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WILLIAM
JACOB
Mayor of Folkestone
died c 1574
He was a son of Richard and Joan Jacob.
I have not found his will, but suspect it may be among the numerous papers
relating to Folkestone Borough that I have not as yet looked at. Hasted, however,
states that by his will of 1569 a charity was established in July of that
year, leaving the corporation 12 acres of land, the rents and profits thereof
to be used for the poor of the town of Folkestone, at the discretion of the
mayor and jurats. 30s and 2d were to be distributed at Christmas Eve and the
same amount on Good Friday. This was apprently the earliest Folkestone charity
established. Apart from the money to be distributed amongst the poor of Folkestone,
one poor boy and girl were to be apprenticed each year (East
Kent Archives, EK-FO/Q). Elsewhere it is stated that 3 acres of land
at Horseborough were the basis of the charity, which eventually became known
as Jacobs, Stone and Jenkins charity. It continued until 1837-1843, when it
was supended (East Kent Archives, EK-Fo/QF/1). His mother
Joan's will stated that he had a son William
and a daughter Alice. I have not been able to discover the name of his wife.
He was active within the Folkestone community, having been Mayor of the town in 1559. He was churchwarden of the parish church for many years.
1548 He was elected churchwarden for Folkestone church (Society Genealogists, Churchwardens Accounts, fo 112 & 112d).
1549 He renders his account as churchwarden (ibid, fo 115)
1549 He is paid 12d for parish debts (ibid, fo 117)
1550 He was one of three churchwarden paid 7s 4d for riding to the visititation at Eleham and for horse hire that year (ibid, fo 119d)
1550 A Court Roll and Rental of Folkestone Manor shows him to have been a juror there (CKS, U270/M4)
1554 He was elected churchwarden again (Society Genealogists, Churchwardens Accounts, fo 127d)
1555 He and William Goddin were paid 4s for hire of two horses to Canterbury for two visits (ibid, fo 130)
1555-6 His name occurs twice in a court roll for the manor of Walton (CKS, U270/M253)
1559 He was a juror of Walton manor (CKS, U270/M322)
1559 He was mayor of Folkestone in this year (CKS, U270/M322)
1559 He was a juror and sat on an inquisition for Folkestone manor (CKS, U270/M322)
1561 He was a juror for Walton manor (CKS, U270/M322)
1569 He was a juror of Folkestone Manor (CKS-U270/M322)
1570 He sat on two inquisitions for Folkestone Manor (ibid)
1571 He sat on an inquisition for Folkestone Manor (ibid)
1574 As a jurat of Folkestone he was one of its representatives at the Herald's Visitation of that year (Visitation of Kent).