Sir Edmond Bell (Knight)
Encyclopedia
Sir Edmond Bell Of Castle Acre
and Beaupre Hall
, Norfolk. (b. 7 April 1562 – Dec 1607-(will proved 8 February) 1608). He was a MP
of Aldeburgh
, Justice of the Peace
for Norfolk
c. 1599, Knighted 1603.
, Of Outwell/Upwell, Norfolk, and Catherine Bedingfield. He was probably educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge.
The first mention of Edmonde Bell, dates from 1567, where he is found recorded in his Grandfather's will, who bequeaths certain property to him, "books of law and Greek." Speculating in cursory detail concerning his early childhood and development, at first glance one would imagine that as heir and first borne of Sir Robert's eight children, he would have benefited in a greater capacity by his fathers influence, however, the time and attention necessary with acquiring this knowledge from his father would have been hindered as a result of the commitments that were competing for his fathers time and energy. It is likely that by age fifteen, Edmonde had been partially prepared and fashioned for a career in his family's profession, when he suffered the loss of his father from the terminal effects of Gaol fever. The following year, his mother married Sir John Peyton, a man whose military career was highly esteemed. Peyton, appears to have developed a closer relationship with Edmond's younger brother Robert,... who was groomed as a soldier and later become a Captain of a Company in the low countries. Around this time, Edmonde may have been busily engaged abroad in pursuit of his academic career at the university level.
, where he was active in mercantile affairs, "investing heavily in privatering", specifically, the building of ships (gunboats) that incorporated advances in Naval Architecture
. These investments did not prove lucrative, however, and perhaps were forfeited, in part as a consequence of the Spanish invasion of 1588, where Bells' Naval assets may have been sacrificed in service to the Crown. Following this period he is found tenaciously engaged as one of the commissioners entrusted with draining the fens, which eventually proved a success. He was knighted by King James I, on Friday the 13th of May 1603 together with ten others including, William Dethick
, Garter King of Arms.
1. Anne daughter of Peter Osborne, (1521–1592), keeper of the privy purse
to King Edward VI and Anne (d. 1615), daughter of Dr John Blythe, regis professor of physics at Cambridge, and niece of Sir John Cheke.
2. Muriel daughter of Sir Thomas Knyvett
, of Ashwellthorpe, 4th Baron Berners
and Muriel Parry daughter of Sir Thomas Parry
and Anne Reade.
(Ancestors of the House of Windsor
)
Through the marriage of Muriel daughter of Thomas Knyvett:
Castle Acre
Castle Acre is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is situated on the River Nar some north of the town of Swaffham...
and Beaupre Hall
Beaupré Hall
Beaupré Hall was a large 16th century house mainly of brick, which was built by the Beaupres in Outwell, Norfolk, England and enlarged by their successors the Bells. - shown on this . like many of Britains's country houses it was demolished in the mid-twentieth century.-History of the Hall:The...
, Norfolk. (b. 7 April 1562 – Dec 1607-(will proved 8 February) 1608). He was a MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
of Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh is a coastal town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England. Located on the River Alde, the town is notable for its Blue Flag shingle beach and fisherman huts where freshly caught fish are sold daily, and the Aldeburgh Yacht Club...
, Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
c. 1599, Knighted 1603.
Early life
He was born the first son and heir of Sir Robert Bell and Dorthie daughter of Edmonde BeaupreBeaupre
Beaupre is a primarily Catholic family that lives mostly in northern New England and Michigan.The history of the Beaupre family can be accurately traced to about AD 1045 to 1050...
, Of Outwell/Upwell, Norfolk, and Catherine Bedingfield. He was probably educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge.
The first mention of Edmonde Bell, dates from 1567, where he is found recorded in his Grandfather's will, who bequeaths certain property to him, "books of law and Greek." Speculating in cursory detail concerning his early childhood and development, at first glance one would imagine that as heir and first borne of Sir Robert's eight children, he would have benefited in a greater capacity by his fathers influence, however, the time and attention necessary with acquiring this knowledge from his father would have been hindered as a result of the commitments that were competing for his fathers time and energy. It is likely that by age fifteen, Edmonde had been partially prepared and fashioned for a career in his family's profession, when he suffered the loss of his father from the terminal effects of Gaol fever. The following year, his mother married Sir John Peyton, a man whose military career was highly esteemed. Peyton, appears to have developed a closer relationship with Edmond's younger brother Robert,... who was groomed as a soldier and later become a Captain of a Company in the low countries. Around this time, Edmonde may have been busily engaged abroad in pursuit of his academic career at the university level.
Career
By 1583, it is known that he received his patrimony, which included extensive properties throughout Norfolk, and the manor of Castle Acre, where Edmonde dwelled and duly made his family seat. Perhaps this event is timed with his first marriage to Anne Osborne. By 1586, he became MP for AldeburghAldeburgh (UK Parliament constituency)
Aldeburgh was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessor bodies.The town was enfranchised in 1571 as a borough constituency...
, where he was active in mercantile affairs, "investing heavily in privatering", specifically, the building of ships (gunboats) that incorporated advances in Naval Architecture
Naval architecture
Naval architecture is an engineering discipline dealing with the design, construction, maintenance and operation of marine vessels and structures. Naval architecture involves basic and applied research, design, development, design evaluation and calculations during all stages of the life of a...
. These investments did not prove lucrative, however, and perhaps were forfeited, in part as a consequence of the Spanish invasion of 1588, where Bells' Naval assets may have been sacrificed in service to the Crown. Following this period he is found tenaciously engaged as one of the commissioners entrusted with draining the fens, which eventually proved a success. He was knighted by King James I, on Friday the 13th of May 1603 together with ten others including, William Dethick
William Dethick
Sir William Dethick was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was the son of Sir Gilbert Dethick and followed his father as Garter Principal King of Arms...
, Garter King of Arms.
Marriages
Edmonde Bell married:1. Anne daughter of Peter Osborne, (1521–1592), keeper of the privy purse
Privy Purse
The Privy Purse is the British Sovereign's remaining private income, mostly from the Duchy of Lancaster. This amounted to £13.3 million in net income for the year to 31 March 2009. The Duchy is a landed estate of approximately 46,000 acres held in trust for the Sovereign since 1399. It also has...
to King Edward VI and Anne (d. 1615), daughter of Dr John Blythe, regis professor of physics at Cambridge, and niece of Sir John Cheke.
2. Muriel daughter of Sir Thomas Knyvett
Thomas Knyvett, 4th Baron Berners
Thomas Knyvett, 4th Baron Berners was the High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1579.Thomas was the first son of John Knyvett and Agnes the daughter of Sir John Harcourt of Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire. Knyvett was a native of Ashwellthorpe in Norfolk, and married Muriel Parry, the daughter of Sir Thomas...
, of Ashwellthorpe, 4th Baron Berners
Baron Berners
Baron Berners is a title in the Peerage of England.-From creation to first abeyance :The title was created in 1455 for Sir John Bourchier, youngest son of William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu, and younger brother of Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex and William Bourcher, Baron FitzWarine...
and Muriel Parry daughter of Sir Thomas Parry
Thomas Parry (Comptroller of the Household)
Sir Thomas Parry was a Comptroller of the Household to the English Queen Elizabeth I.He was knighted by Elizabeth at her accession in 1558, and held the offices of royal steward, Cofferer, Privy Counselor, Comptroller of the Household , Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries , Member of...
and Anne Reade.
Descendants
Through the marriage of Anne daughter of Peter Osborne:- 1. (Sir) Robert Bell b. 25 February 1587 m. Mary Chester
- 2. Phillip Bell b. 19 June 1590
- 3. Henry Bell b. 9 June 1591 d. 1615
- 4. Peter Bell b. Abt. 1594
- 5. Lady Francis Bell b. Abt 1594 d. 11 April 1627 m. Sir Heneage Finch, Speaker of the House of CommonsSpeaker of the British House of CommonsThe Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
;
(Ancestors of the House of Windsor
House of Windsor
The House of Windsor is the royal house of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V by royal proclamation on the 17 July 1917, when he changed the name of his family from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the English Windsor, due to the anti-German sentiment in the United Kingdom...
)
- 6. Synolphus Bell b. 29 August 1596 d. 1636 m. Martha
- 7. Humphrey Bell b. 5 October 1597 d. Abt. 1654
- 8. Susan Bell b. 15 October 1598 m. Henry Coldwell
- 9. Jane Bell b. 1 October 1599 m. John Ramsay
- 10. Katherine Bell b. 9 October 1601 (2nd wife of) m. 1. Charles Trippe d. 12 JAN. 1623 2. James Hobart b. 23 June 1603 d. 16 July 1643, VIII son of Sir Henry Hobart Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
Through the marriage of Muriel daughter of Thomas Knyvett:
- 11. Edmund Bell (b. abt. 1603-4)
- 12. Richard Bell b. 1605
- 13 ?Bell (b. 1608) posthumous
Sources
- Hasler, P. W., HoP: House of Commons 1558-1603, Edmond Bell entry, HMSO 1981, p. 421
- O'Donoghue, M.P.D., Report, Arms and ‘pe de gree's' of Bell [Sir Robert Bell], 15 August 2005 Coll Arm Ms, The Visitations of Norfolk, 1563, 1589, 1613, Bell. Beaupre., Harl 1552
- Bell, R. R.L., Tudor Bell's Sound Out, Rolls- pb, 7 September 2006, 2nd revision 2008