John Boyce
Mayor of Oxford 1722/3, 1727/8, and 1739/40
John Boyce (d.1755) was an Oxford mercer. He first came on to the Common Council on 30 September 1703.
In March 1706 Boyce took on John Crooke as his apprentice. In September 1706 hge was elected Junior Chamberlain, and in September 1709 Senior Bailiff.
On 21 February 1718 and again on 21 July, Boyce was fined a shilling for coming to a council meeting without his gown.
In 1719 Boyce was granted a lease by the council of a house opposite St Mary’s Church in the High Street, at a rent of 26s. 8d. By 1734, he had a lease of two adjoining properties there, at a rent of £1.6.8.
In July 1722 Boyce was chosen one of the eight Assistants, and in September 1722 Mayor, awarding a Chamberlain’s place as Mayor’s Child to Hercules Osbaldeston, a young chandler. The following July, during his mayoralty, he was elected an Alderman.
In September 1727 Alderman Boyce was elected Mayor a second time: according to Thomas Hearne, he was opposed by Alderman Henry Wise, who lost it by a great majority. There may have been competition for the post because there was a Coronation coming up at the beginning of the mayoral year. The claim of the city for the Mayor to serve in his customary role of butler was at first "rejected by the Court of Claims of Geo. II., being not agreable to any since the Restoration"; but it was eventually allowed, and Boyce attended the coronation of George II "en l'office de Botelary" on 11 October 1727 and was duly knighted. Boyce seleted George Wentworth as his Chamberlain and John Dandridge as his Child.
In September 1732 Sir John was again elected Mayor, but he asked to be excused and paid the mandatory fine of £50.
On 21 March 1737 his wife, Anna, died at the age of 74: she has a tall memorial on a triangular marble slab in the Church of St Mary the Virgin.
In September 1739, Boyce agreed to take on the role of Mayor for the third time, selecting William Holdship as his Child.
In March 1747/8, the lease on Boyce’s shop is described as being held by "John Boyce of Saintbury in Gloucestershire", implying that he had retired. Boyce remained an Alderman of Oxford, however, until his death in September 1755.
See also:
- Malcolm Graham, Oxford City Apprentices 1697–1800, entries numbered 473
- Octavius Ogle, Royal Letters addressed to Oxford, p. 3, footnote 8 for the replies to the claims made for Boyce to serve in the Butlery at the Coronation