Hi Curry,
Apologies for a delay in responding.
First, you queried whether Parson Radford was from Charford or Clanfield. You are quite correct, Maud’s will records that he was from Clanfield. Her will is a little difficult to decipher in places but I too had transcribed this as Clanfield in my database but incorrectly put Charford in my post!
Secondly, the evidence for Henry Abarrow having served as the first Mayor of Petersfield is from the work of Prof. Edward Yates who conducted extensive research of the history of Petersfield, particularly in the Tudor and Stuart periods. The specific reference is from one of his publications: ‘Petersfield in Tudor Times’, E M Yates (ISSN 0308-9266). Unfortunately, I have not been able immediately to locate my copy to check if this provides a specific reference to the original historical record. If you’ve not seen it copies are held in the library in Winchester and it is occasionally available for sale on line.
A similar reference to Henry is also given in ‘Excavations at Sheep Street, Petersfield 1976’ (pages 159 & 160) – an extract from the Proceedings of the Hampshire Archaeological Society
http://www.hantsfieldclub.org.uk/publications/hampshirestudies/digital/1990s/vol49/Fox&Hughes.pdf). This also refers to an Elizabeth Abarrow. I have no information as to her identity though it seems reasonable to speculate that she may have been the widow of Sir John Abarrow (who was the son of Sir Maurice) who was born Elizabeth Danvers. Alternatively, she may perhaps have been the wife/widow of one of Henry’s sons.
I also believe that Henry was also the son of Sir Maurice (ie the brother of Sir John); this view is echoed in a genealogy of the Danvers family: ‘Memorials of the Danvers Family’ (Macnamara, 1895). However, he is not evident in the Abarrow pedigree of the 1544 Visitation of Hampshire. Maurice was knighted at the battle of Stoke on 16 June 1487 alongside my ancestor, Henry Bold.
My own connection to the Abarrow family is at this stage somewhat tenuous. As I explained in a previous post, Henry Abarrow’s Widow left instructions in her will that her young children were to be in the care of Giles Machell. Giles’ daughter, Juliane, had married William Bold (my direct ancestor), the son of Henry Bold mentioned above. Giles died shortly after and by his will transferred the care of the Abarrow children to William and Juliane.
Have you any light to throw on the possible Abarrow / Machell connection?
Regards,
Geoff
