The family of my great, great grandfather Luff Stocker lived in and around Bedfordshire. Local enquiries have revealed various (sometimes conflicting) records about various families of Stockers (spelt in a variety of ways) but research has yet to be undertaken to verify it or relate them to our known family tree - see websites for Gertrude Stocker http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~andycoates/stocker.html and Sheards http://www.maggieblanck.com/Land/GeorgeSheard.html

BEDFORDSHIRE STOCKERS  

The following Stocker records are taken from an article in The Pedigree Register of June 1913, written by Dr Charles Joseph Stocker - upon whose work much doubt has been cast by Onslow Stocker (and, no doubt, others) The following was sent by Ron Stocker <lawyer1@@bright.net>, written, as it mentions at the end, by Charles James Stocker: THE FAMILY OF STOCKER In the index to Wills in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, the following names are bracketed as being synonymous: STOKER, STOKKER, STOCKER, STARCKER.

The family appears to have been at Eaton Socon, Bedfordshire, and its immediate neighbourhood, at an early date.  In Domesday Book (1086) one reads that a Starcker lived at Lestone (Leightone or Eaton), Beds., as a theyn of King Edward the Confessor, owning seven hides of the King's land there. 

In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries a circle of fifteen miles diameter, with Eaton as the centre, would have probably enclosed more STOCKER families than were in the whole of England besides. It is necessary to remember that the villages of Eaton, Barford (Bereford) and Wybiston (Wyboldstone) are all contiguous, that STOCKERS were found in all these in early times and later extended to Godmanchester, St Ives, Willingham and other villages close to Eaton but in Huntingdonshire. 

In 1272 Margaret Stocker was a tenant of the Abbye of Oseneye in the town of Langport in the hundred of Stodfold, county of Bucks. 

In 1273, the catalogue of the Court of Hustings (London) Wills, mentions Eleanor la Stocker de Lillingstone, Bucks. 

In the Patent Roll of 1312 Richard de Stocker is mentioned in a case at Buckingham. 

In the Patent Roll of 1327-30 Stodfold was said to be in the County of Beds.  Lillingstone or Lidlington is less than twenty miles from Leighton, Beds, where the earliest Stockers are spoken of as living. 

In the Patent Roll of 1336 Roger le Stocker was mentioned at Buckingham. 

In that of 1340 John Stokker of Caysoe (Keysoe), Beds, is spoken of.   In that of 1384 William Stokkere of Bedford is mentioned.

In that of 1384 William Stokkere of Eaton, Beds., is mentioned.  William is mentioned several times about this date, and he is probably the father or brother of William who is recorded in Blomefield's  HISTORY OF NORFOLK as having been appointed to the living of Forncet in 1391 by the Countess of Norfolk.   His Will was proved in the Prerogative Court in 1408.

An Inquisition at Bereford in 1428 was signed by William Stocker (see Feudal Aids). 

In the Visitation of Bedfordshire, 1634, Thomas Stocker of Wybiston, 1433, is mentioned, as he is also in the Patent Roll of 1434, where he is said to be at Bedford. 

In early Chancery Proceedings, 1436-1437, Robert Stocker, a woolman, is mentioned, together with Harry Stocker of Wybiston, Beds.  Robert and Harry both belonged to the Drapers' Company. 

In the 1439 Patent Roll John Stocker, draper (ie a member of the Drapers' Company), is mentioned; the same year Robert Stocker of Wyboldstone is mentioned, and also William Stocker.  Two Stockers were Masters of the Drapers' Company. 

A John Stocker was Alderman of London in 1458-1464, and in early Chancery Proceedings, 1460, John and William Stocker, merchants of London, are mentioned. It is recorded in the Patent Roll of 1450 that John Stocker of London was appointed to arrest two ships for the King's Ambassadors to Prussia, one in the Port of London and the other in the port of Kingston-upon-Hull. In the same year John and Henry Stocker were appointed to go on an embassy to Prussia.  This embassy is mentioned in Palgrave's ANTIENT KALENDARS AND INVENTORIES, and also in Rymer's FOEDERA, II, 681. John Stocker, Master of the Drapers' Company, 1480, was evidently a merchant exporting beyond the sea, asking assistance from the Crown to protect five ships off the Isle of Wight, and that nine ships of Holland and Zealand lying in wait may be arrested.  He traded to Morocco, lent money to the King, and in return was granted licence to retain the customs and subsidies in wools, woolfells and other merchandise for the satisfaction of the loan.  He was elected alderman for Langbourne Ward, London, and represented the City in Parliament.

In 1471 William Stocker was knighted by Edward IV.  He was sheriff of London in 1473 and Master of the Drapers'Company, 1475-1479.   STOW says:  "He was sonne to Thos. Stocker of Eaton in Com. Bedf."     John and William were brothers, and were probably in partnership in business.    Sir William founded the chantry of St.Mary and St.Thomas in 1476 and was Lord Mayor in 1485, and died the same year.   He was one of two Mayors who died from the sweating sickness.   His Will exists. In the Visitation of Bedfordshire 1634  (Harl. Soc. XIX. 143) is a short pedigree from which the following is taken: Henry Stocker,   =-of Wyboston in     l"com.Bedf              l______________l_ l'    Thomas Stocker           =    l______________l l+John Stocker of Wyboston          =.in com.Bedf. Cosen to the            l,Alderman Stocker of Lon-           l!don.  A. 4 H. VII.[1489] Sir William Stocker, to whom I have just referred, was a brother of John, whose Will (P.C.C.Logge 15) exists.  Dated 1485; but Sir William is said by STOW in his "Survey of London" to have been "sonne to Thomas Stocker of Eaton in the County of Bedford. On the other hand, in the Visitation pedigree John Stocker of Wyboston is also said to be the son of Thomas.   The Will of John Stocker, 1485, mentions his wife Elizabeth and brother Sir William, but no children.¯The Will of Sir William Stocker, 1485 (P.C.C. Logge 26) mentions  "my mother Dame Margaret Croke" mother-in-law, evidentally), "my own mother,"  "daughter Margaret,"John Stocker of Wyboston and Johan and Margaret children of my brother Robert." 

(If you draw it, please note it shows three sons to Thomas Stocker son of Henry, vis John, Sir William & Robert. It then shows John as having a son John D. Sir William as m Margaret Croke and having a daughter Margaret, and Robert   as married  but no name of wife, and having son Johan and daughter Margaret Someone has then added in ink (and this is writing from before 1914 three notes about the  Johns. The first John is shown as married to Elizabeth who after John's death married the Earl of Abergavenny. Then against both John names is written "Common Hunt?*"'    This can be still further enlarged, as the following extract from early Chancery Proceedings 1515-1529, Bundle 580, no 18 proves:   "John son and heir of John Stocker v. Roger Bastard late the husband of Margaret, formerly married to Richard Jay, sergeant-at-law, and the William Stokker, Kt. Detention of bonds relating to messages in St.Michael's, Cornhill, and St.Christopher's, London."   

At present nothing more is known of John, the son of John and nephew of Sir William, whether he was married or when he died, but it is evident he lived to grow up, for in the trial to recover from Roger Bastard the action was  not brought by a minor.    He was probably born at Wyboston, the home of his father, where his family had been since Domesday, and that it continued to do so for still much longer is certain, for in the Wills at Lincoln, Book 1585, is a Will of John Stocker of Wyboston, 1585, who desired to be buried at Eaton, and leaves money to the vicar of that parish for the poor. He mentions his wife Margaret, son John, sons Richard, Henry and Henry's son Thomas, daughters Cicely, Margaret, Blanche, Jane and her husband Goodwyne. This John Stocker's Will was a most important one as regards the pedigree, for it definitely links the Bedfordshire Stockers with those of Huntingdonshire;   proving indeed that the family through John Stocker's family moved almost entirely from one county to the other. John speaks of his daughter Jane and her husband Goodwyne. 

Now in a Will of Richard Robyns (1558) of Godmanchester, John Goodwyne is mentioned, and also the daughters of Henry Stoker. John Stocker's son Henry (then living at St.Ives, close to Godmanchester) married Agnes, daughter of Richard Robyns, the founder of the Godmanchester Grammar School  (see Fox's "History of Godmanchester"), and had two sons; the first, Henry, married Jane Wilson of Godmanchester in 1588 and died in 1591; the second, Thomas, who is mentioned in the Will of John Stocker (as well as his father Henry) of Wyboston, thus doubly proving the connection between the Hunts and Beds families. The above Thomas lived at Godmanchester and married Joan, or Jane, Stevenson, as is proved by the Wills of William Stevenson the elder  (Archd.Hunts.,1597) and of John Stevenson, 1606 (P.C.C.Stafford,56).Thomas died at Godmanchester in 1613.  His Will is amongst the Hunts.Wills.  He mentions his sons John, Richard,and Henry, daughters Agnes, Mary and Elizabeth.  His wife predeceased him in 1607.Thomas was a tanner, and had served with  "Qualivir" and sword at the Spanish Armada, as recorded amongst   "The names of the soldiers and the weapons yet they are appoynted to serve withall, taken and delivered into the charge of Mr. Oliver Cromwell esquire out of the hundred of Tosland at St.Neots, the 3 of June 1588."   (Huntingdonshire and the Armada, by Revd. W.M.Noble). John, the son of the above-named Thomas, married, first, at Godmanchester in 1604, Susan Brazier, who died in 1633, and secondly Sarah ------, who died 1659. 

John himself died in 1662 at Godmanchester.  By his first wife he had two children, born at Godmanchester:  

• John, baptised in 1613;  Ann, in 1617. 

This last John was bailiff of Godmanchester in 1657;   after his death the post was held some thirty times by some member of the family. 

Thomas's daughter Agnes married William Watson at Godmanchester in 1619.  His son William was baptised there in 1605 and died there in 1666. 

The register of birth of Thomas's son Richard is wanting.  He is spoken of as Richard of Sutton (in the Isle of Ely, on the same River Ouse as St.Ives and Godmanchester, and close to both), and is mentioned in the Will of Thomas.  He married at Sutton in 1615 Elizabeth Castell, lived at Godmanchester for some time, and his children were born there; 

• the first, Robert, was baptised at Godmanchester in 1616 and died there in 1627. 
• The second, Thomas, was baptised at Godmanchester in 1619.  
• The last-named Thomas, married first, Elizabeth ------, who died in 1649, and had children;
• John baptised at St.Ives 1644, died 1645; and Elizabeth, baptised 1648, died 1649; both at St.Ives.   

Thomas married secondly Elizabeth ------, and had Ann, baptised 1651, Elioza, baptised 1652, Mary baptised 1655.  Sarah baptised 1657 and Thomas baptised 1659, all at St.Ives.   This Thomas (grandson of Richard) was bailiff of Godmanchester 1701 and 1710, and died when coroner. 

Richard's third son was Richard, baptised at Godmanchester in 1629.  He married at St.Ives in 1654, Sarah Bond, and his Will was proved at Huntingdon in 1667.  He had three daughters and one son (all at St.Ives), Elizabeth, baptised 1656, Elizabeth, baptised 1658, Ann, baptised 1661, and Richard baptised 1663. 

Richard, son of Richard Stocker and Sarah Bond, baptised at St Ives in 1663, married there in 1684, Mary Filton, and died there in 1725.  His children were;

• Richard bapt. at St.Ives 1686; died there 1686. 
• Richard bapt St Ives 1688 of whom hereafter. 
• Thomas bapt. St.Ives 1689 died there 1694. Richard (the second son of Richard Stocker and
• Mary Filton) bapt 1688, married at St.Ives 1718 Elizabeth Dean: died 1742.