Henry Southam
Mayor of Oxford 1629/30 and 1637/8
Henry Southam (or Sowtham) (c.1584–1659) was originally an Oxford glover. He was apprenticed to Ralph Tomlinson and was admitted free on 4 October 1605. His shop was on the site of 120 High Street (now the easter side of the NatWest bank) in All Saints parish. From 1641 he was an innholder at the Bear Inn.
Southam’s first wife was Margaret Turnore, whom he married at St Giles' Church on 28 June 1607. They had the following children:
- Alice I (baptised at All Saints Church on 13 February 1607/8, buried there on 18 November 1608)
- Alice II (baptised at All Saints Church on 14 April 1609, and probably the Alice Southam who was buried there on 3 April 1627)
- Anne (baptised at All Saints Church on 18 March 1612)
- Possibly Elizabeth (someone of this name buried at All Saints Church on 7 October 1612).
Southam was elected on to the Common Council in September 1612, and was made a Chamberlain one year later.
On 3 June 1616 a meeting was held at the Town Clerk’s house at Carfax of the Mayor and four of his inner council about a "controversie between Mr Henry Southam, Master of the Company of the Glovers, and Mr William Bland, a brother of the said Company, concerning some outrage in words by the said Mr Southam during the tyme of his Maistership". Bland was sent to the Bocardo prison until he should acknowledge his offence and agree to the fine imposed by the Company of Glovers.
On 12 August 1616 Southam was awarded a Bailiff’s place on the Council, paying 50s., and just a month later on 16 September he was appointed Senior Bailiff. On 11 October 1619 he was appointed one of the two fair-masters.
On 10 September 1622 Southam’s apprentice, William Talley, was admitted free.
On 9 December 1626 "Margaret Southam, wife of Henry" was buried at All Saints Church. Another Margaret Southam was buried there four months later on 25 April 1627, and this may have been their child.
On 12 October 1626 Southam was appointed one of the two money-masters for two years and on 14 June 1627 was admitted on to the Mayor’s Council "by a farr major part of voices", taking his oath and paying his £5 fine.
On 14 September 1629 Southam was elected Mayor for the first time, selecting John Smith as his child.
According to Anthony Wood (City of Oxford III: 218), on 20 February 1630/1 Southam’s daughter Anne married William Wright the younger, son of Martin Wright and future Recorder of Oxford, at St Cross Church (although both parties were described as being of All Saints parish).
In September 1631 Southam was chosen as one of the four people appointed to see that tools and instruments of punishment for the idle were provided at the City’s charge at the house of correction. By this time he is described as a "gentleman", and held the lease of various city properties including one on part of the site now occupied by the Sheldonian Theatre.
In January 1634 Southam was made a Commissioner of the barges and in April 1637 was elected Alderman (for the North West ward), paying £10.
Southam married his second wife, Ann Matthews at St Michael’s Church on 8 June 1635, and their daughter Mary was baptised there on 21 April 1639. (There is also a Robert Southam, likely to be his brother, who married in the same church in the same year and had children in that parish.)
In September 1637 the person elected Mayor was too infirm to serve and Southam was elected for a second term, choosing William Gough as his Chamberlain.
On 8 January 1641 Southam was granted one of the three city wine licences. In August 1643 he was elected Coroner, and in that year he gave £10 to the city towards the £520 presented to King Charles I after the Battle of Edgehill.
Southam’s third wife was Margaret, and her age at her death indicates that she was born in 1612 (making her about 28 years younger than Southam).
On 14 September 1646 his apprentice Richard Harbert was admitted free.
In 1648 Southam paid 9s. 6d. subsidy on a property in All Saints parish, namely the Bear at 123–5 High Street, as well as seven shillings on a property in St Thomas’s.
On 3 November 1652 Southam’s third wife, Margaret, died (at the age of 50, according to Anthony Wood): the burial register of All Saints for 1652 reads: "Margaret, wife of Henry, alderman, in the Church 4 November".
Southam soon married a fourth wife, Jane.
On 10 October 1656 Southam’s servant William Gibbins was admitted free.
Southam died on 16 March 1658/9 and was buried at All Saints Church (the register for this year is missing). He was survived by his last wife, Jane, and just one child: Mrs Anne Wright). In his will of 1657 he left the Bear Inn to his friends Richard Harris of South Stoke, William Barber of South Stoke, Richard Croke of Oxford, and William Wright the younger.
Southam’s widow Jane died on 28 December 1664 and was buried at All Saints Church two days later (but was still listed in 1665 as paying tax on four hearths in All Saints parish).
Monument to Henry Southam
Anthony Wood describes Southam’s monument in All Saints Church thus. He appears to have conflated the two wives called Margaret as one:
On a larg freestone monument (breat high), joyning to the north side of the steple, are these inscriptions on brass plates:–
Here lyeth the body of Henry Southam, alderman and twice mayor of this city, who departed this life the 10 of March an. 1659
This is put downe false, for he dyed 16 March 1658 <i.e. 8/9>. Armes are "sable, 3 arrows with their points downward argent".
Here lyeth the body of Margaret Southam, second wife of Henry Southam alderman of this city, who departed this life the 3 of Novemb. in the yeare of our Lord 1652.
Neare adjacent lyeth the body of Jane Southam, the third wife and widdow of the said Henry Southam, who departed this life 28 of Decemb. an. d. 1664.
Southam left 18s. 4d. a year for prayers and a sermon at All Saints Church on Trinity Monday (the election and feast day of the glovers' company): this "Glovers' Sermon" was still preached in 1844. He also gave £40, the interest to provide 6s 4d for the poor of All Saints parish and other sums for church purposes.
Southam’s widow Jane left £8 to All Saints to provide money for charity.
The burial register of All Saints records the benefactions of the Southams:
The names of ye benefactors to ye Parish of All Saints in ye City of Oxford before ye Church fel down in ye year 1699 as it was taken out of the table of benefactions yt was then hanging on ye Church are as follows, viz. … Mr Henry Southam Alderman £40.0.0, Mrs Jane Southam £8.0.0.
See also:
- PCC Will PROB 11/301 (Will of Henry Sowtham, Alderman of Oxford, proved 28 August 1660)