Hi,

I'm researching this for a friend, but it's beginning to feel like part of my own family!

John Secker (date/place of birth & parent names unknown - help pls!)

John was Clerk Comptroller of His Majesty's Kitchens from 1761 when he was appointed by Earl Talbot, perhaps until his death in 1785. Prior to that, he held the post of Gentleman Harbinger in 1760, and before that he was Clerk of the Spicery. He was at Hampton Court Palace at least from 1769 to his death, and after he died his wife Mary & two unmarried daughters lived the rest of their lives at the palace. I'm in touch with a palace staffer & expect more info about this period.

John had a residence at Hampton Court Palace (a 'perk' of his job, likely) but in his will listed his home as Lamb's Conduit Street, though Hampton Court was also mentioned.

John seems to have been a friend of Peregrine Cust, a former MP in England, who was to have been an executor of John's will, but died before John.

My guess is that John was born about 1700-1720.

He may be related to Archbishop Thomas Secker's family. If so I don't have the connection. He and his wife, Mary Tombes, were married 29 Mar 1757 at St Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London; the marriage was performed by Thomas Secker, then Bishop of Oxford.

John and Mary had at least five children. Four were baptized at St Andrew, Holborn: Mary in 1758, Elizabeth in 1759, Anne in 1762 and George in 1766. John & Mary are listed as 'of Millman Street' at the time of these baptisms. Their son Henry was baptized at St Mary, Hampton, in 1769.

It appears that the daughter, Mary, died before John did; she doesn't appear in his will. Elizabeth and Anne didn't marry, and lived out their lives at Hampton Court. I'd love to find more information on George and Henry, as well as John's origins.

There were enough John Seckers born during the period in question that he's not easy to find. I'm going through them all, gradually. There is a John Seckker baptized in 1702 at St Leonard Shoreditch, in Hackney, but later siblings of this one are bearing the surname Sacker, and I'm inclined to think that 'my' John was born outside London.

Through this, I've gathered a fair amount of information on both the archbishop's family and a number of other Seckers. I'll be glad to share & hope you will too, if you think you may have John of Hampton in your family tree!

It can be terribly frustrating at times, but I just love family history!