John Blagrave, pleb. St. John's College, matriculated 13 Nov., 1650, fellow, B.A. 27 Feb., 1650-1, M.A. 22 June, 1653. 6
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Biography. 7
Blagrave's great-grandmother married as her second husband William Grey, MP for Reading in 1547, and bequeathed to the children of her first marriage much of the abbey property. Indeed Blagrave and his younger brother, George Blagrave of Bulmarsh, were said to own 'about half the town' between them. His grandfather sat for the borough in 1601, but Daniel Blagrave, the regicide, came from a cadet branch, and Blagrave's father took no part in the Civil War. Blagrave has to be distinguished from his much older cousin, John Blagrave of Southcot, steward to Bulstrode Whitelocke during the Interregnum. Probably a moderate Presbyterian, Blagrave was returned unopposed at the general election of 1660 for Reading, but was totally inactive in the Convention and did not seek re-election in 1661. His income was estimated at £800 p.a. in 1667. He regained his seat in the Exclusion Parliaments, and was marked 'honest' on Shaftesbury's list; but he served on no committees in 1679, obtained leave for a fortnight on 15 Apr., and was absent from the division on the exclusion bill. Unopposed in the autumn, he was similarly inactive in the second Exclusion Parliament. He again won decisively in 1681, and at Oxford he was named not only to the committee of elections and privileges, but also to those to recommend a more convenient place for Parliament's sitting, and to draw up the third exclusion bill. He was removed from local office, and after the Rye House Plot information was given that he and Nathan Knight had attended a Whig meeting at a Reading tavern on the invitation of Lord Lovelace (John Lovelace). He was among those arrested at the time of Monmouth's invasion in 1685, and when he applied for bail Judge Jeffreys told him 'that he had a mind to be bailed that he might go to King Perkin'. He was mentioned as a candidate for Reading acceptable to the dissenters in September 1688, but he did not stand again. He was appointed to local office after the Revolution, and was buried at Sonning on 9 Mar. 1704. His son Anthony was three times elected for Reading as a Tory between 1701 and 1727.
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John Blagrave, Esqr (burial record)
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Abstract of the Will of John Blagrave of Southcott in the County of Berks, Esquire, written 8 Jun 1698, proved 5 Apr 1704. 8
Gives to his wife Hester Blagrave all his rings and jewels and, after her death, he gives the same to their two children.
Gives £3,000 to his daughter Hester Blagrave, to be paid to her when she marries or turns twenty-one, whichever happens first.
Gives to his son Anthony Blagrave and his heirs his manor farm, lands, tenements & hereditaments called Short Hampton in co. Oxon, as well as an annuity of £16, to be paid out of lands &c called Welloe in co. Southampton. If Anthony has no heirs male, then he gives the same to his brother George Blagrave, Esquire.
Gives to his son Anthony Blagrave and his heirs all other of his lands, tenements & hereditaments in the counties of Berks, Southampton & Oxford. In default of issue, he gives the same to his daughter Hester Blagrave and her heirs. In default of issue, he gives the same to his nephew Anthony Blagrave, eldest son of his brother George Blagrave.
Gives mourning to his brother George Blagrave and his wife, to his two sisters Ann and Dorothy Blagrave, to Mrs. Mary Fields, and to all his servants.
Gives £8 to Mr. Nicholas Round.
Gives £10 to Mr. Henry Deane.
All the rest of his goods, chattels and personal estate to his son Anthony Blagrave.
Appoints his wife and his son Anthony Blagrave co-executors of his last will and testament.
(Signed)
Witnesses: James Brewer, Wm Gore, John Gore, Nicholas Round, Hen: Deane
In a codicil dated 9 Jun 1700 he notes that his daughter Hester has since married John Breedon, Esquire.
Research Notes: