William Clouten

  General Notes:

William was living in Cratfield at the time of his marriage. Martha was living in Linstead Parva which is right next to Cratfield. Her parents were in Fressingfield. William and Martha must have lived in Linstead Parva for the first few years as the first three of their children were baptized there. Indications from the Fressingfield registers are that there was only the one family of Cluttons living there in the early 1700's. The name was no doubt new to the area so various spellings of the name occured. For the marriage entry, William's name was spelled Clouten; for the baptisms of his children, it was Cluttin, but for the entry for his mother's burial, it was Clutton, then later on Clutten was used. When William signed his will in 1731, he signed it William Clutton. He had three of his sons apprenticed. Oldest son, William, was apprenticed in 1714 at the age of 12 to Joseph Foster of Melton, tool-maker, for the sulm of eight pounds. In 1722, son John was apprenticed at the age of 13 to James Gooden of Bungay, wheelwright, for the sum of three pounds. Then from Samuel Francis Clutten's book, son Valentine is mentioned as being apprenticed to a wheelwright at Holton. In the guild system which was controlled by the master craftsmen, a candidate served an apprenticeship of 7 years in which to learn a trade and during this time he was not allowed to marry. Following this, a period of about 5 years would be spent as a journeyman working for the masters at day's wages in order to practice the trade. It is likely William himself served as an apprentice because he was a builder and joiner by trade. At a Geneeral Court Baron held on 11 Sep 1716, it was presented that on March 14, 1715/16, John Carter surrendered to the use of William Clutten of Fressingfield, Yeoman, a piece of enclosed land called LeWham containing about 5 roods, in Fressingfield, and an enclosed meadow with a certain lane, lying to the south of the aforesaid piece and containing 2 1/2 acres, and an apple orchard with a hempland next to it lying at the east end of the said lane and containing half an acre, with appurtenances, and the right of commoning both on the common pasture with two beasts in the commons called Chapenhall Green and Hushaw Green, and a tenement called Brownes with several pieces and parcels of land, meadow and pasture belong to the same in Chepenhall and Fressingfield containing in all aboaut 10 acres and the right of commoning with 5 more beasts upon the said greens. He paid a"fine" of 14 pounds, 13 shillings and 6 pence upon admission, and forthwith surrendered all these premises to the uses of his will.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Baptism, 22 Jul 1675, Yoxford, Suffolk England.

• connection.

• connection. ³³⁵

William married Martha Aldous, daughter of Stephen Aldous and Ursula Wyard, on 3 Oct 1700 in Fressingfield, Suffolk England. (Martha Aldous was born on 19 Mar 1670 in Earl Stonham / Plamsgate, Suffolkshire England and died on 6 Feb 1747 in Fressingfield, Suffolk England.)