Family and Education

Offices Held

Bailiff of the hundred of Kerrier, Cornw. Mich. 1374-80.1

Biography

The name of John Symon or Symond was quite common in Cornwall in this period, but it seems most likely that the man who represented Helston in 1388 was he who leased land on the surrounding manor of Helston-in-Kerrier. In 1371 that John had acted as a surety for several other lessees of land on the manor, when they entered into contracts at the assession court of the duchy of Cornwall.2 Three years later he was appointed bailiff of the hundred in which Helston was situated, and continued to hold this post for the next six years.

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Author: L. S. Woodger

Notes

He is not to be confused with John, s. of Roger Lowys by Margaret, da. and h. of John Symon† (d.c.1381) of Bodmin, who adopted his grandfather’s name after his parents were divorced in 1379: J. Maclean, Trigg Minor, iii. 422; Cornw. Feet of Fines (Devon and Cornw. Rec. Soc. 1914), 611, 655; ibid. (1950), 716; Reg. Brantingham ed. Hingeston-Randolph, 28. Between 1405 and 1410 that John was engaged in lawsuits with his half-brother John Foll: CPR, 1405-8, pp. 114, 162; 1408-13, p. 5; CCR, 1405-9, p. 80; Reg. Stafford, 345; JUST 1/1536 mm. 27, 114d). He must have been fairly young at the time of the Cambridge Parliament.

• 1. Duchy of Cornw. RO, ministers’ accts. 20, 23, 26; SC6/818/6-8.
• 2. E360/2/2.