No. 67.
Early records of the residents at No. 67 are wanting. The first mention of the house occurs in the Hearth Tax Roll for 1665, which gives “Lady Thimbleby” as the occupier. This was Elizabeth, one of the six daughters of Sir Thomas Savage and Elizabeth, Countess Rivers (see p. 67). She married Sir John Thimbleby of Irnham, in Lincolnshire.[[438]] How long she had been at No. 67 in 1665 is unknown, but it is permissible to suggest that she was there while her mother was still living three doors away. It seems likely that during Lady Thimbleby’s stay here, her sister, Henrietta Maria, who had married Ralph Sheldon, of Beoley,[[439]] also came to live close by, for the Jury Presentment Roll for 1683 shows “Ralph Sheldon,” in occupation of No. 69. Another sister, Anne, who had married Robert Brudenell, afterwards second Earl of Cardigan, was also only a short distance away, on the south side of Lincoln’s Inn Fields.[[440]]
Lady Thimbleby’s residence lasted until between 1700 and 1703, and in the latter year the name of John Thimbleby appears in respect of the house. He had left before 1709, when the house is shown as empty. The occupiers after that date were as follows:—
| 1715. | Mr. Vaune. |
| 1720. | Mr. Froude.[[441]] |
| Before 1723 until 1734. | Mary Forrester. |
| 1735–51. | Adam Hallam. |
| 1751–54. | William Pritchard. |
| 1755–61. | Stephen Hunt. |
| 1761–84. | The Rev. Thomas Francklin. |
| 1784–95. | Mrs. Francklin. |
| 1795–98. | Francis Const.[[442]] |
| 1798. | —— Rowley. |
Thomas Francklin, son of Richard Francklin, a bookseller of Covent Garden, was born in 1721. He was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge. For some time he found employment as usher in his old school, and in 1750 he became Greek professor at Cambridge, a position which he held until 1759, when he was presented to the vicarage of Ware. At the same time he was fulfilling other clerical duties in London. As early as 1749 he seems to have held a chapel in Bloomsbury, for in June of that year he performed the marriage ceremony for Garrick there.[[443]] By 1758 he had obtained the lectureship at St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, and was installed in the Great Queen Street Chapel. He was appointed King’s chaplain in 1767, and ten years later he vacated the living at Ware for the rectory of Brasted, in Kent. Through the influence of Dr. Johnson and Sir Joshua Reynolds, he was appointed chaplain to the Royal Academy, and on the death of Goldsmith in 1774 he obtained the professorship of ancient history. His literary output was considerable. In 1757 he brought out a periodical paper called The Centinel, which only lasted two years. He wrote four plays, the most important of which was The Earl of Warwick. His translations were numerous, those of Sophocles’ tragedies being long considered the best in the English language. After a laborious life he died in his house in Great Queen Street[[444]] in March, 1784. His widow died in 1796.[[445]]
No. 68.
In the case of No. 68 also, no records of the names of any occupiers exist before the Hearth Tax Roll for 1665. In that document the occupant’s name is given as “Sir Willm. Hartupp.” This seems to have been Sir William Hartopp, of Rotherby, son of Sir Thomas Hartopp, of Burton Lazars. Sir William married Agnes, daughter of Sir Martin Lister.[[446]]
The Hearth Tax Roll for 1666 shows the house “Empty,” and that for 1672, “Empty—Mr. Bradshaw owner.” It seems probable that between these dates occurred the joint occupancy of Lord Roos and Lady Chaworth, if indeed that can be referred to this house at all. An item in Lord Roos’s expenditure under date of 25th February, 1667–8, runs: “Paid Major Seales for Sir William Hartopp for one quarter’s rent for the house in Queen Street, beginning the 18th October, when his Lordship had the keyes, at 80li per annum, Lady Ch[aworth] is to pay the next quarter, 20li.”[[447]] That Sir William Hartopp’s house in 1667 was the same as that in 1665 is probable, but unfortunately cannot be considered certain. Assuming, however, that such is the case, Lord Roos’s occupation is seen to have commenced on 18th October, 1667.
John Manners, third son of the eighth Earl of Rutland, was born in 1638. On the death of his two elder brothers, he assumed, apparently without right,[[448]] the title of Lord Roos.[[449]] His first marriage, in 1658, to Lady Anne Pierrepoint, was unhappy, and he was divorced from her by Act of Parliament in 1670. In 1677 he was made Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire. He succeeded to the earldom in 1679. At the coronation of James II. in 1685 he bore the Queen’s sceptre, but he does not seem to have been in favour and in 1687 was dismissed from his lord lieutenancy. He supported William at the Revolution, and was soon after restored to his office. In 1703 he was created Marquess of Granby and Duke of Rutland. He died in 1711.
His sister Grace married Patricius Chaworth, third Viscount Chaworth.[[450]] Apparently the expenses of the house in Great Queen Street were shared equally between her and her brother, for numerous items such as the following occur in the Accounts of Lord Roos’s Expenditure contained in the Duke of Rutland’s MSS.:—[[451]]