38. Fine detail on the Fishermen

 

 

 

An update from Budleigh artist John Washington for Conant 400 group members which will be of special interest both to British Devonians with links to East Budleigh and American residents of Gloucester, Massachusetts. 

John is continuing to work on his painting of the celebrated 1625 scene at Fishermen’s Field. That was when Roger Conant intervened and avoided possible bloodshed in the confrontation between fishermen from England’s West Country, led by John Hewes, and Captain Miles Standish, military adviser to the Plymouth Pilgrims:

‘I thought you might like to see the fishermen who now have their characters more clearly identified in their faces. Also, I’ve brought more detail into Tablet Rock at the back as that is such a well known landmark in the context of the story.

Next on the left hand side of the painting is to work on the hogshead salt barrels to bring them into line with the rest of the painting - more paint, more colour, more depth.’

 

28. Weymouth, the new Plymouth?

Weymouth Harbour, Dorset, UK

Image credit: Jurassic Coast Trust

Editing The Primrose, my local museum’s magazine, with an eye on the links between our little town of Budleigh Salterton and the wider world, I like planning ahead. The current year is understandably much taken up with Mayflower 400 and Plymouth.

Looking beyond, reflecting on the period of the Great Migration to America between 1620 and 1640 I’m well aware that a dozen or so New England communities will be marking over the next 20 years the 400^th anniversaries of their founding.

Not all the early American settlers set sail from Plymouth of course, or even from Devon.    

Town Hall, Weymouth, Massachusetts, built in 1928 as a replica of the Old State House, Boston. 

Image credit: Marc N. Belanger

The town of Weymouth in the neighbouring county of Dorset was an important port of departure for migrants to the New World. They founded its equivalent there when the colony of Wessagusset was renamed as Weymouth, Massachusetts in 1635, just as Devon’s Plymouth has its sister-town in that American state.  

I counted at least ten separate ships which sailed with passengers from Weymouth to America between 1623 and 1635. Historian Dr Anne Collier, a local resident, describes it as a ‘hot spot’ with ‘deep ties to the US’.  

Portrait of Rev. John White, from the U.K. National Portrait Gallery John White after Unknown artist woodcut, late 17th century. Described by many as the founder of Massachusetts, though he never travelled to America, White appointed East Budleigh man Roger Conant to supervise the Cape Ann fishing station   

Weymouth has some interesting connections to the Conant story, not least because, as the port nearest to Dorset’s county town, it was the obvious point of departure for voyages organised by the Dorchester Company under the direction of the Rev John White (1575-1648), to set up the fishing station at Cape Ann.

17th century illustration of a Newfoundland fishing station 

White, a Puritan minister and rector of Holy Trinity Church, Dorchester, had been captivated by the idea of setting up a fishing industry in the New World which would create an economic boom in the West Country. 

John Conant, a fellow-Puritan, Dorchester Company investor and vicar of the village of Lymington, near Yeovil in Somerset, made a helpful suggestion: his brother Roger Conant, a salter, had emigrated to New Plymouth in 1623 and might make a good manager for the Company’s affairs at Cape Ann.  

A detailed account of these events has been given by Gloucester historian Mary Ellen Lepionka at https://conant400.blogspot.com/2020/01/roger-conant-on-cape-ann-part-i.html

Thomas Gardner (c.1592-1674), the original supervisor of the fishing station before being succeeded by Conant, is thought to have been born in Weymouth and it seems likely that the Cape Ann fishermen would similarly have been local men.  Like Conant, Thomas Gardner is known as one of the ‘Old Planters’ who ended up living at Salem Village, later to become Beverly.

There’s no proof however that either Roger Conant or his brother Christopher set out from Weymouth. In fact, of the pair, only Christopher is recorded as being a passenger on the Ann, a ship which sailed from London, arriving in Plymouth MA in 1623. It’s assumed that Roger may have travelled with him or soon after. 

When the Dorchester Company failed and was reborn as the Massachusetts Bay Company, it was from Weymouth that the ships the Amity and the Abigail sailed  in 1625/6 and 1628 to set up plantations at Salem.

Bicton Old Church, Devon, 1795, viewed from south. Watercolour by Rev John Swete (1752-1821)  

Devon Record Office 

Bicton Old Church, Bicton Park Botanical Garden  

Only the chancel and tower of the former building survive.

© Copyright Christine Matthews  

Weymouth’s name turns up again in connection with the hamlet of Bicton, just a few miles from Conant’s home village of East Budleigh. This time, in 1635, it was the point of departure for the New World for members of the Upham family, whose importance as an American dynasty was as great as the Conants.

Those 19^th century scholars, descended from the original settlers, who chronicled the lives and achievements of their ancestors, had an energy and pride in their family heritage which astonishes us today - we who have the most up to date genealogical data available at the touch of a keyboard. 

F.K. Upham’s 573-page volume published in 1892, recording the history of his family from earliest times, almost matched F.O. Conant’s 640-page survey of the Conant dynasty which had appeared in 1887.      

The grave of John Upham in the Old Burying Ground, Malden MA    https://www.geni.com

The Upham family’s East Devon roots have been traced back as far as Oliver de Upham, born at Bicton around 1447.  In 1635, Deacon John Upham (1597-1681), son of Richard Upham (1556-1635/6) sailed from Weymouth on 20 March, arriving in Boston on 6 May 1635. 

The family consisted of  Deacon John and his wife Elizabeth (1602-71), together with their children John (1628-77), Nathaniel (1630-61) and Elizabeth (1632-1706). Also in the group were Deacon John’s sisters Joane (1591-1668), Sarah (c.1609-after 1665) and Judith (1621-94).  Joane was accompanied by her husband Robert Martin (c.1591-1660), together with Robert’s brothers Abraham (1589-1670), and Isaac (1591-1660).     

Seal of the city of Malden MA 

Deacon John and his family settled in Malden, north of Boston, after moving from Weymouth MA

The Uphams were among 21 families sometimes referred to as the Hull Company who came to America under the guidance of Rev. Joseph Hull (1595-1665). The name of their ship is unknown, but perhaps it was the Hopewell, which made two transatlantic voyages in 1635; the following year, Joseph Hull named his son Hopewell (1636-93).

American visitors Agnes and George Martin, with Fairlynch Museum volunteer Sheila Jelley

Sir Walter Raleigh is more prominent in Budleigh’s story than the Conant and Upham families, but back in 2013 in the local Fairlynch Museum I met George and Agnes Martin from Chicago who were keen to discover any trace of Robert Martin, the husband of Joane Upham.

The logo designed for the 400th anniversary celebrations to be held in Gloucester MA in 2023

This enormous monumental plaque, located inside Stage Fort Park, Gloucester MA, is dedicated to the early settlers of the area, and to the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The inscription reads: 'Here in 1625 Gov. Roger Conant by wise diplomacy averted bloodshed between contending factions one led by Myles Standish of Plymouth the other by Capt Hewes. A notable example of arbitration in the beginnings of New England. Placed by the Citizens of Gloucester 1907'

With Gloucester in Massachusetts already planning its 400^th anniversary celebrations for 2023, mindful of its association with Roger Conant and the Rev John White, it’s understandable that the American city should be thinking of adding Gloucester UK and Dorchester UK to its guest list for that year, along with their New England ‘twins’. 

The Tudor House Museum, in Weymouth, Dorset, often simply known as Tudor House, is an early 17th-century building, which remains a museum and one of the UK's best preserved Tudor buildings.  

And perhaps Weymouth, which saw so many West Country people depart from its harbour on the Jurassic Coast, should be added, along with its own namesake from the other side of 'The Pond'.

You can access other posts on this blog by going to the Blog Archive (under the ‘About Me’ section), and clicking on the appropriate heading.

  

27. The Salter’s Song

In sixteen hundred and twenty-three,

A miller’s son from East Budleigh

Did wish his family ‘Au revoir!

I’m off to find America.’

In London town he’d learnt his trade:

As salter he had made the grade.

Now Roger Conant was his name;

We think he needs a bit more fame.

His wife called Sarah joined the ship

With baby Caleb on the trip.

They sailed across the ocean deep.

I don’t suppose they had much sleep.

And finally at Plymouth Bay,

Where previous Pilgrims showed the way,

The Conant family came ashore.

The year was sixteen twenty-four.  

Now Roger’s skill was salting fish

To make a palatable dish.

For just in case you have forgotten,

No fridges meant your food went rotten.

Just north of Plymouth is Cape Ann.

In Dorchester they had a plan

To make the place a fishing port

And maybe even build a fort.  

And Roger was named supervisor.

People said ‘There is none wiser!’

It was indeed a job promotion,

With splendid outlook on the ocean.

A major problem did occur,

For Plymouth’s Pilgrims furious were.

Their Captain Standish did arrive.

The year was sixteen twenty-five.

This man was noted for his ire.

‘Be gone!’ he said. ‘I’ll open fire!

That fishing stage is ours by right.

We will not hesitate to fight!’

The fishermen denied access.

It could have been a bloody mess.

But Roger Conant saved the day.

His wise words halted the affray.

Conciliation in his view

Was always better than a stew.

Diplomacy, a path to peace,

Will cause all stupid wars to cease.  

In Massachusetts he’s renowned,

For this Devonian did found

A city where his statue’s fame

Does almost match the city’s name.

This local hero, worthy chap,

Deserves, we feel, a special clap.

These verses surely do attest:

‘Peacemakers are most truly blest.’

 © Michael Downes 2020

With apologies to Gloucester historian Mary Ellen Lepionka for allowing artistic license to win over historical accuracy! 

The photo shows the commemorative plaque in Gloucester, Massachusetts, which records the historic event

You can access other posts on this blog by going to the Blog Archive (under the ‘About Me’ section), and clicking on the appropriate heading.

26. Conant 400’s link to ‘the birthplace of American independence’!

The Town Seal of Ipswich, Massachusetts

Plymouth, Gloucester, Beverly, Budleigh… what do they all have in common? Well, they’re all obviously names of English towns or villages which are shared with communities in America. Of course you knew that!

Hayes Barton Cafe and Dessertery, Raleigh NC

It was a surprise to me to discover that a district in the city of Raleigh in the state of North Carolina is named after the birthplace of Sir Walter Raleigh in Devon. There’s even another district in the same American city, known as the ‘City of Oaks’, which is named Hayes Barton. Both districts are of course exclusive and house prices are famously high!

Moving on from Sir Walter to his less famous Budleigh-born figure from the past, it’s obvious that all those places I mentioned have a link to Roger Conant.  Beverly is where he died in 1679.

Hart House Tavern, 51 Linebrook Road, Ipswich, built circa 1680 or earlier  Image credit: Swampyank

And now, thanks to one of his descendants, I know that we can add another historic Massachusetts town to our list of communities associated with the early New England settler famed for his attitude of ‘tolerance and conciliation’. Jonathan David Conant is descended from Roger’s grandson Lot, who moved in 1717 from Beverly to Ipswich, where Jonathan is currently a pastor.

The John Whipple House, built by Captain John Whipple (c.1617-85), and dating from 1677 

‘There are no less than five historic Conant houses at the end of Linebrook Road in Ipswich and historical archives full of charming anecdotes,’ he told me after discovering Conant 400 online. ‘A bucket list of mine is to visit East Budleigh, and I was so excited to find your group on Facebook!’

Cottages at Little Neck and Crane's Hill, Ipswich, MA; from a 1920 postcard

I was equally delighted to add Jonathan to our list of history enthusiasts who receive Conant 400 bulletins by email. He tells us that he loves all things New England and is an avid fan of the Patriots – the New England professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. He also enjoys hunting, fishing, playing racquetball, working on cars, discussing theology, spiritual formation and mental health issues, and singing Renaissance choral music.

Portrait of Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor John Winthrop (1588-1649).  It was held in the Winthrop family until the 19th century, when it was donated to the American Antiquarian Society.

The coastal town of Ipswich was founded in 1634 by John Winthrop the Younger, son of Governor John Winthrop who had sailed from England to America in 1630 with his flagship the Arbella - a ship whose name I will be writing about in due course. The town’s nickname – ‘the birthplace of American independence’ – arose from a protest by Ipswich residents, led by the Reverend John Wise against a tax imposed by the governor, Sir Edmund Andros, in 1687.

Our Conant 400 Group look forward to welcoming Jonathan and any other descendants of Roger Conant to our beautiful and historic East Devon in the years ahead, including of course 2023 when we will mark the 400^th anniversary of his arrival in America. 

You can access other posts on this blog by going to the Blog Archive (under the ‘About Me’ section), and clicking on the appropriate heading.

13. Past and Present: Seeking a Promised Land of sunlit uplands and meadows

 

'Sunlit meadows and uplands' – perhaps there's even a pot of gold?  Rainbow on the South Downs, Sussex, England  
Image credit: Antiquary

As we draw close to the last month of the year we can look beyond the gloom of Winter and anticipate more cheerful times.  Finally the people of this country will glimpse the ‘sunlit uplands and meadows’ that so many individuals have promised.

Individuals who include, as I’ve discovered, politicians as varied and as revered as statesmen Winston Churchill and Ronald Reagan, along with lesser politicians whose names have been so familiar in recent times. You can google this rather hackneyed phrase to see who they are!

Embarkation of the Pilgrims 1857, by Robert W. Weir 
Protestant pilgrims are shown on the deck of the ship Speedwell before their departure for the New World from Delft Haven, Holland, on July 22, 1620.

(Photograph courtesy Architect of the Capitol)  

Helping in a museum as I do, I tend to notice various anniversaries of events from the past. Like the approach of Mayflower 400 next year. 

My thoughts have been turning towards other pilgrims from East Devon who sought freedom in the Promised Land of the New World.  

Three years after the Pilgrim Fathers, East Budleigh-born Roger Conant left his homeland to make the perilous journey across the Atlantic with his family. 

Seal of the City of Salem. With a merchant dressed in colourful robes standing next to palm trees on an island, and a ship in the background under full sail, the seal represents Salem’s spice trade history  

Roger Conant is celebrated for founding the American city of Salem, Massachusetts, which is already planning to mark its 400^th anniversary in 2026.  However hardly anyone in his birthplace knows about him. 

There is, by the way, no connection between the city of Salem and East Budleigh's 18th century Salem Chapel.  'Salem' simply means 'Peace'.

Many of us can recognise Sir Walter Raleigh, East Budleigh’s other local hero. This painting, on display in the village's All Saints Church, is a copy of one of the numerous portraits painted in his lifetime. But of Roger Conant there is only this statue, right, dating from 1913, standing outside the Witch Museum in Salem; it's based on how the sculptor Henry Kitson imagined he would have looked.  

Like Sir Walter Raleigh, Roger was brought up as a Protestant in a country still racked by conflict between people with different and fiercely held religious views. 

Research into his life inevitably led me to re-read the story of the English Reformation, and I was struck by parallels between his time and ours.

It all began, so they say, in 1534 with King Henry VIII’s Act of Supremacy. "Break free from the Tyranny of Rome!"  "Leave its corrupt and greedy Church!"  "Deliver true Independence and guarantee Sovereignty for our Great Nation!" are some of the clarion calls that the Government might have used to sway the populace. 

Such seductive language.  So many wonderful promises to the People of this Great Country. 

 

Top: King Henry VIII and his Lord Chancellor Thomas More, executed on the King's orders in 1535. Both paintings by Hans Holbein the Younger; below, the image shows King Henry II who similarly fell out with Thomas à Becket 

Not everyone believed the Government of course. Thomas More, a ‘Remainer’ loyal to the Catholic Church, refused to obey his King and paid the ultimate price.  Just as his namesake, as Archbishop of Canterbury, had opposed King Henry II.

The bridge at Clyst St Mary, south of Exeter, scene of a bloody encounter between opposing religious forces

 And other ‘Remainers’ would follow his example. Thousands of them were slaughtered in the Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549, many of them only a few miles from us at Clyst St Mary. 

During the reign of Queen ‘Bloody Mary’ it was the turn of the ‘Leavers’  to sacrifice their lives for their Protestant faith. Poor Agnes Prest was burned at the stake in 1557 at Southernhay, Exeter, as shown in this bronze panel sculpted by Harry Hems in 1909. The memorial is located on the corner of the city's Denmark Road and Barnfield Road.  

And so it went on, for many many years. "We're faithful to the One True Holy and Apostolic Church!"  screamed the 'Remainers', even as they were being tortured to death. "Traitors!" shrieked the others. "Leave means Leave! Get over it."  

The St Bartholomew's Day Massacre, August 1572, by the Huguenot painter Francois Dubois: Catholic 'Remainers' in France take revenge on Protestant 'Leavers', also known as Huguenots  

Of course compared with France's Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants during the 16th century England was relatively stable. That was surely thanks to the wise and clever Queen Elizabeth I who steered a middle path in religion between the fanatics of both sides.  

She shared the attitude of our own equally sensible Sir Walter Raleigh; as a boy he had seen the horrors of the conflict in France for himself. "The greatest and most grievous calamity that can come to any state is civil war", he would write in his 'History of the World', published in 1614.

When Stuarts succeeded Tudors and when a calamitous English Civil War did finally break out later that century it was for a variety of reasons, but religion certainly played a part. The Restoration of 1660 under King Charles II brought peace but did not heal matters.

It didn't help when the extraordinarily manipulative conman Titus Oates - later known as 'Titus the Liar' - threw the country into hysteria with his wild assertions of a 'Popish plot'. He accused Catholic 'Remainers' of conspiring to kill the King: by 1681 at least 15 innocent men had been found guilty and executed before Oates was exposed as a complete fraud. 

And then, finally, on 5 November 1688 — a day already special in the national calendar — the staunchly Protestant William of Orange landed in Devon with an army of 14,000 and the Catholic Stuart King James II was expelled in the ‘Glorious Revolution’.  

But fear of 'Remainers', seen as 'enemies of the People', persisted. Nearly a century later more anti-Catholic hysteria swept the Nation in the Gordon Riots. On 2 June 1780, a mob estimated at between 40,000 and 60,000 took to the streets in London and marched on the Houses of Parliament. The army was called out and over 280 rioters were shot dead, with 200 or so wounded.   

Chaucer's Friar from his Canterbury Tales

Of course it’s too simple to quote dates in these matters. Discontent had been simmering for centuries before Henry VIII’s break with Rome. Think of the Lollards, John Wycliffe and Chaucer’s satire of the Catholic Church in his Canterbury Tales. And I won't mention Northern Ireland.

It just shows that there is nothing new under the sun. And that researching the past and understanding the mistakes that people have made may help us enjoy happier lives in the future.

You can access other posts on this blog by going to the Blog Archive (under the ‘About Me’ section), and clicking on the appropriate heading.