Fyfield, Best & Williams

Submitted by edpope on

4.1.1807 dine at King's w. Sturts Danvers Best Plowden & Williams adv. May & Fyfield / 10.1.1807 dine at King's w. Wolcot Sturts Danvers Best & Williams / 18.1.1807 dine at King's w Sturts Danvers Wolcot Williams & Fyfield / 6.7.1827 Best at Uwins'

I've put these three together because Fyfield and Best only appear at these three dinners at King's in Jan 1807 (the Best of 1827 being likely someone different) and Williams was at all three dinners and quite likely to be different from the many other Williams who appeared in the diary., Though there was a Williams (and with Wolcot again) at King's on 5.2.1795. David Williams (DNB 1738-1816) in 1799 co-wrote with Thomas Martyn a pamphlet about John King who then prosecuted him for libel. He may well have been biting the hand that had fed him in 1795 but it seems unlikely he would still have been dining with King in 1807. Sturts & Danvers were relatives of King's, and Wolcot and Plowden well-known figures and regular guests at King's. Fyfield is a rare enough name (including alternate spelling Fifield) to start trying to identify.

Humphrey bapt 1743 Southrop Glos son of William Fifield & Izard his wife, appr 1759 son of Rev Wm Fifield vicar of Sherston Wilts (son of John F of Northleach see Alum Ox) to Richard Fawcett tinplate worker London, married Betty Viner 31.7.1768 St Martin i t Fields, tinman of Janes-st Covent Garden voted Fox 1780, 1784, by 1816 in Paradise-row Chelsea tin plate worker & oilman/lamp contractor buried Chelsea 20.1.1829. His brother or uncle John Fifield grocer of Gloucester-st, Queen-sq will PCC 1788
John Fifield periwig maker Mount-st witness Westmr coroners 1779, hairdresser Chandler-st voted Fox 1790, Robert Fifield periwig maker Islington will PCC 1795 all to wife Jane her will PCC 23.3.1825 son John Shepherd Fifield 7 Upper-terr Islington who married 11.11.1793 at St Mgt Lothbury Elizabeth Longmate
SunFire 1822 William Fifield tailor 17 Primrose-hill Salisbury-sq
will PCC 22.11.1827 John Fifield gent Romsey Hants
will PCC 24.4.1828 John Fifield glazier of St Marylebone

Best a very common name
SunFire 1802 William Draper Best esq 38 Gt Ormond-st serjeant-at-law (1st Baron Wynford will PCC 8.4.1845). Often called Serjeant Best. When Charles Sturt died in 1812 he was about to contest the parliamentary seat at Bridport and W D Best took his place, which suggests some connection with the Sturts. Best was from Somerset (Haslebury) though some way from Crichel More where the Sturts lived
other possibles:
will PCC 7.1.1808 John Best silversmith of St Lukes Middlesex
will PCC 15.1.1810 George Best gent of Richmond, Surrey
SunFire 1803 George Nathaniel Best esq 19 Bedford Row (will PCC 16.4.1845)
SunFire 1814 Thomas Best apothecary 15 Tavistock-st Covent Garden