William Kiffin

William Kiffin, 1667. Unknown artist. Image from the Wikimedia Commons.

William was an early spokesman and debater for the Particular Baptists, and played a key role in drafting the first London confession of faith. He was described by an enemy in 1659 as “the grand ring-leader” of the Baptists. He played a key role in the expansion of the movement beyond London.

He became a freeman of the Leathersellers’ Company in 1638, and was extremely successful in business. The king is said to have asked him for a “loan” of £40 000, but he made a gift of £10 000 instead.

During the civil war he was a “captain” and “lieutenant-colonel” in the London militia, and he sat as M.P. for Middlesex in 1656-8. He was elected sheriff of London and Middlesex in 1671, but was subsequently rejected for his nonconformity. He was elected master of the leathersellers. (information from Haykin). He was an alderman in 1687 and 1688.

“Great as was the authority of Bunyan with the Baptists, that of William Kiffin was still greater. Kiffin was the first man among them in wealth and station.” (Macaulay, The History of England v. 2, ch. 7)

Events 

Date of Birth: 1616.

Place of Birth: London, England.

The date and place are given by Haykin. William in his will, made 23 March 1699/1700, states that he is “aged about fourscore and four years”. In his memoirs, William states that he was 9 years old in 1625 and 15 in 1631.

Date of Baptism: 22 July 1616.

Place of Baptism: St Mary at Finchley, Middlesex.

The baptism is recorded in the parish register.

Date of Death: 29 December 1701.

Place of Death: London.

The date and place are given by Haykin. The date is given in a monumental inscription.

Date of Burial: 6 January 1701/2.

Place of Burial: St Giles Cripplegate, London.

The burial is recorded in the parish register.

Place of Burial: Bunhill Fields.

The place is given by Haykin. There was a monumental inscription.

Relationships

Father: Edward Kiffin.

Mother: Margaret Catcher.

See the Commentary section.

Spouse: Hannah Pitts (1616 - 6 October 1682). Married in 1638.

Hannah is named in a monumental inscription at Bunhill Fields. William Kiffin, in his memoirs, states that he had been married nearly 44 years when his wife died. Hannah’s sister Beathia names her and her husband William Kiffin in her 1679 will.  According to her monument, she was buried in the 67th year of her age.

Spouse: Sarah Davart.

William Kiffin appears in court documents from the 1690s with his wife, Sarah. Haykin notes that on 2 March 1698, Sarah was charged, at the Devonshire Square Church, of having defrauded her husband of £200 and making false charges against him. In April, she was suspended from communion with the church. In his 1699 will, William refers to her as “the widow Sarah Oram”. Sarah Davart had married Richard Orme, butcher, 25 May 1653 in St Katherine Coleman. Richard was probably buried 27 November 1678 at St Olave, Bermondsey.

Children (by Hannah): 

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)

Hannah Kiffin married Benjamin Hewling 22 January 1656/7.

Samuel Kiffin (buried 5 August 1644 in Stepney, Middlesex)

William Kiffin (about 1649 -  31 August 1669).

A son (born after 1649 - died in Venice after 1669). William believed this son had been poisoned by a Roman Catholic priest, although he notes in his memoirs that his son had been “but weakly” before he left on his journey.

Henry Kiffin (baptized 29 October 1653 at Shoreditch, Middlesex - died  8 December 1698) married Rachel Dashwood 11 March 1674/5 at All Hallows London Wall, London.

Priscilla Kiffin (about 1654 -  15 March 1679) married Robert Liddel 15 November 1677 at All Hallows London Wall.

Benjamin Kiffin (buried 6 July 1657 in Stepney).

Rebecca Kiffin (buried 20 November 1720 in St Lawrence Jewry, London) married Joseph Hayes, 14 September 1671 at All Hallows London Wall.

Evidence

from the St Mary at Finchley parish register:

1616

William Kiffin fil Edward Kiffin of water street July 22

from the St Dunstan and All Saints, Stepney parish register:

Burialls att Stepney 1644

August

5  Samuell sonne of William Kiffen of Ratecliff Schoolemaster & Anna

Burialls at Stepney 1657

[July]

6 Benjamin sonne of William Kiffen of Bethnell Greene Esq.r & Hannah uxor

from the National Archives catalogue:

C 2/Chasl/K10/15

Kiffin v Catcher.

Plaintiffs: Henry Kiffin, esq of Camberwell, Surrey and Edmund Kiffin of London.

Defendants: Margaret Catcher, widow and others.

Document type: answer only

1640

C 2/Chasl/K21/56

Kiffin vs Catcher.

Plaintiffs: Henry Kiffin of Camberwell, Surrey and William Kiffin of London (two sons of Margaret Catcher alias Margaret Kiffin, deceased who was one of the sisters of Edward Catcher heretofore Batchelor of Law, a fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge).

Defendants: George Phippen, clerk and Margaret Catcher, widow.

Document type: bill and answer

1640

C 2/Chasl/K19/26

Kiffen v Snell.

Plaintiffs: William Kiffen, citizen and leatherseller of London.

Defendants: Edward Snell, Thomas Armefeild and Joseph Ash.

Document type: bill and answer

1650

C 10/82/63

Kiffin v Lawson.

Plaintiffs: William Kiffin and Benjamin Hewling.

Defendants: Anthony Lawson and George Mainge.

Subject: money matters, Middlesex.

Document type: bill and two answers

1666

from the Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series:

14 April 1652

Wm. Kiffin, merchant of London, to have license to import from Holland the goods mentioned in his petition, Council being satisfied with what he alleges concerning his endeavours to get them into England before 1 Dec.

To Commrs. of Customs

To permit Wm. Kiffin, merchant of London, to unlade the goods in the Thomas of London, viz., wine, train oils, whale fins, tobacco, spices, and copper, they being laden before notice of the Act of Navigation.

7 July 1653

Declaration that Council is satisfied concerning the gifts and abilities of Major Wm. Packer, Capts. Jos. Strange, John Spencer, and Thos. Impson, Quartermaster Foxley, and Wm. Kiffin, to preach the Gospel, and that the public exercise thereof will be of great use in the Church, they being eminent for godliness, and that therefore they may have free use of any pulpits to preach in, as the Lord gives opportunity, those places being not to be used at the same time by their own ministers.

31 December 1653

The petitions of Wm. Kiffin and others, for the free passage of the St. Michael of Hamburg to Bordeaux…

20 April 1661

Bond of William Kiffen, of Clapham, Surrey, and two others, in 500l. for his good behaviour.

from the Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series:

31 May 1655

47. Petition of William Kiffin, merchant, to the Council of State. Without relief from England, the Island of Barbadoes and the other plantations belonging to England are not able to subsist; prays for licence to export 30 horses and 600 dozen of shoes, upon payment of the usual customs.

Order of the Council of State. For a warrant to Wm. Kiffin, merchant, to export 30 horses and 600 dozen of shoes to Barbadoes, and the other English plantations, upon paying customs.

from the East India Company Court Minutes:

Transfers of Stock

4 July 1660  William Kiffen to Sir William Thomson, 1,000l.

4 July 1660  Benjamin Hewling to Sir William Thomson, 1,000l.

from the 1666 hearth tax, London:

St Giles without Cripplegate

Powells Alley: William Kiffin  7 hearths

St James Dukes Place

Willm Kiffen  7 hearths

from Hertfordshire VCH (3:sub Thorley):

…the manor [of Thorley] descended in the Leventhorpe family with Shinglehall and Mathams in Sawbridgeworth until 1672, when Sir Thomas Leventhorpe, bart., conveyed it to William Kiffen. In 1691 William Kiffen, Henry Kiffen, merchant, and Rachel his wife joined in a sale to John Billers…

from The Little London Directory of 1677:

James and Joseph Hayes Gracechurch-street

William Kiffin little Morefields.

from the Calendar of Treasury Books:

June 8, 1671

…And it appears also by the affidavit of William Kiffin that 1,000l. has been paid in the Exchequer out of the said Farmers’ cash upon security of a note for 1,000l. from said Colville delivered to the said Farmers by said Kiffin, said sum being part of a loan to the King from said Kiffin.

from the St Giles Cripplegate parish register:

Burials in October 1682

ff Hanna W of Willi Kiffin Merch’t  Imposthum  Tindall  12

from the 1693 Four shillings in the pound act assessment:

City of London, Cripplegate Ward, Cripplegate without Ward, Grub Street Precent, Whites Alley

Kiffen, – (Alderman)  

Property Tax assessment : £ 10.00

Rental value: £ 50.00

Stock:

Tax assessment: £ 4.80

Stock value: £ 400.00

William’s will:

I William Kiffin Esq. of London Merchant aged about fourscore and four years being in perfect health and memory do make this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme following  I Committ my self to the Earth in hopes of a happy Resurrection First I desire my debts may be paid That I may be buried in my Vault where my first Wife and Children were buried Whereas I did formerly oblige my self to pay an Annuity of Fifteen pounds per Annum to the Widow Sarah Oram which said Annuity of Fifteen pounds my Grandson William Kiffin is now obliged to pay I having my daughter Rachell Kiffin and my said Grandson William Kiffins Bond Having made over Land to him the said William Kiffin upon that considerac’on next I bequeath to my daught’r Hannah Hewling and my daughter Rebecca Hayes All my household Goods that are in my house in Whites Alley to be equally divided between them and what household Goods I have at Bexwell I give to my Grand daughter Susan Kiffin I further give to my said daughter Hannah Hewling the Sum[m]e of ten pounds as also twenty pounds per Annum during her life having paid to my Grandson Joseph Kiffin the sum[m]e of One hundred and eighty pounds thereby to oblige him the said Joseph Kiffin to pay the said Annuity I give and bequeath to my daughter Rebecca Hayes the Sum[m]e of Fifty pounds I give and bequeath to my daughter Hannah Cromwell the Sum[m]e of twenty pounds I give and bequeath to my Grandson William Kiffin the Sum[m]e of One hundred pounds I give and bequeath to my Grand:daughter Susan Kiffin the sum[m]e of One hundred pounds To my Grand:daughter Rachell Kiffin the Sum[m]e of Fifty pounds I give to my Servant Richard Hudson all my wearing Apparrell and five pounds in money I give to Mr. Morrice King and Mr. William Clerke ten pounds to be disposed of by them to such poor as they shall thinke fitt I make my Grandson Joseph Kiffin Full and sole Executor of this my Last Will Testament revoaking all other Wills formerly made and if any Note Bill or Bond is in being under the hand or Signed by my daughter Hayes I do freely discharge and forgive her the same not having assigned any such Bill or Bond to any one person whatsoever  In witness hereof I hereunto Sett my hand and seale this 23.d  day of March Sixteen hundred ninety and nie Monday next beginning the yeare Seventeen hundred./.  Wm. Kiffin ./.  Signed Sealed and delivered in the presence of us underwritten ./.  Bryan Appleby  Blanch Appleby Mary Wright  Hannah Porter ./.

Decimo quarto die Mensis Martij Anno Domini Millesimo Septingentesimo decimo quinto Emanavit Commission Susanna Kiffin Solutae Nepoti ex filio et Legatariae principali nominat’ in Testamenta Gul’imi Kiffin nuper parochiae Sancti Egidij Cripplegate in Com’ Middlesexiae Vidui defuncti her’tis &c ad administrand’ bona jura et credita dicti defuncti juxta tenorem et effectum Testamenti ipsius defuncti (Eo quod Josephus Kiffin Executor in dicto Testam’to nominat’ mortem etiam obijt antequam onus Executionis, ejusdem Testamenti in se acceptasset) Litteris Administrac’onis bonorum &c dicti defuncti Mense Octobris Millesimo Septingentesimo Sexto cuidam Gulielmo Kiffin tanquam abintestato deceden’ concessis prius pro nullis et invalidis declaratis ./.

[William died in 1701 and the will was proved in 1716. His executor Joseph Kiffin died before he could carry out the execution of the will, and eventually Susan Kiffin took it on.]

from the St Giles Cripplegate parish register:

Burials in January 1701

ff William Kiffen Esq.r … Aged  Tindalls  6

The monumental inscription on William’s gravestone in Bunhill Fields:

WILLIAM KIFFIN 

Eldest Son of William Kiffin of London, Merchant, 

Died in the Lord, August the 31st, 1669, 

In the 21st year of his age. 

Also, 

PRISCILLA LIDDEL 

Wife of Robert Liddel, 

And Daughter of William Kiffin, 

Who fell asleep in the Lord, March 15, 1679, 

Aged 24. 

And 

HANNA, late Wife of William Kiffin, 

And Mother to the above-named William and Priscilla, 

Who fell asleep in the Lord, the 6th of October, 1682, 

In the 67th year of her age. 

And 

HARRY KIFFIN 

Son of the above-said William Kiffin, Dec. 8, 1698, aged 44. 

Also, 

HENRIETTA, late Wife of John Catcher, 

Aug. 15, 1698, Aged 22. 

And 

WILLIAM KIFFIN, the Elder, 

Of London, Merchant, Husband to the above-said Hanna, 

And Father to the above-said William, Harry, and Priscilla, 

Dec. 29, 1701, 

In the 86th year of his age.

Commentary

William’s parents:

This is the evidence that makes the identification of William’s parents secure:

1. William was born in about 1616. In his memoirs, he notes that the great plague of 1625 in London swept away his relations when he was 9 years old. He also notes that he was 15 years old in 1631. In his will, made in March 1699/1700,  he notes that he is about 84 years old.

2. A William Kiffen was baptized in 1616, in Finchley in 1616, the son of Edward Kiffen. Also with a father Edward were Edward Kiffen, baptized 1609 in St Margaret, Westminster;  Henry Kiffen, baptized in the same place in 1612; and John Kiffen, buried in Finchley in 1619.

3. A Margaret wife to Edward Kiffen was buried in August 1625 (the height of the plague) in St Bride Fleet Street, agreeing with William’s statement that “his relations” were swept away in the plague that year.

4. The 1618 will of Ursula Catcher names her “sister Kiffyn” and her sister’s four sons, Edward, Henry, John, and William. The 1626 will of Edward Catcher of Trinity College, Cambridge also names his “sister Kiffin”, calling her elsewhere in the will Margaret. (Strangely, he also makes a bequest to his sister Ursula, who seems to have died in 1618. And Edward was actually the executor of her will. However, other evidence in the wills make it certain that they were both children of John Catcher.)

5. In 1640, Henry Kiffin esq. of Camberwell and Edmund Kiffin of London brought a suit against Margaret Catcher, widow. Also in 1640, Henry Kiffin of Camberwell and William Kiffin of London, (who are explicitly said [as the abstract states] to be “two sons of Margaret Catcher alias Margaret Kiffin, deceased who was one of the sisters of Edward Catcher heretofore Batchelor of Law, a fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge”) bring a suit against George Phippen, clerk, and Margaret Catcher, widow.  The latter Margaret Catcher was the widow of William Catcher, another brother of William Kiffin’s mother Margaret. This identification is possible as George Phippen was the husband of the half-sister of William Catcher’s widow Margaret and the overseer of William Catcher’s will. (William’s executors were his two youngest sons, only a few years old, and not his wife, for some reason.) William had taken over the administration of Edward Kiffin’s will, since the executrix Edward named, his mother, had died in the meantime. William died shortly after in 1627/8. George Phippen and William Catcher’s widow Margaret were thus probably in charge of legacies left to the Kiffin brothers in the wills of their aunt Ursula and uncle Edward, and this presumably led to the suit.

Ellis Hookes (baptized 12 March 1635 St Margaret’s Westminster - 1681) as a possible cousin: 

Honneyman (p. 46) states that William Kiffin “came from a family in the town of Conwy where the Hookses and Kiffins had intermarried. William Kiffin was thus certainly a cousin of Ellis Hookes.” Ellis was a son of Thomas Hookes and Elizabeth Chudleigh. Honneyman gives no evidence for Hookes’ relationship with William Kiffin or his parents coming from Conwy, and Haykin sounds dubious.

References

Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series. (1886).

Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series 1574-1660. (1860).

Calendar of Treasury Books 1679-80. (1913).

“First London Confession” (the ‘Kiffin manuscript’), pp. 168 ff. in McGlothlin, W.J. Baptist Confessions of Faith. (1911)

https://archive.org/details/baptistconfessio00mcgl/page/168/mode/2up

Haykin, Michael A. G. “William Kiffin” in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004).

Honneyman, David J. “Ellis Hookes” in Quaker History v. 72 no. 1 (1983) pp. 43-54.

Ivimey, Joseph. The Life of Mr. William Kiffin, upwards of sixty years pastor of the Baptist church, Devonshire Square, London, From 1639 to 1701; and one of the five aldermen apointed by James II, in the year 1687, when the popish and despotic monarch disfranchised the City of London. (1833).

https://archive.org/details/per_early-baptist_the-life-of-willian-kiff_jos-iviney_1833

Keene, Derek, Peter Earle, Craig Spence, and Janet Barnes. Four Shillings in the Pound Aid 1693/4: the City of London, the City of Westminster, Middlesex (London, 1992).

Kiffin, William. Certaine observations vpon Hosea the second the 7. & 8. verses As they were delivered at a friends house who had broken his legg, for which meeting the author was committed to the White-Lyon by Sir Thomas Mallet late judge of assize for the county where he remaineth prisioner of Iesvs Christ. (1642)

https://ota.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/repository/xmlui/handle/20.500.12024/A47349 

Kiffin, William. Remarkable Passages in the Life of William Kiffin, written by himself, and edited from the Original Manuscript, with Notes and Additions by William Orme. (London, 1823).

https://archive.org/details/remarkablepassa00ormegoog/page/n7/mode/2up

Kiffin, William. A Sober Discourse of Right to Church-Communion. Wherein is proved by Scripture, the Example of Primitive Times, and the Practice of All that have Professed the Christian Religion: That no Unbaptized person may be Regularly admitted to the Lords Supper. (London, 1681).

https://archive.org/details/per_early-baptist_a-sober-discourse-of-rig_william-kiffin_1681/mode/2up

Sainsbury, Ethel Bruce. A Calendar of the Court Minutes, etc. of the East India Company (Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1907-1916).

St Dunstan and All Saints Stepney parish registers. Digital images at Ancestry.com.

St Mary at Finchley parish registers. Digital images at Ancestry.com

The Little London Directory of 1677. (London, 1863).

Whitley, W.T. The Baptists of London (1928).

Will of Beathia Pitts. Proved 1681 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Digital images on Ancestry.com accessed 4 August 2025. 

Will of Edward Catcher of Trinity College Cambridge. Proved 1627 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.

Will of Ursula Cacher. Proved 1618 in London. Digital images on Ancestry.com.

Will of William Catcher of Truro, merchant. Proved 1628 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.

Will of William Kiffin. Proved 1716 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.

Woodhead, J.R. Rulers of London 1660-1689. A Biographical Record of the Aldermen and Common Councilmen of the City of London. (London, 1966).