The Derrick family of Bristol, Gloucestershire, England, like many Bristol seafaring merchants, were originally of Somerset.

Francis Derrick, Sen. is recorded in 1632 as gifting bread to the poor of St. Stephen’s, in Bristol. His will was probated in March, 1638. (PROB 11/176/291). His son and namesake is recorded in 1661 as paying for the teaching of poor children of Long Ashton. (Report of the Commissioners Appointed for Inquiring Concerning Charities, p. 18, 1827).

It can not be sure whether it is father or son who are recorded in the following documents; although the latter ones almost certainly pertain to Francis Derrick Jun., born. c. 1600.

E 115/117/162. Certificate of residence showing Francis Derricke (or the variant surname: Dericke, Dyricke) to be liable for taxation in Gloucestershire, and not in the hundred of Winterstoke, etc., Somerset, the previous area of tax liability. 1621
E 115/132/141. Certificate of residence showing Francis Derricke (or the variant surname: Dericke, Dyricke) to be liable for taxation in Gloucestershire, and not in (county unknown), the previous area of tax liability. 1622.
E 115/131/21. Certificate of residence showing Francis Derricke (or the variant surname: Dericke, Dyricke) to be liable for taxation in Gloucestershire, and not in the hundred of [Winterstoke, etc.], Somerset, the previous area of tax liability.
E 115/124/59. Certificate of residence showing Francis Derricke (or the variant surname: Dericke, Dyricke) to be liable for taxation in Gloucestershire, and not in the half-hundred of Portbury, etc., Somerset, the previous area of tax liability. 1626.
E 115/128/37. Certificate of residence showing Francis Derricke (or the variant surname: Dericke, Dyricke) to be liable for taxation in Gloucestershire, and not in the hundreds of Brent, Bempstone, Portbury, and Hartcliffe, Somerset, the previous area of tax liability. 1628.
E 115/115/51. Certificate of residence showing Francis Derricke to be liable for taxation in Bristol. 1629.
E 134/3and4Chas1/Hil3. Sir William Waller, knight, Abell Kitchen, John Guy, Richard Holworthy v. Francis Derrick, Edward Ballhashe.: Prisage of wines coming to the Port of Bristol from St. Mallowes (St. Malo), in the year 1626.
E 134/12Chas1/Mich39. Sir John Banks, knight (Attorney-General). v. Humfrey Hooke, Walter Ellis, John Gouning, junior, Francis Derrick, Thomas Cole, John Taylor, Andrew Charlton, Thomas Colston.:”Letters of marque or mart” [i.e. ships of war], which left Bristol between 1st Dec. 1625 and 25 Mar. 1635 (the time of the late war between England, France, and Spain). Payment of customs. Value of prizes taken, &c., &c.: Bristol; Anglia; Spain; France. 12 Chas 1.
E 134/11and12Chas1/Hil20. Francis Derrick v. Attorney-General, Sir John Wolstenholme, knight, Henry Garway (Alderman of London), William Willett.: Port of Bristol. Touching bonds given to defendants (farmers, &c., of customs in the port) for the payment of customs due there by Edwd. Balhash, merchant of Bristol. 11 & 12 Chas 1.

The hundred of Winterstoke, consisted of these parishes: Axbridge, Badgworth, Banwell, Blagdon, Bleadon, Cheddar, Christon, Churchill, Compton Bishop, Congresbury, East Harptree, Hutton, Kenn, Kewstoke, Locking, Loxton, Puxton, Rodney Stoke, Rowberrow, Shipham, Uphill, Weston-super-Mare, Wick St Lawrence, Winscombe, Worle, Yatton.

The Derrick family of the hundred of Winterstoke are almost invariably recorded as being of the parishes of Blagdon and Worle. The former is 8 miles from Cheddar, the latter is 11 miles from Cheddar; where was a Harris family which almost certainly migrated to Virginia.

William Barker, bapt. on 7 May 1592 in St. Werburgh’s, Bristol; merchant and mariner, who deposed his age to be 37 in 1629, and mate of the Hopewell, which sailed fom Virginia on New years Eve of that year for England, under Captain Richard Russell, in company with ‘the Gift’ of London, under Captain Samuel Crampton and Master Edward Beale. (See Coldham, P.W., English Adventurers and Emigrants, 1609-1660, p. 23, 1984). He bought land in Flowerdew Hundred from Abraham Piersey’s da., Elizabeth. This property passed to his son, John Barker, in 1655, who left the plantation to two of his sisters, Sarah and Elizabeth Limbrey. He was a partner of Francis Derrick: April 13, 1639: ‘Bond of Francis Derrick (the younger), of Bristol, and William Barker, of Ratcliffe, Middlesex, to the King, in 1,000l. conditioned for the appearance of Derrick before the Council, to answer an accusation of piracy pretended to have been committed by him upon a Spanish ship in a voyage to Virginia, about 11th October 1636’.

The salient point is that Francis Derrick was associated with Sergeant John Harris.

‘Whereas John Baker (the Barker family of Bristol were interchangeably called Baker in ships’ records) and Dorothy his wife, daughter of the late deceased Sergeant John Harris, have by order of court at Henrico on the 27th day of August last surrendered to mee Captain Francis Derrick all the right and title which they and claime unto the devident of land belonging to the late deceased Georg Cawcott which was given to the said Dorothy by the last will and testament of the said Cawcott as by the surrender in the said court and by the pattent and will recorded at James Cittie, etc. For good and valuable causes and considerations. Wtnesses: Lawrence Hulett and John Owell’ (Nugent, B. 1., part 2, p. 113).

Dorothy Harris and her husband were not selling land to a stranger.

copyright m stanhope 2016