Richard Weston
Mayor of Oxford 1786 and 1801
Richard Weston (1733–1822) was the son of the ironmonger Anthony Weston and his second wife Ann, who baptised nine children at St Michael’s Church in Oxford. His father had two children by his first marriage, and Richard (baptised on 12 June 1733) was the first child of the second marriage.
Weston followed the trade of his father, eventually taking over his ironmonger’s shop in Cornmarket. He married Mary Burrows at St Peter-le-Bailey Church, Oxford on 27 March 1758, and they baptised their first daughter, Mary, at St Michael’s Church on 13 December 1758.
On 14 September 1761 there was an announcement in Jackson’s Oxford Journal that Richard Weston, ironmonger, had moved from his father’s former shop to another house in Cornmarket opposite the Star [later the Clarendon Hotel].
Richard and Mary baptised their second daughter, Ann, at St Michael’s Church on 31 July 1765, just one day after she was born. Their elder daughter, Mary, died at the age of seven and was buried inside that church on 27 January 1766.
Weston was first elected to the Common Council on 1 October 1764, and was appointed one of the Keykeepers in 1768, purchasing a Chamberlain’s place the next year. In 1775 he was elected Junior Bailiff.
On 19 April 1777 there was an announcement in Jackson’s Oxford Journal that Weston was retiring and that his ironmonger’s shop opposite the Star was to let. It states that the stock had been taken on by Henry Hinton, who had formerly worked for Weston.
On 17 January 1781 Weston was appointed City Postmaster.
In 1785 Weston was elected one of the eight Assistants and in 1786 Mayor, choosing Joseph Lock as his Child.
Weston was elected Mayor a second time in 1801.
Jackson’s Oxford Journal reports that Mrs Weston died at the age of 76 on 23 March 1811. Weston resigned from the council in 1816 and died at the age of 89 in March 1822.
See also:
- Anthony Weston, Mayor in 1751 and 1762 (his father)
- Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 30 March 1822 (death notice of Weston)
- PCC Will PROB 11/1656 (Will of Richard Weston of Oxford, proved 20 April 1822)