Robert Vicaris
Mayor of Oxford 1725/6 and 1735/6
Robert Vicaris (or Vickeris, Vickaris, or Viccaris) (c.1684–1741) was the son of the Vicar of Heythrop.
His father, also Robert Vicaris, described as “pleb.”, was matriculated at the University of Oxford on 2 July 1658, and obtained his BA from St Alban Hall on 7 March 1661/2, and his MA 1664. He was incorporated at Cambridge in 1668, and was then Perpetual Curate of two parishes in Buckinghamshire: first of Wotton Underwood in 1668 and then of Ashendon and Dorton in 1671. He was Rector of Heythrop in Oxfordshire from 1675 until his death in 1703, and was so busy prosecuting his rights in the courts that in 1691 he was fined by the bishop for neglecting the spiritual side of his duties.
On 13 September 1683 the Revd Robert Vicaris, “minister of Heythrop, Oxon” married Mary Fenner in Ashford, Kent, and Robert junior was probably their first child. Although Robert and his brothers (of whom there were at least three) were born while their father was at Heythrop, they do not appear in the baptismal register, although two of them who died very young (John in 1697 and Robert in 1703) are listed in the burial register and specifically named as “sons of the Vicar”.
Robert Vicaris junior came to Oxford in March 1699 to be apprenticed to the mercer Matthew Pinnell. He was admitted free on 23 May 1707, and traded as a mercer in All Saints parish, later in partnership with his younger brother Thomas.
In 1703 Vicaris’s father, described as “Rector of this parish”, was buried at Heythrop.
In September 1710 Vicaris was appointed the Mayor’s Child by John Knibb; in 1711 Keykeeper and Chamberlain; in 1723 Senior Bailiff; and in 1724 one of the eight Mayor’s Assistants.
Vicaris was elected Mayor for the first time in September 1725 (for 1725/6), awarding a Chamberlain’s place to Thomas Munday as his Child and selecting John Taylor as his Chamberlain. Thomas Hearne wrote on 21 September 1725:
Yesterday was elected Mayor of Oxford Mr Vicars, a Mercer in All-Hallows parish, a single Man (never yet married), about 36 or 37 Years of Age, in opposition to Mr. Brock, a Taylour in Jesus College Lane. Mr. Vicars carried it by a Majority of two hundred and twenty.
Hearne explains why at the end of his term office on 20 September 1726, he was not able to attend the election of the next Mayor:
Mr. Vicaris was not at the Election, because on Saturday Night last he had a very dangerous fall from his Horse, wch startled in Cheney Lane, as he was going toward Shottover, & he was thereby much bruized.
In September 1729 Vicaris took on Francis Burrows as his apprentice, but the apprenticeship was later cancelled by mutual consent.
On 27 February 1730/1 Hearne records the death of Vicaris’s younger brother, Thomas Vicaris, whose burial at Heythrop Church is duly recorded on 1 March 1730/1:
Also, yesterday morning, was taken up dead by Boltstock Bridge, as we go to Botley, Mr. Vicaris, the youngest brother of, and Partner with, Mr. Vicaris of Oxford (viz. All Hallows parish) mercer. He was found in the shallow water just on the other side of the Bridge, viz. on the right or north side of the first Arch beyond the Bridge, having fallen in but a little before he was taken up. It iis obsered that he was disordered for about 5 days before. He was a single man, & so is his Brother (who was sometime since mayor of Oxford), & had the Character of being a civil young man. NB. He was carried to Hethrop (where he was born, his Father having been minister of that place) to be buried on Monday, March 1st.
In June 1732 Vicaris took on a new apprentice, John Turner.
On 3 January 1735/6 Ann, the wife of Robert Vicaris, “late Rector of this parish”, was buried at Heythrop.
In September 1735 Vicaris was elected Mayor for a second time (for 1735/6), appointing Stephen Bishop as his Child and Oliver Witherington as his Chamberlain. Vicaris became ill during his mayorality, and the City Records state that in May 1736 he appointed Richard Wise as temporary Deputy-Mayor.
After his term of office, Vicaris remained one of the Mayor’s Assistants until his death. He was buried at Heythrop on 17 June 1741, and is simply described in the register as the son of the late Rector.
The Elizabeth Vicris “of Oxon” buried at Heythrop on 21 September 1764 could be the sister or the wife of the Mayor; similarly the “William Vickaris” buried at All Saints on 12 November 1718 could be his brother or his son.
See also:
- Malcolm Graham, Oxford City Apprentices 1697–1800, entries numbered 111, 1444, and 1535
- PCC Will PROB 11/710 (Will of Robert Vicaris, Mercer of Oxford, proved 15 July 1741)