169. Sir John Harrington, Wayne's ancestor, invented the first flush toilet, "The John", 1500's.
There isn't a lot of history from the Middle Ages. The main stories of people's lives during those years comes from anyone who had royalty or nobility lines. One of Wayne's ancestral lines, the Harrington's, have interesting stories. This is the only ancestral line we have information for back to the 1100's. Most other lines begin in the 1500's or 1600's.
About 1150, a century after the Norman conquest, (William the Conqueror from France) Osulf appeared in history, owning the Manor of Flemingby. He was undoubtedly of Norman ancestry since his descendants used the ancient Norman shield in their coat of arms. Large land holdings such as his were held by the Norman conquerors and their descendants, usually given to them by William The Conqueror, for help in battle. Often large manors were acquired by men without holdings, when they married a lady who inherited lands and manors.
Robert, Osulf’s son, married Christiana, heiress of the Seaton lands which bordered the Manor of Flemingby. Robert and Christiana, their son, Thomas, and their grandson, Michael all had the name of de Haverington. Their great-grandson, Robert married Agnes, daughter of Sir Richard Cansfield, and received the rich manor of Aldingham on Morcambe Bay in Lancashire, and moved south to that location.
John Harington, son of Robert and Agnes, was born in 1281, and died in 1347, and was knighted with the Prince of Wales in Westminster Palace. He fought against the Scots and was made a Baron. He married Joan, daughter of Sir William Dacre. The oldest son of Baron John was also named John. He married Joan, daughter of Sir Walter Berningham, and he died in 1363. His son, Robert, married Mary Kirby, and died in 1399. Robert’s son was also named Robert, and married Beatrice de la Laund and died in 1419.
His son Robert married Maude Priset, and became High Sheriff of Rutlandshire, and died in 1501. Robert’s son, another John, married Alice Southill. He died in 1524, and his son, also named John, married Elizabeth Moton. His death occurred in 1554. John and Elizabeth had a younger son whom they named John, and he was born about 1529, and known as “The Poet” since he was one of the minor poets of the Elizabethan Age. He also collected and published the writings of other writers of that period.
John, born1529, made a very profitable marriage to Ethelreda Dingley, an illegitimate daughter of King Henry VIII, and from this marriage received the Manor of Kelston and four other manors in Somerset, in southwestern England which her father gave to her. Ethelreda died about 1555 without posterity.
After his wife’s death he was was in the service of the Princess Elizabeth. John married Isabella Markham, said to have been a very beautiful woman, and a lady in waiting of Queen Elizabeth. He wooed her with love poems and recorded his attraction toward her “when first I thought her fair as she stood at the Princess’ window in goodly attire, and talked with divers (persons) in the court yard.”
King Henry VIII first married Catherine of Aragon, who became the mother of Mary. He became infatuated with Anne Boleyn, and divorced Catherine, thus making a break with the Catholic Church, who outlawed divorce. He and Anne had Elizabeth. He had Anne Boleyn beheaded, when Elizabeth was about 3 years old, and he declared Elizabeth illegitimate. Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour, was the mother of his only male heir, Edward, who became the king at age 9 in 1547, but died 6 years later of tuberculosis. Mary then became queen, and died five years later in 1558. Elizabeth then became queen. Henry had three more wives – six total.
John supported his natural sister-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, (the sister of his first wife Ethelreda Dingley) and with her on the throne and John’s position secure, he began the building of one of the great manor houses of that day at Kelston Manor. He died in 1582 leaving a son, also John Harrington, born in 1561. He was known as “The Writer” and was made a godson by Queen Elizabeth.
“One of the most powerful women who ever lived was Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603). She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, and was known as the Virgin Queen or Good Queen Bess.
She was 25 years old when she became Queen and ruled England for 44 years until age 69. She was tall and slender with fair skin and had curly red hair, as did her father, King Henry VIII.
In the 1500s there was an ongoing rivalry on the sea between the ships of England and Spain over control of trade in the New World.
John Harrington, son of John and Isabella Markham, “the writer”, and godson of Queen Elizabeth married Mary Rogers of a prominent Somerset family. She was a devout Puritan and gradually influenced him away from the court to more sober channels. The following little poem by him shows his love for her:
Your little dog that barked as I came by
I struck by hap so hard, I made him cry;
And straight you put your finger in your eye
And lowering sat. I asked the reason why.
‘Love me and love my dog’, thou didst reply
‘Love as both should be loved!’, ‘I will’, said I
And sealed it with a kiss. Then by and by
Cleared were the clouds of thy fair frowing sky;
Thus small events great masteries may try.
John became High Sheriff of Somerset and was knighted while on an expedition for the conquest of Ireland. Queen Elizabeth, his patroness, died in 1603, and Sir John retired to Kelston. He had misfortunes at that time, and had spent large sums in the building of the manor house. He had some legal problems, and was imprisoned for a year, and then escaped. In a sober and serious mood, he returned to Kelston and died in 1612 at the age of 51 years.
John was known as “The Writer”, and wrote many letters, and books. The book published in 1596 was called “A New Discourse upon a Stale Subject”, and had the subtitle ‘The Metamorphosis of Ajax”. Ajax was a pun on the words “a jakes’, jakes being the Elizabethan word for a privy (or outhouse).
By 1598 Elizabeth had forgiven him and commanded that a Harrington water-closet be installed at the royal Richmond Palace. He also installed one at his home, the Manor of Kelston, but otherwise it didn’t stir much interest. This was the first "flush toilet" invented. John made only two -- for Queen Elizabeth and himself.
It was forgotten, and not revived until 1775, and then improved in the early 1800's by Thomas Crapper, a plumber. This is why a “water closet” or toilet is often referred to as “the John”.
He was one of the great letter writers in English literature, and had beautiful hand writing. He was a shrewd observer, and had a wonderful gift for what today would be newspaper reporting. His writings were always interesting, usually witty, and often had political overtones. Much more of his life can be found on the internet.
Sir John and Mary Rogers had nine children, one of these was a younger son, also named John, – our ancestor who married Ann Clinton, and the first of the family to arrive in the New World. Tradition has it that he drowned in Boston Harbor in 1630. Vital records were not kept at that time and no proof is available. He is also our direct ancestor.
. But we do know from our Ann Herrington, who married Friend Dayton, to Robert, son of John who came to America, that our line is correct.
The following story should bring a chuckle:
This is a spoof on the W.C. (Water closet, or toilet) was written by Jack Paar, for the Tonight Show in 1960. It was censored and cut. He found out, and walked off the NBC show, but later returned and continued.
About 1150, a century after the Norman conquest, (William the Conqueror from France) Osulf appeared in history, owning the Manor of Flemingby. He was undoubtedly of Norman ancestry since his descendants used the ancient Norman shield in their coat of arms. Large land holdings such as his were held by the Norman conquerors and their descendants, usually given to them by William The Conqueror, for help in battle. Often large manors were acquired by men without holdings, when they married a lady who inherited lands and manors.
Robert, Osulf’s son, married Christiana, heiress of the Seaton lands which bordered the Manor of Flemingby. Robert and Christiana, their son, Thomas, and their grandson, Michael all had the name of de Haverington. Their great-grandson, Robert married Agnes, daughter of Sir Richard Cansfield, and received the rich manor of Aldingham on Morcambe Bay in Lancashire, and moved south to that location.
John Harington, son of Robert and Agnes, was born in 1281, and died in 1347, and was knighted with the Prince of Wales in Westminster Palace. He fought against the Scots and was made a Baron. He married Joan, daughter of Sir William Dacre. The oldest son of Baron John was also named John. He married Joan, daughter of Sir Walter Berningham, and he died in 1363. His son, Robert, married Mary Kirby, and died in 1399. Robert’s son was also named Robert, and married Beatrice de la Laund and died in 1419.
His son Robert married Maude Priset, and became High Sheriff of Rutlandshire, and died in 1501. Robert’s son, another John, married Alice Southill. He died in 1524, and his son, also named John, married Elizabeth Moton. His death occurred in 1554. John and Elizabeth had a younger son whom they named John, and he was born about 1529, and known as “The Poet” since he was one of the minor poets of the Elizabethan Age. He also collected and published the writings of other writers of that period.
John, born1529, made a very profitable marriage to Ethelreda Dingley, an illegitimate daughter of King Henry VIII, and from this marriage received the Manor of Kelston and four other manors in Somerset, in southwestern England which her father gave to her. Ethelreda died about 1555 without posterity.
After his wife’s death he was was in the service of the Princess Elizabeth. John married Isabella Markham, said to have been a very beautiful woman, and a lady in waiting of Queen Elizabeth. He wooed her with love poems and recorded his attraction toward her “when first I thought her fair as she stood at the Princess’ window in goodly attire, and talked with divers (persons) in the court yard.”
King Henry VIII first married Catherine of Aragon, who became the mother of Mary. He became infatuated with Anne Boleyn, and divorced Catherine, thus making a break with the Catholic Church, who outlawed divorce. He and Anne had Elizabeth. He had Anne Boleyn beheaded, when Elizabeth was about 3 years old, and he declared Elizabeth illegitimate. Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour, was the mother of his only male heir, Edward, who became the king at age 9 in 1547, but died 6 years later of tuberculosis. Mary then became queen, and died five years later in 1558. Elizabeth then became queen. Henry had three more wives – six total.
John supported his natural sister-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, (the sister of his first wife Ethelreda Dingley) and with her on the throne and John’s position secure, he began the building of one of the great manor houses of that day at Kelston Manor. He died in 1582 leaving a son, also John Harrington, born in 1561. He was known as “The Writer” and was made a godson by Queen Elizabeth.
“One of the most powerful women who ever lived was Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533-1603). She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, and was known as the Virgin Queen or Good Queen Bess.
She was 25 years old when she became Queen and ruled England for 44 years until age 69. She was tall and slender with fair skin and had curly red hair, as did her father, King Henry VIII.
In the 1500s there was an ongoing rivalry on the sea between the ships of England and Spain over control of trade in the New World.
John Harrington, son of John and Isabella Markham, “the writer”, and godson of Queen Elizabeth married Mary Rogers of a prominent Somerset family. She was a devout Puritan and gradually influenced him away from the court to more sober channels. The following little poem by him shows his love for her:
Your little dog that barked as I came by
I struck by hap so hard, I made him cry;
And straight you put your finger in your eye
And lowering sat. I asked the reason why.
‘Love me and love my dog’, thou didst reply
‘Love as both should be loved!’, ‘I will’, said I
And sealed it with a kiss. Then by and by
Cleared were the clouds of thy fair frowing sky;
Thus small events great masteries may try.
John became High Sheriff of Somerset and was knighted while on an expedition for the conquest of Ireland. Queen Elizabeth, his patroness, died in 1603, and Sir John retired to Kelston. He had misfortunes at that time, and had spent large sums in the building of the manor house. He had some legal problems, and was imprisoned for a year, and then escaped. In a sober and serious mood, he returned to Kelston and died in 1612 at the age of 51 years.
John was known as “The Writer”, and wrote many letters, and books. The book published in 1596 was called “A New Discourse upon a Stale Subject”, and had the subtitle ‘The Metamorphosis of Ajax”. Ajax was a pun on the words “a jakes’, jakes being the Elizabethan word for a privy (or outhouse).
It was forgotten, and not revived until 1775, and then improved in the early 1800's by Thomas Crapper, a plumber. This is why a “water closet” or toilet is often referred to as “the John”.
He was one of the great letter writers in English literature, and had beautiful hand writing. He was a shrewd observer, and had a wonderful gift for what today would be newspaper reporting. His writings were always interesting, usually witty, and often had political overtones. Much more of his life can be found on the internet.
Sir John and Mary Rogers had nine children, one of these was a younger son, also named John, – our ancestor who married Ann Clinton, and the first of the family to arrive in the New World. Tradition has it that he drowned in Boston Harbor in 1630. Vital records were not kept at that time and no proof is available. He is also our direct ancestor.
. But we do know from our Ann Herrington, who married Friend Dayton, to Robert, son of John who came to America, that our line is correct.
The following story should bring a chuckle:
This is a spoof on the W.C. (Water closet, or toilet) was written by Jack Paar, for the Tonight Show in 1960. It was censored and cut. He found out, and walked off the NBC show, but later returned and continued.
“An English lady, while visiting Switzerland, was looking for a room, and she asked the schoolmaster if he could recommend any to her. He took her to see several rooms, and when everything was settled, the lady returned to her home to make the final preparations to move. When she arrived home, the thought suddenly occurred to her that she had not seen a “W.C.” (Water closet, a euphemism for bathroom) around the place. So she immediately wrote a note to the schoolmaster asking him if there were a “W.C.” around. The schoolmaster was a very poor student of English, so he asked the parish priest if he could help in the matter.
Together they tried to discover the meaning of the letters “W.C.”, and the only solution they could find for the letters was a Wayside Chapel. The schoolmaster then wrote to the English lady the following note:
Dear Madam, I take great pleasure in informing you that the W.C. is situated nine miles from the house you occupy, in the center of a beautiful grove of pine trees surrounded by lovely grounds. It is capable of holding 229 people and it is open on Sunday and Thursday only. As there are a great number of people and they are expected during the summer months, I would suggest that you come early; although there is plenty of standing room as a rule.
You will no doubt be glad to hear that a good number of people bring their lunch and make a day of it. While Others who can afford to go by car arrive just in time. I would especially recommend that your ladyship go on Thursday when there is a musical accompaniment. It may interest you to know that my daughter was married in the W.C. and it was there that she met her husband. I can remember the rush there was for seats. There were ten people to a seat ordinarily occupied by one. It was wonderful to see the expression on their faces.
The newest attraction is a bell donated by a wealthy resident of the district. It rings every time a person enters. A bazaar is to be held to provide plush seats for all the people, since they feel it is a long felt need. My wife is rather delicate, so she can’t attend regularly. I shall be delighted to reserve the best seat for you if you wish, where you will be seen by all. For the children, there is a special time and place so that they will not disturb the elders.
Hoping to have been of service to you, I remain, Sincerely, The Schoolmaster”
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