Robert Meek

Robert Meek is memorialised by an inscription on Bell 2 in the church tower.

Contents

1. Key events
2. Navigation

Key events

• 1690 He was baptised in Hingham in December 1690; it was recorded in the baptismal register that he was the son of John Meek.
• 1713 Robert Meek was listed as one of the Capital Pledges for the Court of the Manor of Deopham of the Dean & Chapter of Canterbury held on August 11^th 1713. Curiously, he had not been recorded in any property transactions before this time, nor was he subsequently. It is not clear how he came to have roles in both the courts of the Manors Deopham Hall and the Dean & Chapter of Canterbury.
• 1715 At the Court of the Manor of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury held in December 1715 he was elected to be Constable for the following year.
• 1719 On his Marriage License of October 1719 he was described as being a Blacksmith.
• 1719 His marriage to Dorothy Cooper took place on October 13^th 1719 in Wramplingham church.
  Quite why he was married in Wramplingham rather than Deopham is interesting. Many others are recorded in the Deopham marriage register around this time as being married at Wramplingham – it may be a reflection of the state of the church in Deopham which had become too dilapidated. The will of Rev. Henry Rix, who was vicar of Deopham at this time, describes Rix as being “of Wramplingham”.
• 1723 Robert Meek was listed as one of the churchwardens on a terrar (inventory) for the Manor of Deopham of the Dean & Chapter of Canterbury.
• 1724 His son, Robert, was buried in Deopham on Oct 11^th 1724
• 1726 Another son, also Robert, was baptised on March 12^th 1726 and buried only a few days later on March 22^nd.
• 1728 At the Court of the Manor of Deopham Hall on December 19^th 1728 he was elected to be Constable for that Manor (previously he had been constable for the Manor of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury) for the following year – a role which often coincided with that of being churchwarden.
• At the Court of the Manor of Deopham Hall on February 15^th 1731, it can be seen that Robert Meek held the position of Bailiff of the Court.
• 1739 On August 7^th 1739 he was named on the Marriage License of Francis Feltham and Bridget Newman.
  On this document he described himself as a “yeoman”.
• 1740 He was named as one of the two Churchwardens on bell 2.
• 1749 He was buried in Deopham on September 3^rd 1749. His wife Dorothy, was buried on February 15^th, 1764.

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