Francis Aylmer may have owned some or all of 22-26 Princes Street and 1 and 2 Tombland Alley
1628 – Francis Aylmer born – father and location not known. Possibly related to Aylmers of Aylmer Hall, Tivetshall St Margaret, Norfolk. Richard Aylmer was mayor of Norwich in 1511 and Robert Aylmer in 1481 and 1492. John Aylmer (1521- 1594) was Bishop of London, born at Aylmer Hall
1653 – Francis Aylmer marries Mary Feak at All Saints, Norwich.
1655 – Philip Aylmer son of Francis Aylmer born. Baptised Philip Ellmer at St Gregory’s
1655 – Mary Feak dies.
1656 – Francis Aylmer marries Grace Boardman, nee Harman. Daughter of Thomas and Ann Harman. Widow of Andrew Boardman. Grace’s sister sold to Andrew Boardman their parent’s property – middle part of a messuage – 22-26 Princes Street.
1661 Francis and Grace Aylmer transferred ownership of the messuage in Tombland (22-26 + possibly 1-2 Tombland Alley) where they were living to Richard Lynsey/Linsey, another woolcomber, who was married to Rebecca, the daughter of Andrew Boardman and Grace. This messuage was situated between the churchyard on the east, a messuage owned by Thomas Fairecloth and Prince’s Inn to the west, the king’s highway [Princes Street] to the south and the garden late of Edmund Brice, deceased, to the north. This was done as a quit claim, in default of the £100 not paid as per legacy of Andrew Boardman. Two days after, Richard and Rebecca sold the messuage back to Francis and Grace.
1663 Francis Aylmer attained freedom of Norwich (not by apprenticeship) as a wool comber
1667 issued a token (local currency) as Francis Elmer https://www.academia.edu/74698702/Francis_Elmer_and_the_Three_Foxes
1672 Grace Aylmer dies at age of 59
1675 Francis marries Elizabeth Frances, Knightsbridge Chapel, Westminster
1686 Francis Aylmer dies at age of 58. Son Philip (1648-1727) inherits properties. Buried at St George Tombland – memorial to Francis and Philip in church. Will – wife Elizabeth to receive £300 in full discharge of agreement made before their wedding and after her death all property to revert to Philip, executor. Supervisors are cousin Philip Aylmer, son of Caleb Aylmer, late of Honingham. Friend Augustine Steward; of Norwich, worsted weaver and Nicholas Browne, alderman of Norwich, notary public.
https://archive.org/embed/firstparishregis00norw
1693 Elizabeth Aylmer (Elmer) dies. Buried in St Peter Mancroft.
1700 Francis Aylmer, son of Philip Aylmer and Elizabeth, born. Baptised at St Mary in the Marsh
1702 Mary Aylmer, daughter of Philip and Elizabeth Aylmer born – baptised in St Mary in the Marsh
1703 Mary Aylmer, daughter of Philip and Elizabeth Aylmer dies – buried at Ludham
1704 Bridget Aylmer, daughter of Philip and Elizabeth Aylmer born – baptized in St Mary in the Marsh
1705 Bridget Aylmer, daughter of Philip Aylmer of Christ’s Church close in Norwich, buried in Ludham
1710 election – Philip Aylmer voted for the Tory candidate
1718 Francis Aylmer matriculates at Clare College, Cambridge
1719 Francis Aylmer moves to Corpus Christi, Cambridge
1721-2 Francis Aylmer BA
1722 Francis Aylmer deacon of Norwich. Fellow of Corpus Christi to 1744
1724 Francis Aylmer ordination
1725 Francis Aylmer MA
1727 Philip Aylmer, Gent, dies Aug 20 aged 72 – leaves all his property to Francis Aylmer.
1744 Francis Aylmer (44) marries Elizabeth Daniel
1746 Elizabeth, daughter of Francis and Elizabeth, is born. Elizabeth Daniel dies.
1758 Francis Aylmer dies – daughter Elizabeth inherits Princes Street messuage at age 12. Eventually lived in 2 Tombland Alley?
1798 Land Tax Redemption – St George Tombland – Mrs Aylmer (Elizabeth Aylmer?) proprietor, occupied by Dennis Greenfield.
1800 Land Tax Redemption – St George Tombland, Mrs Aylmer proprietor, Dennis Greenfield occupier
1817 – A release and covenant dating from 2nd January 1817 records that Gibbs Leeds (presumably III) paid £250[1] to the Harvey brothers (Robert, John and Charles Harvey[2]) to buy the messuage or dwelling house and shop in St George Tombland in the occupation of Leeds, bounded by premises of Hewett Rand (north – Samson and Hercules court), premises of John Sayer Reeve, Rizen Mollett and Elizabeth Aylmer (east), Kings Highway (south) and a messuage called Princes Inn (west). This could imply the property was what is now No.26, and possibly 22-24 as well, and that John Sayer Reeve owned 1 Tombland Alley, Rizen Mollett owned the old Augustine Steward House, and Elizabeth Aylmer owned 2 Tombland Alley. Rizen Mollett was a range and stove manufacturer and ironmonger and his premises at this point were on Tombland itself – probably the front part of the Augustine Steward house. John Sayer Reeve was a baker with a shop in Coslany.
In 1824, Susanna Bean purchased the freehold of the tenement she was living in from “William Blake, gent, of Swanton Abbott.” William Blake had been bequeathed all the property in Norwich, Horsham St Faiths and Newton St Faiths of a spinster, Elizabeth Aylmer, on her death in 1823 at the age of 76. The money raised from the sale to be used for annuities, gifts and donations to servants, family, friends and charitable organisations. Elizabeth Aylmer had inherited the property from her father, the Reverend Francis Aylmer (1700-1758), as his only child. Francis had inherited the property from his father, Philip Aylmer (1648-1727).
[1] Around £18,000 in present day value
[2] The grandsons of Robert Harvey who the sons of Robert
Above photo – Farthing token of Francis Elmer ex-Rolfe collection
Friends of Princes Street 