Andrew Clench
Encyclopedia
Andrew Clench, M.D. (died 1692), was an English physician.
Clench was descended from the family of that name seated in Suffolk
. He was created M.D. at Cambridge
by royal mandate on 29 March 1671, was admitted a candidate of the College of Physicians on 22 December 1677, and a fellow on 23 December 1680. He had become a fellow of the Royal Society
on 22 April in the last-named year.
Clench resided in Brownlow Street, Holborn
. He was murdered between nine and eleven o'clock on the night of Monday, 4 January 1692. 'This week,' writes Evelyn, 'a most execrable murder was committed on Dr. Clench, father of that extraordinary learned child whom I have before noticed. Under pretence of carrying him in a coach to see a patient, they strangled him in it, and sending away the coachman under some pretence, they left his dead body in the coach, and escaped in the dusk of the evening'.
A swindler named Henry Harrison, to whose mistress Clench had lent money, was convicted of the murder and hanged on 15 April 1692. By his wife Rose, Clench had two sons, Edmund and John. From his will, we learn that he died possessed of property in Norfolk, of the manor and advowson
of Monk Soham
, Suffolk, and the lordship of Blomvile's or Woodcroft Hall in the same parish. Evelyn has left a charming account of Clench's gifted son referred to above, who, when Evelyn saw him, was not twelve years old. It is gratifying to know that no pressure was brought to bear upon him, and that he usually played amongst other boys four or five hours every day, and that he was as earnest at his play as at his study'.
Clench was descended from the family of that name seated in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. He was created M.D. at Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
by royal mandate on 29 March 1671, was admitted a candidate of the College of Physicians on 22 December 1677, and a fellow on 23 December 1680. He had become a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
on 22 April in the last-named year.
Clench resided in Brownlow Street, Holborn
Holborn
Holborn is an area of Central London. Holborn is also the name of the area's principal east-west street, running as High Holborn from St Giles's High Street to Gray's Inn Road and then on to Holborn Viaduct...
. He was murdered between nine and eleven o'clock on the night of Monday, 4 January 1692. 'This week,' writes Evelyn, 'a most execrable murder was committed on Dr. Clench, father of that extraordinary learned child whom I have before noticed. Under pretence of carrying him in a coach to see a patient, they strangled him in it, and sending away the coachman under some pretence, they left his dead body in the coach, and escaped in the dusk of the evening'.
A swindler named Henry Harrison, to whose mistress Clench had lent money, was convicted of the murder and hanged on 15 April 1692. By his wife Rose, Clench had two sons, Edmund and John. From his will, we learn that he died possessed of property in Norfolk, of the manor and advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
of Monk Soham
Monk Soham
Monk Soham is a civil parish in the English county of Suffolk, four miles north east of Debenham and six miles north west of Framlingham.In 1868, the parish was recorded as "wholly agricultural"....
, Suffolk, and the lordship of Blomvile's or Woodcroft Hall in the same parish. Evelyn has left a charming account of Clench's gifted son referred to above, who, when Evelyn saw him, was not twelve years old. It is gratifying to know that no pressure was brought to bear upon him, and that he usually played amongst other boys four or five hours every day, and that he was as earnest at his play as at his study'.