John and Mary Richbell

John Richbell and his sister Mary are buried in the centre part of the north transept of Westminster Abbey (to the west of W.E.Gladstone's grave) but the inscription has now worn away. It was recorded in an earlier guidebook and simply read: 

John Richbele died April 4 1719 aged 19. Here lieth also interr'd the body of Mrs Mary Richbele his sister who departed this life the 6th of November 1621 at 31 years of age

They were children of Richard Richbell of the island of Madeira and his wife Mary (who died on board the ship The Bonadventure in 1713). Their grandfather was most likely Robert Richbell, Alderman of Southampton and his wife was Frances (Baker). John was educated at Oxford university and died in the Covent Garden area of London. The newspapers of the day say that Mary was a native of the West Indies and that she died suddenly in her chariot near Fleet Bridge. Her will shows she was of Cheshunt in Hertfordshire. She was unmarried (the Mrs. on her stone means Mistress). Bequests were to her aunt Anne, widow of her late uncle Edward Richbell, her uncle Richard Miles, a Madeira merchant and his wife Frances, and others.