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William Claxon

Mayor of Oxford 1701/2

William Claxon (or Clackson/Claxton) (c.1650–1711) was an Oxford upholsterer, whose property was on part of the site of the present market. At the time of the 1667 poll tax assessment he appears to have been the apprentice of Edmond Truston.

In the 25 years between 1674 and 1698 Claxon and his wife Mary had twenty children. They had them baptised at the Church of St Mary the Virgin (their home parish), but buried the eight who died in infancy at St Ebbe’s Church, where there may have been a family vault:

  1. Mary (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 2 August 1674)
  2. William (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 17 September 1676, buried at St Ebbe’s on 16 May 1678)
  3. John I (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 9 September 1677, buried at St Ebbe’s on 17 February 1679/80)
  4. Ann (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 23 March 1678/9)
  5. Joan I (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 5 September 1678, buried at St Ebbe’s on 29 September 1678)
  6. John II (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 15 Febuary 1679/80, buried at St Ebbe’s on 13 November 1680)
  7. Richard (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 16 January 1680/1, buried at St Ebbe’s in February 1680/1)
  8. Susanna (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 15 January 1681/2)
  9. John III (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 28 January 1682, buried at St Ebbe’s in April 1683)
  10. Elizabeth I (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 4 May 1684, buried at St Ebbe’s in May 1685)
  11. Joan II (baptised 3 May 1685, buried buried at St Ebbe’s in September 1685)
  12. Alice (baptised 18 July 1686)
  13. Thomas (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 27 November 1687, buried at St Ebbe’s in March 1687/8)
  14. James (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 25 August 1689)
  15. Bridget (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 30 November 1690)
  16. Jane (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 21 December 1691)
  17. Catherine (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 12 March 1692/3)
  18. Elizabeth II (baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 15 April 1694)
  19. Joan III (born 15 October, baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 26 October 1696)
  20. Sarah (born 12 January, baptised at St Mary the Virgin on 12 February 1698/9).

Claxon was first selected to sit on the Common Council in September 1680. In 1682 he was chosen City Chamberlain; in 1686 Senior Bailiff; and in 1688 Money-master.

On 24 May 1695 he was fined 5s. along with two other for "leaving the house without the Mayor’s permission". The next year he was elected Keykeeper.

Claxon took on John Dew of Marston as an apprentice in March 1696. In that year he paid tax on ten windows in a property in the parish of St Mary the Virgin.

In September 1700 Claxon was elected one of the Mayor’s Assistants, and on 15 September 1701 he was made Mayor, selecting George Coxhead as his Child. He proposed John Hurst as senior chamberlain, but he was turned down by the Common Council. On 1 December Claxon was also elected an Alderman, taking his oaths and paying £10 according to custom to one of the keykeepers, and giving a purse with "a broad piece of gold in it" to the macebearer. According to custom, Alderman Claxon attended the banquet at the Coronation of Queen Anne in the role of butler on 23 April 1702, and was knighted on the occasion.

Sir William Claxon, as he now was, took on Thomas Biggs, son of a gentleman of Cuddesdon, as an apprentice in May 1701 and the only survivor of his seven sons, James, in September 1704.

Claxon was buried at St Ebbe’s Church on 4 January 1711/12. His son James died at the age of 30 and was buried with him on 27 September 1719, and Lady Claxon on 25 January 1724/5.

See also:

  • Malcolm Graham, Oxford City Apprentices 1697–1800, entries numbered 11, 226, and 411
  • PCC Will PROB 11/525 (Will of Sir William Clarkson [sic] of Oxford, proved 18 February 1712)

© Stephanie Jenkins

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Last updated: 6 August, 2009