any man to pave the way for the revolution which placed William and Mary on the throne in 1688.

There were seven Campden Exhibitions awarded during Samuel’s 15 years, with the Pauline Exhibition being awarded often between 1657 and 1665. Nearly 40 of his pupils received Exhibitions and at least 60 proceeded to Oxford or Cambridge (less than 20 going to Oxford).

Born 8/11/1656 in Haggerston, Shoreditch, London son of a soap maker also called Edmund Halley. Soap was becoming very fashionable at this time and Edmund senior became very wealthy. Although suffering great losses during the Fire of London, he could still afford to send his son to St Paul’s School. Edmund junior obviously did well at the school under Samuel Cromleholme and it would appear that St Pauls played a part in nurturing this now world famous astronomer……

... equally distinguished in classics and mathematics,rose to be captain of the school at fifteen, constructed dials, observed the change in the variation of the compass, and studied the heavens so closely that it was remarked by Moxon the globe maker 'that if a star were displaced in the globe he would presently find it out'.

In 1673, aged 17, he went up to Oxford (Queen's College) seemingly already an experienced astronomer and armed with instruments provided by his father. He later played important roles in the Royal Society with amongst others Isaac Newton. He studied a comet (that now famously bears his name) which had appeared in 1682. He realised that it was the same one that had appeared in 1531 and 1607 and that it was periodic.  It appeared again on Christmas Day 1758 only slightly later than he had predicted after complex calculations made in 1705. He died 14th January 1742.

As noted above, Samuel Cromleholme taught Pepys during his time as surmaster and perhaps before at Huntington school. Pepys attended the school from 1644 to 1650.

4) Samuel’s Staff at St Pauls School :

Edward Cocker : (1631-1675) He was an "unruly" usher of the school probably appointed by Samuel Cromleholme and twice disposed for his extreme opinions and twice restored for his marvellous teaching talents. He was probably the best known English writing master of the period.

He was a gifted engraver and calligrapher and his books gave much very practical advice. A well known phrase "according to Cocker" referred to his popular and well known arithmetic textbooks (his name was proverbial for precision). He engraved a slide rule for Samuel Pepys in 1664. He is said to have died of drinking brandy in excess!!

Nathaniel Bull : was the surmaster for most of Samuel's time at the school. He had been captain of Westminster and a student of Christ Church. He was appointed as headmaster of Leicester Grammar School in 1667 on the recommendation of Samuel Cromleholme (whilst St Pauls was being rebuilt after the great fire).

He resigned due to ill health a couple of years later and returned to St Paul's after it was rebuilt. He died sometime before Midsummer 1672 having been in poor health. He had been a candidate just before his death for the Highmastership following Samuel's death.

John Mason : was the "under Usher or Chaplin" throughout Samuel's time. He had graduated from Clare Hall, Cambridge and was appointed in 1647 and worked for 10 years under John Langley. He worked under Samuel's successor (Gale) for three and half years before resigning due to age.

The staff taught mainly orally, the boys had few books and certainly no desks. The high Master's seat was at the southern end of the large schoolroom. This had no bays or recesses although it could be subdivided by means of curtains. Every boy did have a seat on regularly ascending tiers. The Head Boy in each class sat in the gangway. There was a Chapel at the southern end of the building.

5) Pepys Diary :

Samuel Pepys (1633 - 1703) had started at St Paul's School in 1644 and left in 1650 with the Robinson Exhibition and studied at Trinity Hall, Magdalene College, Cambridge (1651 – 1654).  After taking his BA in 1654, he become secretary to Edward Mountagu in Whitehall Palace and was then appointed clerk to George Downing, Teller of the Receipt in the Exchequer. He married Elizabeth St Michel in St Margaret's Westminster on 1st  December 1655. Having been operated on "for the stone" in 1658 he moved to Axe Yard in 1658. He carried letters to Mountagu in the Baltic.

He started the now famous Diary ⁽³²⁾ on 1st January 1660, and in April/May of the same year accompanied Mountagu' s fleet to Holland to bring over Charles II. He was appointed Clerk of the Acts to the Navy Board on 29th June. He was sworn in as Mountagu' s deputy as clerk in the Privy Seal Office on 23rd July. Pepys was sworn in as a J P on 24th September.   The first entry concerning Pepys' old Surmaster Samuel Cromleholme occurs:

24th January 1660 ……"After this, taking leave, I went to my father's; and my wife staying there, he & I to speak with Mr Crumlum (in the meantime, while it was 5 o'clock, he being in the school, we went to my cosen Tom Pepys' shop, the-turner in Paul's Churchyard, and drank with him a pot of ale: Mr Crumlum gave my father directions what to do about getting my brother (John) an Exhibition, and spoke very well of my brother."

7th February 1660 : "………then went to Paul's School; but it being too soon, I went & drank my morning draught with my cosen Tom Pepys the turner and saw his house and shop. Thence to school, where he that made the speech for the Seventh Form, in praise of the Founder, did show me a book* which Mr Crumlum had lately got, which is believed to be of the Founder's own writing. After all the speeches in which my brother John came off as well as any of the rest I went straight home and dined.. "   (* the book mentioned cannot be identified and therefore is thought to have perished in the fire)

23rd December 1660 : ….."I took coach and lighting at my booksellers in St Paul's Churchyard I met there with Mr Crumlum, and the second master of Paul's School, and thence I took them to the Starr, and there we sat and talked, and I had great pleasure in their company, and very glad I was of meeting him so accidentally, I having omitted too long to go to see him. Here in discourse I did offer to give the schoole what book he would choose of £5. So we parted and I home."

27th December 1660 : …”In the morning to my booksellers to bespeak a Stephen's Thesaurus for which I offer 4£, to give to Paul's Schoole. And thence to Pauls church & there I heard Dr Gunning preach. Here I met with Mr Crumlum and told him of my endeavours to get Stephen's Thesaurus for the school."

21st July 1662 : ….."Here I drink wine and eat some fruit off the trees and he (Capt Cockes) showed me a great rarity which was two or three of a great number of Silver dishes and plates which he brought of an Embassador that did lack in money. In the edfe or rim of which was placed silver and gold medals, very ancient and I believe writ, which if they be, they are the greatest rarities that ever I saw in my life - & I will show Mr Crumlum them."

However Pepys' high opinion of his schoolmaster received a shock - the nature of which is surprising, in view of what is known of Pepys' own convival habits!!:

17th September 1662: ………………………"After dinner Mr Moore and I about three 0' clock to Pauls school to wait upon Mr Crumlum (Mr Moore having a hopeful lad, a kinsman of his, there at school); who we take very luckily and went up to his chamber with him, where there was also an old fellow student of Mr Crumlum's one Mr Newell come to see him, of whom he made so much, and of me, that the truth is, he with kindness did drink more than I believe he used to do, and did begin to be a little impertinent - the more when, after all, he would in the evening go forth with us, and give us a bottle of wine abroad. And at the taverne met an acquaintance of his that did occasion impertinent discourse, that though I honour the man and he doth declare abundance of learning and worth, yet I confess my opinion is much lessened of him. And therefore let it be a caution to myself not to love drink, since it hath such it has an such an affect upon others of greater worth in my own esteem. I could not avoid drinking five glasses this afternoon with him. And after I had parted with him (& following another drinking bout with other friends in the evening I!)……."and so Mr Moore and I to bed and neither of us well pleased with our afternoon's work, merely from our being witnesses to Mr Crumlum's weakness."

What the "impertinence" was, of which Samuel Cromleholme had been guilty, is not known. Evidently it was something which hurt his former pupil's feelings perhaps an occurrence of his schooldays which was embarrassing in front of the others. This passage is often quoted on the internet and people have even branded Samuel Cromleholme very unfairly as a “comic drunk” !!                  However Pepys soon forgot this it seems:

4th February 1663 : “Up earely and to Mr Moore, and thence to Mr Lovell about my law business, and from him to Pauls Schoole, it being opposicion Day there. I heard some of their speeches, and they were just as schoolboys used to be, of the seven Liberall Sciences; but I think not so good as ours were in our time.  Away thence and to Bow Church and back again to Pauls schoole and went to see the head forms posed in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, but I think they do not answer in any so well as we did; only in Geography they did pretty well. Dr Wilkins and Outram* were examiners. So down to the school, where Mr Crumlum did me much honour by telling many what a present I had made to the school, showing my Stephanus in four volumes, cost me 4£ 10s. He also showed us upon my deseire an old edicion of the grammmer of Colletts - where his epistle to the children is very pretty. And in rehearsing the creed it is said "borne of the cleane Virgin Mary."
(* Dr Outram was also painted by Mary Beale; Dr Wilkins was a mathematician & a founder of the Royal Society later Bishop of Chester).

11th May 1663 : .................. I called upon Mr Crumlum, and did give him the 10s. remaining not laid out of the £5 I promised him for the school, with which he will buy strings, and golden letters upon the books I did give them. I sat with him and his wife a great while talking; and she is [a] pretty woman, never with child, and methinks looks as if her mouth watered now and then upon some of her boys"

4th February 1664 : ….Up and to the office, where after a while setting, I left the board upon pretence of serious business and by coach to Pauls schoole, where I heard some good speeches of the boys that were to be elected this year. Thence by and by with Mr Pullen and Banes with several other of my oId acquaintance to the Nags Head tavern and there did give them a bottle of sack; and away again and I to the school and up to hear the upper form examined; and there was kept by very many of the Mercers, Clutterbucke, Barker, Harrington, and others, and with great respect used by them all and had a noble dinner. ……………..Here they tell me that in Dr Colett's Will he says that he would have a master found for the school that hath good skill in Latin and (if it could be) one that had some knowledge of the Greeke; so little was Greek known here at that time. Dr Wilkins and one Mr Smallwood, posers. After great pleasure there, and especially to [hear] Mr Crumlum so often to tell of my being a benefactor to the school - I to my booksellers"  

(a little flattery obviously worked wonders on Samuel Pepys!!)

10th August 1664:   Pepys visits Edward Cocker (usher of Pauls School) the famous writing master to get him to “engrave tables upon my new sliding rule"

9th March 1665 :............. "and set down at Paules schoole, where I visited Mr Crumlum at his house. And Lord! to see how ridiculous a conceited pedagogue he is, though a learned man, he being so dogmaticall in all he doth and says. But among other discourse, we fall to the old discourse of Pauls Schoole; and he did, upon my declaring my value of it, give me one of Lillys grammer of a very old impression, as it was in the Catholique times;  ("In usum, antiquae et celebris scholae") which I shall much set by.     And so after some small discourse, away…….         "

Pepys had admired this volume at an earlier Apposition, and by which he declared he would set much store. The volume is now preserved in the Pepys library at Magdalene.

The last entry concerning Samuel Cromleholme (Crumlum) was shortly after the great fire:

26th September 1666 : ...... "But here by Mr Dugdale (bookseller) I hear the great loss of books in st Pauls churchyard, and their hall also – which they value at about 150000£; some booksellers being wholly undone; and among others, they say, my poor Kirton (one of his booksellers). And Mr Crumlum, all his books and household stuff burned; they  trusting to St Fayths ⁽³³⁾ , and the roof of the church falling, broke the arch down into the lower church and so all the goods burned - a very great loss."

Although Pepys died much later in 1703, he stopped writing his now famous diary in 1669. As the school was temporarily disbanded and Samuel Cromleholme moved the Wandsworth, they presumably had less contact with one another after the fire.

6) Portrait by Mary Beale : 

Mary Beale

Horace Walpole in his Anecdotes of Painting (3rd Edition Vol III  p129) of 1768 records a portrait by Mary Beale ⁽³⁴⁾ of Mr Crumholem (sic) and a footnote noted that the portrait was still at Melbury House near Evershot in Dorset in 1762.

Unfortunately this portrait cannot now be traced despite extensive enquiries ⁽³⁵⁾ by several persons and experts over the years.  However, there is proof that the portrait was painted by Mary Beale and its patron as George Virtue ⁽³⁶⁾ had transcribed Mary Beale’s notebooks and records :

1672        23.July  received of Coll Strangeways ⁽³⁷⁾ for Dr Pierces, Dr Cradocks, Dr Tillotson,
Dr Stillingfleet   Mr Crumholmes pictures  25”. – 0 – 0.

In a further list, he records pictures done from the Life by Mrs Beal since 1671/2

July :       Dr Pierces picture copied
                Dr Cradocks
                Dr Tillotson
Aug :       Dr Stillingfleet
                Mr Cromholmes

This entry is followed immediately by Dr Outrams & Dr Patricks but is not clear whether Col Strangeways had commissioned these. A portrait of Col Strangeways himself is recorded later in December 1672 and the latter is the only Mary Beale portrait remaining at Melbury today.

Except for Samuel Cromleholme, the above sitters were all Doctors of Divinity (DD – known as Divines). Some knew Samuel well and it may be that Samuel knew Strangeways from his time in Dorset.

Some brief details on the other sitters are :

Dr Pierce DD was a celebrated preacher, chaplain to the King and later a canon at Canterbury.

Dr Craddock DD was provost at Eton and a distant relative of Mary Beale

Dr Tillotson DD was chaplain to the King and was elected to the Royal Society in 1672. He became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1691.

Dr Stillingfleet DD born in Cranborne, Dorset in1635 and graduated from St Johns College, Cambridge in 1649. Dean of St Pauls in 1679.

Dr Patrick DD, son of a mercer, Rector of St Pauls Convent Garden for 30 years and finally appointed Bishop of Ely.

Dr Owtram DD. Held a living in the city of London and Pepys notes him as an examiner on the Apposition day 4th February 1663

It is probable that the portrait was freshly painted in August 1672 and a replica of a slightly earlier one painted from the life as Samuel had died 21st July 1672. Mary Beale rarely took more than three days to paint a head and shoulders portrait. It would have probably had a painted stone coloured oval frame incorporating fruit with the actual painting fairly monochrome in colour. 

7) Samuel’s Marriage and Wife:

Almost certainly during his time in Dorchester (1651-7), Samuel married Mary, (b 1624) daughter of Richard Bury who, during his time as Mayor, had been involved in seeking a master for the town’s Free School. He had been made a feoffe of the school on 9th October 1647.

Although no marriage record has been located (due to Civil War period), Samuel is mentioned as a son-in-law and an executor in her father’s will of 1661. Richard Bury died in 1662 in London in his seventies and may have then been living with or near his daughter.

In his now famous Diary, Samuel Pepys pays Mary Cromleholme a rather backhanded compliment ….

11th May 1663 --- I called upon Mr Crumlum, and did give him the 10s remaining not laid out of the £5 I promised him for the school, with which he will buy strings and golden letters upon the books I did give them.  I sat with him and his wife a great while talking; and she is [a] pretty woman, never with child, and methinks looks as if her mouth watered now and then upon some of her boys”

A former pupil, John Strype recorded…”he dyed a Married Man, but without Children. From whose Care of my Education, (which I think my self bound publickly to acknowledge) I removed to the University of Cambridge, Anno 1661.”

Mary would have been 48 years old at the date of her husband’s death.  The Court of Assistants passed a resolution on 5th August 1672 remitting the duties (dues) of her husband’s burial in the chapel.

8) Samuel’s Wife’s family :   The Bury Family of Dorchester.

Mary’s father Richard Bury was born between 1580/9 in Melcombe Regis, Weymouth son of William Bury and Elizabeth (nee Samwayes). Like his father before him, Richard was a grocer and apothecary. He married Dorothy Dashwood (b approx 1605) daughter of Edmund Dashwood ⁽³⁸⁾ .

Richard had a total of seven children although it is possible that his first wife died after his daughters were born and that his sons were born later to his second wife :

Dorothy Bury          b 1620                                                    and some 8 years later :
Sarah Bury              b 1622                                                    Phineas Bury           b 1634
Mary Bury            b 1624 ⁽³⁹⁾                                               John Bury               b 1636
Elizabeth Bury         b 1626                                                    Thomas Bury          b 1638

1622        Richard Bury recorded as a capital Burgess
                Richard Bury (Burie)’s signature :                                                                        

1627        Constables Richard Bury & Richard Williams both men of puritan sympathies.

1640        Richard Bury elected feoffee of Dorchester Free School 24 Mar 1640/1. Also Mayor of Dorchester 1640/1

1644        As the county treasurer Richard Bury, was one of the few who did well out of the war, but he had unusual opportunities. 

1647        Dennis Bond MP for Dorchester subscribed 2000 pounds for the Irish adventure at the request and in trust for assigned land in Ireland. Between 1655and 1659, Richard Bury and John Whiteway were assigned land in the barony of Kenry, Co. Limerick in the NE and SE quarters. ⁽⁴¹⁾
 
1648        A new volunteer force raised.  John Whiteway & Richard Bury were among the officers who marched with it towards Shaftesbury on 15th July. Both still enthusiastic Puritans in 1648 but it appears that they less keen after execution of Charles I.

1649        White’s successor, Stanley Gower arrived in Dorchester shortly after the king’s execution but he loathed the radicals who had thrown his world into chaos.

When asked to take a new loyalty oath in 1649, Richard Bury & John Bushrod subscribed “in this sense only, that I will live peaceably under this present power and obey them in lawful things”.

1650/1     Elected mayor of Dorchester once more. Samuel Cromleholme becomes Head master of the Free School.

1653        In April 1653, Cromwell became Lord Protector and the corporation was under pressure to get rid of possible dissidents in 1654. Philip Stansby (a grocer who had been Richard Bury’s apprentice) replaced Gould.  Later local gentry were rounded up and Sir John Strangeways was jailed for a short time.

1659        After Cromwell’s death in January 1659, the corporation felt vulnerable – Bury & Savage were both well into their seventies.For a brief moment, Dorchester had something like a municipal health service. Doctors and apothecaries received money for treating the poor. Richard Bury and a new apothecary Richard Atkins provided medicines.

1661        Richard Bury died between 1st April & 1st October in London (probably living with his son in law Samuel C & his daughter Mary). His will ⁽⁴²⁾ was proved 25 Oct 1661.

1664        Richard Bury’s sons Phineas (Rector of Southrop, Gloucestershire) and John were assigned land in Irelandin 1664. John Bury married Ann Bascombe and their son Richard Cromleholme Bury was born 24th October 1664 and baptised 8th November in St Peter’s Church Dorchester.

He married Esther (d/o David Sollom) in Dublin on 23rd February 1687. Their daughter Mary married Samuel Clutterbuck ⁽⁴³⁾ . Richard Cromleholme Bury died young aged 27 on 23rd November 1691. 

1681A manuscript ⁽⁴⁴⁾ (dated as begun in 19 October 1681) was written by Richard Cromleholme Bury, “whose identity is not known. He had probably drawn on both Walker and Holdsworth as perhaps indicated by the reference to his sources at the end of the entry: ‘per W. H’ “.

This appears to concern methods of note taking and perhaps diary writing – possibly influenced by Samuel Cromleholme originally. Interesting to note that Cromleholme was taken as a second name or possibly a lengthened surname.

More research is required into the Bury Family – especially the Ireland matters

9) Children :

No children of Samuel & Mary Cromleholme have been located and all records note this fact as well.

10) Samuel’s Death :

Samuel died 21st July 1672 aged 54 years. The Register of St Mary Colechurch records his burial in the ruined Mercers Chapel ⁽⁴⁵⁾ on 26th July 1672. His funeral service was held in the Guildhall Chapel ⁽⁴⁶⁾ with his friend Dr John Wells ⁽⁴⁷⁾ preaching his funeral sermon.  Posie Rings were distributed engraved “Redime Tempus”(= Seize the flying hour) ⁽⁴⁸⁾ .

“He was happy”, declares one of his contemporaries “in sending out many excellent scholars from under his care” Dr Knight stated “I could enumerate many of this man’s scholars who arrived at great eminency of one kind or other”

11) Gravestone/ Memorial

As far as can be ascertained, none now exists. (Mercer’s Chapel ?? – to be researched).   On 5th August 1672, the Court of Assistants passed a resolution remitting the duties (dues) of Samuel’s burial place in the chapel to his widow Mary. 

12) Samuel’s Will  :   

Unusually for an educated person, Samuel left no will and having therefore died intestate, a Letter of Adminstration below (in Latin) was lodged ⁽⁴⁹⁾ 31st July 1673.

Genealogical Notes:-