William Hewer
Encyclopedia
William 'Will' Hewer was one of Samuel Pepys
' manservants, and later Pepys's clerk, before embarking on an administrative career of his own. Hewer is mentioned several times in Pepys' diary
and was ultimately the executor of Pepys' will.
as a manservant and office clerk for Pepys' work as the new Clerk of the Acts to the Navy Board
. By November 1663, Hewer was able to move out of Pepys' house and have his own lodgings.
Hewer was initially introduced to Pepys by Hewer's uncle Robert Blackborne, whose sister was Hewer's mother, and who was a longtime Pepys friend with whom he worked at the Admiralty. It has been said that the biggest favor Blackborne did for Pepys was the introduction of his nephew Hewer to Pepys in 1660.
in 1673, Hewer moved to the Admiralty as well and became Chief Clerk the following year. In 1677, he was appointed as Judge Advocate-General.
for Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
. He was appointed to the Special Commission which replaced the Navy Board in 1686 with responsibility for accounts. After the deposition of James II
in 1689, Pepys and Hewer lost their patronage from the Crown; both were briefly imprisoned, but were released without trial.
Hewer managed to become very rich. He made much of it through his involvement in trading with his uncle Blackborne, who became Secretary to the Admiralty, and later Secretary to the British East India Company
.
Like Pepys, Hewer also received payments from those doing business with the Navy, but suspicions of illicit payments were never proved and he did not hold a lucrative office for any length of time. He probably also inherited from his father, who was a merchant, as Pepys' diary mentions his increased expenditures after his father's death in 1665. By 1674, Hewer was wealthy enough to finance the construction of three warships. He became a director of the old East India Company in 1698 and served two terms as its Deputy Chairman. He also served as Treasurer of Tangier.
He owned a house near The Strand
which became the Admiralty Office when he and Pepys moved from the Navy Board. Pepys also lived in the house while he was at the Admiralty.
He bought an estate in the then-village of Clapham
in 1688 which he used as a country retreat. (Hewer also owned other property in Clapham, London, Westminster, Norfolk and elsewhere.) Pepys went to live in Hewer’s house on Clapham Common
in his old age and died there in 1703. Hewer was the executor of Pepys' will and retained Pepys' library and book collection including his famous diary until he died on December 3, 1715. Wiliam Hewer is buried in St. Paul's Church, Clapham.
Hewer never married and so devised that his estate go to his godson Hewer Edgeley on the condition that he change his surname to Hewer. This the heir did, becoming Hewer Edgeley-Hewer.
Subsequently lawsuits arose over the immense Hewer estate.
In 1684 William Hewer was admitted to the Freedom of the Clothworkers' Company, and was immediately sworn in as a member of the Court of Assistants. He was elected Master of the Clothworkers' Company for the 1686-87 year. In 1687 he donated a barge to the Clothworkers' Company. It seems that he did not attend a single Court meeting during his Mastership.
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
' manservants, and later Pepys's clerk, before embarking on an administrative career of his own. Hewer is mentioned several times in Pepys' diary
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
and was ultimately the executor of Pepys' will.
Pepys' manservant
Hewer was employed by Samuel PepysSamuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
as a manservant and office clerk for Pepys' work as the new Clerk of the Acts to the Navy Board
Navy Board
The Navy Board is today the body responsible for the day-to-day running of the British Royal Navy. Its composition is identical to that of the Admiralty Board of the Defence Council of the United Kingdom, except that it does not include any of Her Majesty's Ministers.From 1546 to 1831, the Navy...
. By November 1663, Hewer was able to move out of Pepys' house and have his own lodgings.
Hewer was initially introduced to Pepys by Hewer's uncle Robert Blackborne, whose sister was Hewer's mother, and who was a longtime Pepys friend with whom he worked at the Admiralty. It has been said that the biggest favor Blackborne did for Pepys was the introduction of his nephew Hewer to Pepys in 1660.
Hewer in Pepys' diary
Hewer is frequently mentioned in Pepys' diary as a trusted friend as well as an assistant. As their relationship developed, it became a professional partnership as well as a personal friendship. When Pepys moved to the AdmiraltyAdmiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
in 1673, Hewer moved to the Admiralty as well and became Chief Clerk the following year. In 1677, he was appointed as Judge Advocate-General.
Hewer late career
In 1685, he became MPMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Yarmouth is a port and civil parish in the western part of the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of mainland England. The town is named for its location at the mouth of the small Western Yar river...
. He was appointed to the Special Commission which replaced the Navy Board in 1686 with responsibility for accounts. After the deposition of James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
in 1689, Pepys and Hewer lost their patronage from the Crown; both were briefly imprisoned, but were released without trial.
Hewer managed to become very rich. He made much of it through his involvement in trading with his uncle Blackborne, who became Secretary to the Admiralty, and later Secretary to the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
.
Like Pepys, Hewer also received payments from those doing business with the Navy, but suspicions of illicit payments were never proved and he did not hold a lucrative office for any length of time. He probably also inherited from his father, who was a merchant, as Pepys' diary mentions his increased expenditures after his father's death in 1665. By 1674, Hewer was wealthy enough to finance the construction of three warships. He became a director of the old East India Company in 1698 and served two terms as its Deputy Chairman. He also served as Treasurer of Tangier.
He owned a house near The Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
which became the Admiralty Office when he and Pepys moved from the Navy Board. Pepys also lived in the house while he was at the Admiralty.
He bought an estate in the then-village of Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
in 1688 which he used as a country retreat. (Hewer also owned other property in Clapham, London, Westminster, Norfolk and elsewhere.) Pepys went to live in Hewer’s house on Clapham Common
Clapham Common
Clapham Common is an 89 hectare triangular area of grassland situated in south London, England. It was historically common land for the parishes of Battersea and Clapham, but was converted to parkland under the terms of the Metropolitan Commons Act 1878.43 hectares of the common are within the...
in his old age and died there in 1703. Hewer was the executor of Pepys' will and retained Pepys' library and book collection including his famous diary until he died on December 3, 1715. Wiliam Hewer is buried in St. Paul's Church, Clapham.
Hewer never married and so devised that his estate go to his godson Hewer Edgeley on the condition that he change his surname to Hewer. This the heir did, becoming Hewer Edgeley-Hewer.
Subsequently lawsuits arose over the immense Hewer estate.
In 1684 William Hewer was admitted to the Freedom of the Clothworkers' Company, and was immediately sworn in as a member of the Court of Assistants. He was elected Master of the Clothworkers' Company for the 1686-87 year. In 1687 he donated a barge to the Clothworkers' Company. It seems that he did not attend a single Court meeting during his Mastership.