Thomas and John French

Thomas and John, two sons of Martin French of Bromley in Kent and his wife Judtih (Shoyswell), were servants to Dean Thomas Sprat at Westminster Abbey and are buried in the south cloister. They have no markers.

Thomas was buried in February 1722 and was Martin's third son. He was baptised at Bromley and in 1700, when he was the Dean's coachman, he was also appointed an Abbey bell ringer and College porter. He also appears to have been College butler. On 14th January 1703 he married Elizabeth Clace in the Abbey. Many of their children were baptised in the Abbey but they all died young and were buried at the Abbey.  Another brother was Robert and his sisters were Anne (Bythell) and Elinor (Bayley).

John was the fifth son and was baptised at Bromley on 4th August 1680. He became Abbey butler in the place of his brother Thomas. For many years he was a verger at the Abbey and became College brewer in 1723. He was buried on 21st June 1725. His wife was Mary daughter of Thomas English and they married at Christ Church, London in 1700. She was buried with him on 6th February 1758 aged 85. Seven of their children were baptised in the Abbey but most died young. Daughter Mary was buried with her parents on 15th July 1735, Helen, who married Jonathan Smith, was buried in the west cloister on 21st July 1744 and Judith, who married William Powell, was buried on 14th August 1744. At the time of writing his will he resided in Stable Yard, near Dean's Yard. This was proved by his nephew John English and his brother Roger.