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His Early Life
The events in Johns lifetime and the demise of a
great family have a sad ending indeed.
Born in 1634 son of John Reresby, Grandson of Sir George Reresby and
Elizabeth Tamworth, of Sherville Court, Southampton. John grew up in the
turbulent times of Charles 1 and Oliver Cromwell
In 1654 at the age of twenty John left England and wrote the following in
his journal
"I left England in that unhappy time
when honesty was reputed a crime, religion superstition, loyalty treason;
when subjects were governors, servants masters, and no gentleman assured of
anything he possessed; the least jealousy of disaffection to the late
erected commonwealth being offence sufficient to endanger the forfeiture of
his estate, the only laws in force being those of the sword".
This was of course during the time when Oliver Cromwell was Lord
Protectorate of England, a rule that Sir John Reresby opposed, though he
would not have spoke out at the time for fear of reprisal. Although he
became a Protestant, John Reresby was a Royalist and was one of the few men
of his time that placed the King before the Church.
John traveled throughout Europe and entered in diary his views upon France,
Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. In doing so he left a valuable record of
life in Europe during that period. Even the plague did not deter John
Reresby from visiting places he wished to see and he remarks in his memoirs
in 1656 "The news came as we were ready to set forth for Italy that the
plague was now violent in Rome, which discouraged all the gentlemen but
three and myself, for I resolved to trust to Providence rather than not see
so fine a place".
Whilst he was touring France he arrived at Saumur which is in Anjou, John
took time out to learn French at the Protestant University, and remarked
“the great resort of my countrymen to Paris prevented me from doing
satisfactorily there.” He returned to Paris a city Sir John regarded as the
finest city of Europe [not excepting London], after four years in Europe
John returned to England May, 1658.
 About
23 September, 1658 Cromwell died and Sir John saw this as an opening for the
return of the King and this thought was scribed in his early memoirs. By
October of 1658 John went back to Paris and introduced himself to the Queen
Mother who was residing with her daughter Henrietta at the Palais Royal.
John became a favourite of Her Majesty and enjoyed a friendship with
Henriette who was aged fifteen. In 1660 there was hope of restoring Charles
11 to the throne and John returned to England bearing a message from the
Queen Mother to Charles 11.
John was strongly attracted to Elizabeth Hamilton who later married
Philibert de Gramont. However the love of his life was found in Frances
Browne and they were married in 1665.
John found favour with Charles the second but was
poorly rewarded for his loyalty, he was appointed High Sheriff of Yorkshire,
something his rank entitled him to anyway, and found himself the Governor of
York a city with no Garrison and a fort that never was built. Sir John
Reresby, of Thrybergh, was the M.P. for Aldborough and afterwards for York
City. A poor reward for a man who placed the King before the Church a not to
popular stance at the time.
Johns loyalty to the next King James 11, was not so strong, but his loyalty
never wavered toward the crown.
Local Matters
Somewhat less consequential were local matters in
Yorkshire that concerned John,
TITLE DEEDS
Thrybergh
FILE - Assignment of by Charles Tucker of Rotherham, gent., to Robert
Harrison of Richmond, yeoman, and Robert Harrison the younger of Handsworth
Woodhouse, yeoman - ref. 425/Z/2/1 - date: 2 September 1667
[from Scope and Content] - reciting lease to Tucker by Sir John
Reresby of Thriburgh, bart. (10 January 1663/4) of all the water course
which was lately used for a steel mill or forge called Thriburgh Steele
Forge (formerly in the tenure of Charles Tucker, father of Charles) together
with the mill or site of the mill, for a term of 21 years (provided that
Reresby's corn mill shall have priority of water in times of scarcity and
that the walk mill has priority when there is cloth in the stocks) at a rent
of £10 10s.
FILE [no title or ref. or date]
item: [no title] - ref. DD/FJ/11/1/8/48 - date: n.d. c.1669
[from Scope and Content] West Riding lists arranged under
wapentakes (Goldcross, Staincross, Agbrigg and Morley, Skyrack, Barkstone-Ash,
Staincliffe and Ewcross, Claro,) re provision of horse and contributions (?)
for Sir John Reresby's troop (?); also "A list of the Honourable Sir John
Reresby, barrt. his Troope". The book is bound in a lease dated 1669 by
which the Hon. Sir John Reresby of Thribergh (Y.W.) lets the fulling mill
and water course etc., at Thribergh, to Rob. Steele; the parties agree as
follows re the priority of water supplied from the stream to the mill "...
sufficient proportion for the other two milnes of the said Sir John Reresby
situate in the same place... corn milne be first served, secondly the steel
milne and last the walke mill... when it shall appear by certain gages or
marks to be set down to that purpose that there is a competence of water
..."
On the 26th March 1672 he was involved in a disagreement with Edward
Shackleton the constable of Wentbridge. Sir John Reresby, had complained to
the constable about the beggars in the area, Edward Shackleton possibly
thought Sir John should not be interferring in such matters and became
aggressive uttering oaths against Sir John, Shackleton said he would put
him in the stocks. A Richard Ellill and several others had tried to then
place Shackleton in the stocks. However Edward Shackleton must have been a
man of size and strength for he had beaten and assaulted his opponents. For
this he found himself in Court on Charges.
SUBSIDY LISTS AND ASSESSMENTS, ETC.
FILE [no title or ref. or date]
item: [no title] - ref. DD/FJ/11/1/8/48 - date: n.d. c.1669
[from Scope and Content] West Riding lists arranged under
wapentakes (Goldcross, Staincross, Agbrigg and Morley, Skyrack, Barkstone-Ash,
Staincliffe and Ewcross, Claro,) re provision of horse and contributions (?)
for Sir John Reresby's troop (?); also "A list of the Honourable Sir John
Reresby, barrt. his Troope". The book is bound in a lease dated 1669 by
which the Hon. Sir John Reresby of Thribergh (Y.W.) lets the fulling mill
and water course etc., at Thribergh, to Rob. Steele; the parties agree as
follows re the priority of water supplied from the stream to the mill "...
sufficient proportion for the other two milnes of the said Sir John Reresby
situate in the same place... corn milne be first served, secondly the steel
milne and last the walke mill... when it shall appear by certain gages or
marks to be set down to that purpose that there is a competence of water
Again in 1672 on the 9th October in the Quarter Sessions Rolls Pontefract
Henry Roberts of Denaby, a labourer, was interviewed and stated that he had
witnessed Elizabeth Wareing of Hutton Robert take coal from Sir John
Reresby's pit In her defence Elizabeth said the coal had been given her by
John Dryver
On the 21 July 1674 In the Call book, or Justices' note book Quarter
Sessions records of the West Riding of Yorkshire Court in Session Quarter
Sessions Rolls Barnsley sessions Robert Burroughs of Hooton Roberts found
himself a recipient of a warrant of good behaviour after he had abused
John Roberts and other servants of Sir John Reresby, Justice of the Peace,
and had bid Sir John kiss his arse. Another order was issued to the
constable of Hooton Roberts to ensure the appearance at the next sessions of
Robert Burroughs.
FILE - Bargain and sale (with equity of redemption) - ref. SpSt/64692/12
- date: 4 Nov, 1669
[from Scope and Content] John Farburne of Mexbrough, yeoman, to
Sir John Reresby of Thribergh, esq. All his messuages, cottages, etc. in
Mexbrough, listed in a schedule (attached), for £160.
House of Lords: Journal Office: Main Papers - ref. HL/PO/JO/10
House of Lords: Journal Office: Main Papers 1509-1700
FILE - Main Papers 356 - 367 - ref. HL/PO/JO/10/1/345 - date:
23 Jan 1671 - 11 Feb 1671
item: Reresby v. Farnesworth - ref. HL/PO/JO/10/1/345/367 -
date: 11 Feb 1671
[from Scope and Content] Petition of Sir John Reresby,
Baronet. Petitioner's great grandfather, Sir Thomas Reresby, Knight,
mortgaged the manor of Reresby, in the county of Derby, to Sir Samuel Trion.
FILE - Exemplification of fine - ref. SpSt/64692/36 - date: 1672
[from Scope and Content] Sir John Reresby and Edward Armefeild,
plaintiffs v. John Farburne and Dorothy his wife, and John Crasley and Grace
Crasley, widow, deforciants. 2 messuages, etc. in Mexbrough, Langside and
Bradfeild.
FILE - Bargain and sale (with equity of redemption) - ref. SpSt/64692/7
- date: 12 Oct, 1672
[from Scope and Content] John Farburne of Mexbrough, yeoman, and
Dorothy, his wife, to Sir John Reresby of Thribergh. Eleven acres of arable
land in the commonfields of Mexbrough listed in a schedule (attached). For
£110.
FILE - Bargain and sale - ref. SpSt/64692/14 - date: 30 Jun, 1673
[from Scope and Content] John Pining of Ramsee (co. Camb.),
labourer, to Sir John Reresby of Thriberge. All his part of a messuage in
Mexbrugh (described) where Thomas Pining or Grace Wortley, widow, lately
dwelt, the plot of ground or "Tussell" adjoining a rood of arable land and a
cottage; for £5.
FILE [no title] - ref. SpSt/64692/9 - date: 2 Dec, 1673
[from Scope and Content] John Farburne to Sir John Reresby. All
the messuage in Mexbrough where he now dwells, with all closes, meadows,
etc. of him the said John Farburne, described in a schedule (attached); for
£415.
FILE - Conveyance (lease and release) - ref. SpSt/64692/15-16 -
date: 29-30 Sep, 1676
[from Scope and Content] Samuel Wortley of the Heardings in the
parish of Norton, Co. Derby, gentleman, nephew and heir of Samuel Wortley,
late of Barnsley, deceased, to Sir John Reresby. Messuage in Mexbrough with
land (described) in Mexbrough, for a valuable sum of money.
FILE - Conveyance (lease and release) - ref. SpSt/64692/33-34 - date: 13
Mar, 1680
[from Scope and Content] Thomas Wood of Mexbrough, husbandman
and Mary his wife to Sir John Reresby of Thriberghe. Messuage in Mexbrough
and lands, tenements and cattlegates, common of turbary, turfegrafte, etc.
(described in a schedule); for £142. (Lease and release even dates).
The Life and Times of Sir John
Reresby pg 2
Sir John
Reresby page 2
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