HistoricaLeigh: The Chester Cup

Captain Richard Chester commanded the Prudence of Leigh, a ship of 120 tons and a crew of 60, as part of the London defences against the Spanish Armada. He died in 1632 and is buried in St Clement’s where there is a brass to his memory. There is a clause in his will which states ‘I give and bequeath to the Master and Assistants of Trinity House of Deptford Strand and their successors one gilten cup to weigh twentie ounces to remain as my gift to the said house for ever’.

The cup was acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1924 for £1700 with the aid of contributions from 8 London Livery companies.

According to Genealogical memoirs of the extinct family of Chester of Chicheley, Richard Chester of Leigh was actually a native of Hartlepool, Co Durham. The family line in Leigh died out in 1653.

This article is by Carole Mulroney of Leigh Lives - www.leighlives.co.uk
To read all of Carole's previous article of the History of our little town, click here