Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: 1629.
Place of Death: probably Lenham, Kent.
Joan made her will on April 5th 1629 and it was proved October 10th 1629.
Relationships
Father: Thomas Plommer.
Mother: Alice Godfrey.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: William Chalcroft.
The will of Joan’s father Thomas Plommer mentions his daughter Joan’s husband William Chalcroft.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Thomas Chalcroft (baptized 4 April 1580 in Kingsnorth - buried 1637 in Lenham, Kent)
Susan Chalcroft (baptized 23 April 1581 in Kingsnorth) married William Hall 16 January 1603 in Willesborough, Kent.
William Chalcroft (baptized 2 September 1582 in Kingsnorth - buried 7 March 1583/4 in Kingsnorth)
Elizabeth Chalcroft (baptized 13 October 1583 in Kingsnorth - died 29 December 1632) married Thomas Henman 20 May 1601 in Willesborough, Kent.
Henry Chalcroft (baptized 27 February 1585/6 in Kingsnorth)
William Chalcroft (baptized 29 September 1589 in Kingsnorth - buried 22 September 1638 in Willesborough)
John Chalcroft (baptized 7 May 1593 in Kingsnorth - died 1618) married Elizabeth Newman 1 May 1617 in London. John was a grocer in London.
Nicholas Chalcroft (baptized 1 September 1595 in Kingsnorth)
Joan Chalcroft (baptized 16 September 1599 in Willesborough, Kent) married James Tonge in 1621.
Robert Chalcroft (baptized 6 January 1601/2 in Kingsnorth)
Evidence
from the Kent Archives catalogue (DCb/J/J/42/75):
Ecclesiastical cause papers
Plaintiff: William Chalcroft, half brother by father, executor.
Defendants: Thomas Chalcroft, Bredgar, half-brother by father; Elizabeth Chalcroft alias Henman, wife of Thomas Henman, Lenham and Joan Chalcroft alias Tong wife of James Tong, Bredgar, half-sisters by father; Susan Hall, Maidstone, daughter of Susan Chalcroft alias Hall, half-sister by father, deceased.
Date: 24 July 1628
The will of 1629 Joan Chalcroft of Lenham:
In the name of God amen the third day of April in the fift yeare of the reigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of god of England Scotland France and Ireland king, Defender of the Faith et annoq Domi 1629 I Joane Chalcrofte of Lenham in the countie of Kent widow being infirme in bodie, but of sound minde and perfect memorie praysed be god doe make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following. Inprimis and especially I commend my Soule to allmightie god creator thereof, on whose mercie and Christ Jesus my redeemers merits I constantly relie for life eternal; my bodie I leave to be buried in a most christian and decent manner in such place as shall seeme meet to the discretion of my executor. Item I give and bequeath to the poore people of the parish of Lenham ten shillings to be distributed amongst them at the discretion of my executor within one moneth next after my decease. Item I give and bequeath to every one of the children of Thomas Henman my sonne in law (to witt) Thomas Henman, Allen Henman, John Henman, William Henman, James Henman, Richard Henman, Joane Henman and Elizabeth Henman, which shalbe living at the time of my decease fortie shillings a peece to be payed within one yeare next after my decease as followeth, to witt, fortie shillings a peece I will to be payed into the hands of either of them that shalbe of full age the same yeare, and my will is, that the legacies of the next above named who shall not [...] to be of fulll age the same yeare shalbe payed to the said Thomas Henman my sonne in law if he be then living, or otherwise to their gardian for their use. Item I give to Thomas Henman my nephew above named one glasse cage to be delivered him within one moneth next after my decease. Item I give to Elizabeth Henman my neece above named my cabinet to be delivered her within one moneth next after my decease Item I give and bequeath to every one of the children of my beloved sonne William Chalcrofte, (to witt) John Chalcrofte, Richard Chalcrofte, William Chalcrofte and Joane Chalcrofte to be payed them whenas they shall accomplish the age of one and twentie yeares, fortie shillings a peece, and if any of them die in the meane time, his or her legacie shalbe equally devided amongst the survivours. Item I give and bequeath to Susan Hall my neece daughter of William Hall my sonne in law deceased fortie shillings to be payed to her withing one yeare next after my decease if she be then of full age, but if she be not, then I will it to be payed to my beloved sonne Thomas Chalcrofte her gardian. Item I give her my silver salte seller to be delivered her within one moneth next after my decease if she be of full age, but if she be not, then I will that it be delivered to Thomas Chalcrofte her gardian before named. Item I will and bequeath to each of the children of my sonne in law James Tong, (to witt) James and Elizabeth Tong, fortie shillings a peece to be payed to the said James Tong their father within one yeare next after my decease if he be then living, but if not, then I will it to be payed to their gardian if they survive their father. Item. I give and bequeath to Thomas Chalcrofte my beloved sonne, one thirtie shillings peece of golde, two fifteene shillings peeces of golde and my wedding ringe which are now in my custodie to be delivered and payed to him within one moneth next after my decease. Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth my beloved daughter wife of Thomas Henman afore named, one halfe dozen of silver spoones now in my custodie to be delivered her within one moneth next after my decease. Item. I give and bequeath to James Tong my aforesaid sonne in law twentie shillings to be payed him within one yeare next, after my decease. Item. I give and bequeath to Joane my beloved daughter wife of the said James Tong, the bedsteddle that I lie on, one downe bed, one boulster, two pillowes and curtaines to the same bed, also one little cubbourd to be delivered to her within three moneths next after my decease. Item I give to Jane Abraham my now maide servant tenn shillings to be payed her within one moneth next after my decease. The residue of all my goods chattells & hereditaments what soever unbequeathed (my debts & legacies payed & performed & my funeral chardges defaulled) I give & bequeath to William Chalcrofte my beloved sonne & his heires for ever; And doe make & ordaine the said William Chalcrofte sole executor of this my last will & testament. And for the due execution of this my last will I make & ordaine my aforesaid sonne in law Thomas Henman overseer of the same, to whom I give & bequeath for his paines & care herein to be taken one ringe of golde of the valew of twentie shillings to be delivered him within three moneths next after my decease. In witnes whereof I the said Joane Chalcrofte have hereto set my hand & seale, & published the same to be my last will & testament revoking all former wills in the presence of John Allen Thomas Henman the marke of Joane Chalcrofte
[Proved 10 October 1629. Note that the words “nephew” and “niece” seem to be used in this will in the sense of “grandson” and “granddaughter”, which used to be somewhat common. For example, the Oxford English Dictionary has this citation from 1632: P. Holland tr. Xenophon Cyrupædia v.v. 115 Naturall children and nephewes [margin childrens children, as we say unproperly, Grand-children.]
Commentary
Joan’s parentage
Joan married William Chalcroft and they had children starting in 1580 (Thomas in 1580, Susan in 1581, William in 1582 died young, Elizabeth in 1583, and Henry in 1585/6). In his 1586 will, Thomas Plommer of New Romney, Kent, names his daughter Joan Chalkcrofte, Joan’s children Thomas, Susan, Elizabeth, and Harrie, and the children’s father William Chalkcrofte. This is enough to establish that Joan’s father was Thomas Plommer.
The register of Lydd, Kent, records the marriage in 1559 of Thomas Plummer and Alys Godfrey. In his will, Thomas mentioned that land in Brookland and Ivychurch had come to him with his wife. In connection with willing these lands to his sons, Thomas mentions a deed betwen himself and his sons’s grandfather “Godfrey”. This is enough to show that Joan’s mother was Alice Godfrey.
References
Will of Joan Chalcroft. 1629. "England, Kent, Wills and Probate, 1440-1881. Kent, Archdeaconry of Canterbury. Wills" Digital images at Familysearch.org, citing County Record Office, Maidstone, Kent, England. (accessed March 6 2015).
Will of Thomas Plommer of New Romney, Kent. Proved 4 March 1590 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Digital images on Ancestry.com accessed 1 May 2020.