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Kirkman, John (1741-1780) of College Hill, London. b. 1741 son of Joseph
Kirkman, silkman, of Coventry and London. m.
Maria, daughter and coh. of Robert Marsh, sometime governor of the
Bank of England. John Kirkman was an alderman of
London from 1768 until his death. He died on 19th September 1780,
six hours before the close of the poll, his name was
returned as one of the duly elected members of the House of Commons.
[I don't know if that was the first time ever that a dead person was
elected to the House of Commons, but it surely is
interesting!]
[no source, added to web page 9-AUG-1999]
I'm interested because I have a reference to the same John Kirkman in
one of the family trees I have concerning Kirkmans
from Twyford (Twyford is in Derbyshire, England, not far from Leicestershire
where most of my ancestors come from) The
information is:
John Kirkman b1719, son of John Kirkman (b1680) and Mary Bowler.
John and Mary's grave is in St Andrews Churchyard, Twyford.
John Kirkman (b1719) is probably the Kirkman referred to referred to
in the introductory note on page 57 of the Twyford
Parish (1657 to 1812) Register at the Derby Public Records Office:
"Amongst notable families mentioned are the Kirkmans of Twyford of whom
it is related that one family had three boys
with only one hat, in consequence of which only one could go out
of doors at a time. One went to London about 1780 and
became Lord Major, and was knighted"
The library at the London Guildhall (tel 0171 606 3030) who provided the following information:
There were no Kirkman Lord Mayors of London in the eighteenth century.
However, one John Kirkman was elected to be an
Alderman (this is a senior council member) for the district of Cheape
in the City of London in 1768. He subsequently
became Sheriff Elect in 1780, but died before he could begin his term
of office. The office of Sheriff is an essential
precursor to becoming Lord Mayor. Since many Lord Majors are knighted,
perhaps the desire became the reality in local
folklore. The same John Kirkman was also a member of the of Fishmongers
Company. There are many such clubs in London,
which are normally the preserve of rich or dignitaries. This doesn't
necessarily mean he was a fishmonger, even at that date.
(Source - Guildhall Library, London).
Further information could be obtained from the Corporation Records Office
tel 0171 332 1251.
[Tony Kirkman, added to web page 23-Aug-1999]
The following copy document came into my hands the other day.
Alderman John Kirkman - Description of Burial
25th September 1780 - The corpse of Alderman Kirkman, who died at Margate
on Friday sennight, was brought in a private manner yesterday about 3 o'clock
as far as the obelisk in St George's Fields, it was met there by the Gentlemen
of the Military Associations and conducted to Blackfriars Bridge where
the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, City Marshals joined the procession. They proceeded
from thence through Cheapside to the Church of Bassishaw
(?) for internment in the following order.
Four Staff Men on Horseback
Trumpets sounding the Horse dead March
A Quarter Master
Twelve Horse Volunteers
An Officer
Leading
Mr Sampriere - Mr Kirkman's Horse - Mr Herriers
Board of Feathers
Pall Bearers - Hearse - Pall Bearers
Mr Fieldham --------- -Mr Barkleigh
Mr Dunlop-------------Mr Ewer
Light Horse Volunteers
An Officer
The Chief Mourner's Coach
Two other mourning coaches
Lord Mayor and Aldermen
The Election Committee
Sundry carriages and friends.
The concourse of people assembled on this occassion were the greatest
ever known. Bridge Street was lined on both sides with the Military Association,
Gentlemen and on each side the road leading to the Bridge were four ranks
of coaches filled with spectators, the windows of all the houses, house
tops, ridges and every elevation that could command the least view of this
magnificent procession, were crowded with people. The whole was conducted
with the greatest decency, and we hear without any accident.
------OoO------
Died
15th Sept 1780
John Kirkman Esquire, Silkman in Friday Street, Alderman of Cheap Ward,
Colonel of the Warwickshire Militia and Sheriff Elect.
------OoO------
20 September 1780
This morning the Lord Mayor held a Wardnote (?) at Guildhall for the
election of an Alderman for the Ward of Cheap in the room of John Kirkman
Esquire, deceased when William Crighton Esqire West India Merchant, was
chosen without opposition; after he thanked the Gentlemen of the Ward for
the honour they had conferred on him, and said that it should be his constant
study to support the rights and privileges of the City of London, and he
would always be steady and
constant in discharging the Office he had the honour of having conferred
on him. Since that he has been chosen Sheriff for the year ensuing.
------OoO------
[Extracted from The Lady's Magazine For the year 1780 Vol XI.]
[Stephen Kirkman, added to web page 04-Sep-1999]