Monday, October 09, 2006

Bishop Simon Patrick (1626-1707)


It is quite possible that this Bishop of Ely was related to a forebear of ours. Among many accomplishments, he was the founder of Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (SPCK).

[From a Directory of Cambridge Alumni: Adm. pens. at QUEENS', June 25, 1644. Of Lincolnshire. S. of Henry, mercer, of Gainsborough, and grandson of Simon (1561). B. there, Sept. 8, 1626. School, Gainsborough (Mr Merryweather). Matric. 1647; B.A. 1647-8; M.A. 1651; B.D. 1658. Fellow, 1649-58. Elected President, 1661 (overridden by Royal Mandate). Incorp. at Oxford, 1666. D.D. (Oxford) 1666. Received presbyterian ordination, but subsequently ordained privately by the Bishop of Norwich, Apr. 5, 1654. Chaplain to Sir Walter St John, at Battersea, 1655. V. of Battersea, 1658-75. R. of St Paul, Covent Garden, 1662-89. Royal chaplain, 1671. Canon and sub-dean of Westminster, 1672-89. Canon of Chichester, 1679-91. Dean of Peterborough, 1679-89. Bishop of Chichester, 1689-91. Bishop of Ely, 1691-1707. Purchased an estate at Dalham, Suffolk, Dec. 1702. Married Penelope, dau. of William Jephson, of Froyle, Hants., Esq. Author, theological. One of the founders of the S.P.C.K. Died May 31, 1707. Buried in Ely Cathedral. M.I. Brother of John (1647) and father of the next. (D.N.B.; Le Neve, Mon., II. 124; Symon Patrick, Autobiography.)]

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Where were the Patricks in 1881 and where are they now?


In 1881 (left) the Patrick surname appears in two clusters: in Southern Scotland and in Northamptonshire extending eastwards towards Norwich (hotspots are purple fading to red then through brown to yellow). By 1998 (below) the Scottish "branch" of the Patricks had spread westward and northward. The English "branch" did the same, spreading into Derbyshire and Cheshire. The frequency in Staffordshire was not high at either date.
[Data from Surname Profiler; UCL]