Blue Plaques
Bishops Stortford now has a set of Blue Plaques, to recognise the historic contributions made to the town by previous residents.
The five thus far honoured are Sir Walter Gilbey, Frances Barber and Mrs Tresham Gilbey (all on Windhill), Baron Thomas Dimsdale (Newtown Road) and Sir George Jackson (rear of Jackson Square).
Short biographies are provided below:
Francis Barber (c1742-1801) ~ Former slave, valet, secretary and schoolmaster
Francis Barber was the black manservant of Dr Samuel Johnson from 1752 until Johnson’s death in 1784. He was born a slave on the Bathurst sugar plantation in Jamaica, brought to England by his owner Richard Bathurst, whose son was a close friend of Johnson’s. After Johnson’s wife died the younger Bathurst sent Francis to be Dr Johnson’s valet. After a short period, he left during which he served as a sailor in the Navy, returning to Johnson in 1760. In 1767 Dr Johnson sent Francis to be educated at the old Grammar School in Bishop’s Stortford for a period of about 5 years until 1772, where he lodged with the headmaster’s wife in Windhill. After returning to Johnson, he was able to act as valet, secretary and assistant. He married an English woman and had children; the family living with Dr Johnson. On his death in 1784, the Barber family moved to Lichfield with money left to the family in Dr Johnson’s will. Francis taught in a nearby village school but despite his inheritance became destitute and died in Stafford Infirmary in 1801.
Sir Walter Gilbey, Bt. (1831-1914) ~ Wine and spirit merchant, horse breeder and philanthropist
Walter Gilbey was born at Windhill, Bishops Stortford in 1831. From quite lowly beginnings he amassed an immense fortune in London through his successful wine and spirits company, W & A Gilbey. He returned to Bishop’s Stortford, living firstly at Stansted and later Elsenham. He was a JP, a major local benefactor and an expert breeder of livestock and horses. He laid out the Hockerill Park estate in Bishop’s Stortford and was responsible for the Kings Cottages almshouses in South Street, as well as the Elsenham to Thaxted branch line. He was a friend of both royalty and people in distress.
Mrs Tresham Gilbey (1865-1941) ~ Appointed a magistrate in 1920, one of the first such women in England, benefactor and active in local societies
Mrs Tresham Gilbey (nee Annie Barker) was one of the first one women in the country to be appointed a magistrate, in 1920, and for many years, was the only woman magistrate on the bench for Bishop’s Stortford. She was also active in local society, leading several local organisations and actively involved in affairs at St Michaels Church. Her father was Sir John Barker, founder of Barkers of Kensington and she was married to Tresham Gilbey, third son of Sir Walter Gilbey. From 1906, she lived at Whitehall, on Dane O’Coys Road.
Baron Thomas Dimsdale 1712-1800 ~ Eminent physician, inoculator, banker and politician
Physician, banker and Member of Parliament. His family were members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). He was renowned for successfully inoculating Empress Catherine of Russia and her Court against smallpox in 1768. The Empress awarded him a pension, gave him a large cash sum, and made him an hereditary Baron of the Russian Empire. His work helped to popularise inoculation as a successful method of combatting smallpox, then a deadly disease. In 1779, he married his second cousin, Elizabeth Dimsdale, his third wife. Her father, Joseph, was a surgeon in Bishop’s Stortford. Elizabeth was a diarist and recipe collector. Thomas, Elizabeth, Joseph, and several other members of the Dimsdale family are buried in the Friends Graveyard in Newtown Road. The Society of Friends gave the graveyard to Bishop’s Stortford Town Council in 1935. It has since been maintained as a public garden.
Sir George Jackson, Bt. (1725-1822) ~ Creator and owner of the Stort Navigation
Sir George Jackson was born in 1725 in Yorkshire. He entered the Navy Office in 1743, transferred to the Admiralty in 1766 where he was Second Secretary, and became Judge Advocate of the Fleet, a position he held from 1768 until his death. His patronage of Captain Cook led to Cook naming several places after him on his voyage of discovery. He served as a Member of Parliament for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis and for Colchester. He was created Sir George Jackson, baronet in 1791. In 1797, he inherited his wife’s family’s ancestral estate, and, under the terms of the will, had to change his name to Duckett. He was instrumental in rescuing the Stort Navigation project which had initially failed but, under his guidance, received a second chance. The project was ultimately completed in 1769. The Stort Navigation was the major factor behind the changes in the town’s fortunes from the 1760’s up to 1870’s when rail became capable of taking over. He was considered to be an honorary citizen of Stortford and, when he died, chose to be buried at St. Michael’s Church, Bishop's Stortford.
More detailed biographies of each honoree are provided here.
It is intended to install a further five blue plaques next year.
The Blue Plaques have been installed by Bishop’s Stortford History Society, working with Bishop’s Stortford Town Council, Bishop’s Stortford Museum and Bishop’s Stortford Civic Federation, to commemorate it’s 70th birthday. Financial support from the Brazier Trust and the Civic Federation is gratefully acknowledged.
