344
NOTES AND QUERIES. [io s. xn. OCT. so, im
well known to have been a joiner. It may
be mentioned that it was Richardson's
daughter Martha (or Patty) who acted as
her father's amanuensis during his later
years : she was a woman of considerable
intelligence who " is said to have written
with great judgment, refined sentiment, and
in a style remarkably elegant and correct."
Even if we discard all this evidence, we still have Richardson's own statement ('Corre- spondence,' ed. Mrs. Barbauld, ]804, vol. i. p. xxxii) that his father intended him for the Church, but that, not being able to support him
" as genteely as he wished in an education proper for the function, he left me to choose, at the age of fifteen or sixteen, a business ; having been able to give me only common school-learning."
This does not suggest an education in any of the Schools of Christ's Hospital ; and it'is scarcely conceivable that, had he had the advantage of such an education, he would have been at elaborate pains to conceal what should have been a legitimate cause for pride. And it is difficult to see how, even if he wished to do so, he could succeed in keeping from his family the fact that he had been educated in a school near to where they lived, as he could scarcely
- seal the mouths of his old schoolfellows as
well as of his relatives. Then, again, M?e have his son-in-law's statement, already quoted, that Richardson " was never sent to a more respectable seminary " than " a private grammar school " in the county of his birth.
Perhaps there are some correspondents of
- N. & Q.' who can bring forward fresh
evidence on the subject ; but, if not, I think that the statements as to Richardson's being an " Old Blue " had better be relegated to oblivion. ALEYN LYELL READE.
Park Corner, Blundellsands, near Liverpool.
PARRY AND PERRY FAMILIES.
IN connexion with the genealogy of the Halley family of London and Greenwich (circa 1739, 1750, 1772), it would be very interesting to learn something about the ancestry of Sybilla Parry and her sister Sarah Parry, who are mentioned in the will of their grandmother Mrs. Sybilla Halley, widow, of East Greenwich (proved 13 Nov., 1772, P.C.C. reg. Taverner, fo. 406). At that time Sarah Parry was under age. Whether a son or a daughter of Mrs. Sybilla Halley (by a previous marriage ?) was a parent of the two Parry children has not yet been ascertained ; but as they were living
with their grandmother when she died in
1772, it seems probable that their descent
from her was maternal rather than paternal.
This is the natural inference. Mrs. Sybilla
Halley's (? second) husband was Edmond
Halley, jun., surgeon R.N., who died circa
1740, apparently without a male heir, and
perhaps childless.
Documentary evidence has already been presented to prove relationship between the Halley and Pyke families, circa 1698-1718. It is, therefore, worthy of note to find any connexion between the Pyke and Parry or Perry families.
We have previously seen that one John Parry was a witness to the will of James Pyke of Upper Moorfield, in the parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch (dated 18 July, 1750 ; proved 21 June, 1751 ; P.C.C., reg. Busby, fo. 186). See The Genealogist, new series, vol. xxiv. p. 288 (April, 1908).
Isaac Pyke, Esq., of Greenwich, in his will (proved 1739, P.C.C., reg. Henchman, fo. 87) mentions his brother John Pery. He also twice mentions Dr. Edmond Halley, the astronomer, who was the father of Surgeon Halley, husband of Mrs. Sybilla Halley. Among the marriage licences in the Faculty Office, Doctors' Commons, is that of Isaac Pyke and Anne Perry, 27 Feb., 1713/14.
In a coat of arms ascribed to " Pyke- Buffar," of Greenwich, is a martlet, which, as the present writer is informed, was often added to a coat of arms as a mark of cadency of the fourth son. This fact adds a little colour to the theory that the father of Isaac Pyke, Esq., may have been the fourth son of Richard Pyke, sen., poulterer (fl. 1674), and therefore a brother of John Pyke and of Richard Pyke, jun., whose daughter married (? circa 1690) Francis Halley, sen., a first cousin of the astronomer. This would have made Isaac Pyke, Esq., a cousin of Mrs. Francis Halley, sen. (cf. 10 S. viii. 44).
The will of William Pyke of the Charter- house mentions Mary Parry, wife of Thomas Parry, as his executrix (proved 1771, reg. Trevor, fo. 315).
Michael Pyke of Cranley, Surrey, clerk, refers to his daughter Dorothy Pery, wife of Capt. William Pery, of Thorpe, Surrey (proved 1680, P.C.C., reg. Cottle, fo. 120).
" John Parry, of H.M.S. Achille [sic], gent., 21, b., and Ann Miall, of Portsea, 21, sp., at P., 23 Jan., 1800." Cf. ' Allega- tions for Marriage Licences in Hampshire, in the Registry of the Bishop of Winchester,' vol. ii. p. 95 (Harl. Soc. Publications, vol. xxxvi. 1893).
