People of Note
William Hewett (1496-1567)
William Hewett was born in 1496, in Wales, then a hamlet of Laughton-en-le-Morthen. He was the son of Edmund Hewett, of the same place, and grandson of Nicholas.
He followed the trade of a clothworker, and after serving his apprenticeship was admitted to the freedom of the Clothworkers' Company of London before 1529, in which year he himself took an apprentice as a freeman. Hewett became Master of the Clothworkers' Company in 1543-44. He succeeded well in commerce and was joined by many of his relatives and friends from Yorkshire. He employed his brother Thomas and Henry, Thomas' son to help with his business, at the Three Cranes in Candlewick Street, which he bequeathed to his nephew Henry, with remainder to Thomas Hewett.
He served the Office of Sheriff in 1553, and was charged with carrying out the sentence of execution upon Lady Jane Grey and her husband. In the same year he countersigned, with other principal citizens, the letters patent of Edward VI leaving the crown to Lady Jane Grey.
In 1559 he became Lord Mayor, being the first member of the Clothworkers' Company to reach that status.
He was knighted at Greenwich on 21st January. 1559-60.
Hewett lived in Philpot Lane. He had also a country house at Highgate, and was chosen by Sir Roger Cholmeley in 1565, as one of the six governors of his newly established grammar school.
Hewett also possessed Manors in Dagenham, Essex, which were passed to his daughter on her marriage;and various other manors and estates in Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, including Shireoaks, Harthill and Woodall, Treeton and Wales.
Hewett inherited through his wife the greater portion of her father's estates
Hewett died on 25th January 1567, and was buried beside his wife in St. Martin Orgar, Cannon Street, London. His monument perished in the destruction of the church at the great fire of 1666. His will dated 3rd January. 1566-7, stated that a portrait of Hewett in his robes as Lord Mayor was preserved at Kiveton House, Yorkshire, the seat of the Duke of Leeds; it was later moved to Hornby Castle.
Hewett married Elizabeth(d1561), third daughter of Nicholas Leveson of Halling in Kent, a rich mercer of London and Sheriff in 1534 his wife Dinoysia Bodley . Alice died on 8 April 1561, and was buried on 17th April at St. Martin Orgar. By this marriage Hewett is said to have had several children, all of whom died in infancy except Anne, who was born in 1543, and was twenty-three years old at her father's death.
Anne Hewett, as a child, while playing at one of the windows of her father's house on London Bridge, was dropped by a careless maid into the river, and was rescued by Edward Osborne her father's apprentice. Osborne married her later, being preferred by Sir William above many other suitors, among them George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, who was a member of the Clothworkers' Company, and a good friend of Hewett.
Will of William Hewett (1496-1567)
Notes from Archves
1613. Marriage Settlement of Richard Wiseman of Lincoln's Inn and Mary, sister of Thomas Hewett. The Manors of Ditton, Sittlington and Brampton (Kent).
1650. On the marriage of William Hewett (son of Sir Thomas) and Mary, second daughter of Sir Richard Prince of Abbey Foregate, near Shrewsbury. Walter Wrottesley, Henry Gray, Phillip Prince and Samuel Wingefield, trustees.
1650 William Hewytt of Breckles, co. Norfolk, esq., second son of Sir William Hewytt, late of the parish of St. Martyns in the Field, co. Middlesex, knight, decd.
1657 - Edward Wrottesley and William Vescy or Vessey (sons-in-law of Sir Thomas), settling property in Worksop, Gateford and Kilton.
Sawbridgeworth Church. On the east wall of the nave is a marble mural monument to Sir William Hewett, died 1637, and his wife, and under the tower is a monument to Sir Thomas Hewett, who died in 1662. On the north-east wall is a large classical monument, with the figure of George Viscount Hewett, who died 1689.
See also Notes about the Hewett family of Rawroyd, Cawthorne, Barnsley
There is a connection with Cannon Hall, Barnsley
Danvers of Dauntsey, Wiltshire (mentions a Grace Hewitt)
