The Corbin Family of Dorchester

Bakers (from 1535)

The Family Surname was generally spelt 'Corbyn' in early records (1)
Compiled by Michael Russell OPC for Dorchester January 2014 (Last update Oct 2023)


Edward VI - 1550

1. JOHN CORBIN Senior (c1495 - 1566)
(generally spelt Corbyn in early records)

JOHN CORBIN Senior (c1495 - 1566) The Corbin Family have been in Dorchester since the early 16th Century and the earliest references are to a John CORBYN Senior, a baker by trade, who was living in Dorchester from before 1535 by which time he was already witnessing public deeds drawn up by the Corporation. This function was generally reserved for the Mayor, Burgesses and Bailiffs of Dorchester so he would already have been a respected member of the community.

My best estimate for when he might have been born, taking into account his career and when he died is just before the turn of the century. There is one earlier record for the year 1500 of a Robert CORBIN acting as a witness (Charter 570) which perhaps hints at John being from that stock and born and bred in Dorchester. Charter 646 also refers to a property in All Saints parish owned by the late William CORBYN. As John's son of that name did not die until 1567 (See 1.3 below) & there was only one house between that of William and John Corbyn's this may well have been his brother but such brief references is all we have to point to his ancestry. We do know that John was married to an Edith, as various deeds of sale in 1548 and 1555 refer to her by name(2). John was elected Bailiff of Dorchester in the 2nd and 3rd years of the Reign of Edward VI [1547/1549](3) and Constable in 1550 so the portrait painted of Edward VI above which also dates from about 1550 is contemporary with these events.

Edward VI became King when he was only 9 years old being crowned on 20th February 1547 but was greatly revered in Dorchester as he was the first monarch to have been raised in the protestant faith. During Edward's short reign, the realm was governed by a Regency Council initially headed by his uncle Edward Seymour 1st Duke of Somerset (1547-1549) and then by John Dudley 1st Earl of Warwick and later 1st Duke of Northumberland. Whilst Henry VIII severed the link with Rome it was Edwards Regency Council that undertook the transformation of the Anglican Church into a recognised Protestant body and we are told that Edward took a great interest in these matters. Dorchester has always been at the center of religious reform so it welcomed these great changes which saw for example abolition of clerical celibacy and the performance of Mass, and introduced compulsory services in English for the first time. The architect of these reforms was Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury whose book of Common Prayer was published in 1549 and would have been a great topic of discussion when John Corbin was Bailiff, as it still is today.

In the year 1540 John Corbin purchased an existing business called Belamy's Bakehouse from John Clerke. It was situated on the east side of Church Lane (See Street "o" on this map - now called Church Street) in All Saints Parish and he ran the business for the next 22 years before selling it shortly before his death to Peter Goodfellow in 1562. By then his sons had learnt the trade and appear to have had their own premises. He is then referred to as a yeoman rather than a gentleman reflecting his trading background. John however clearly remained at the center of the ruling elite for many years; for example he is mentioned in the Municipal Records of Dorchester as being present as a burgess of the town on 22nd Sep 1565 when the seals of the Bailiffs of Dorchester were ratified by Henry, King of Arms during the reign of Elizabeth I. Throughout this period his name continues to appear as a witness on deeds of sale etc and he bought and sold many properties in Dorchester and by standards of the day would have been quite a wealthy man.(4)

John CORBIN Senior was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester on 26th October 1566. I have not so far been able to locate a Will or Administration of his estate or a burial for his wife Edith.

Known Children from the marriage:-
    1.1 John CORBIN Junior (c1516 -Bef 1560) Records from 1547(4) refer to his father as John CORBYN Senior indicting that he had a son of the same name. As these are on deeds of sale it is assumed that his son reached adulthood but no other information has come to light about him. He is likely to have been the eldest son and may have predeceased his father as we have not located any property transactions concerning him as opposed to Richard who appears to have inherited from his father. His death is therefore likely to have been before the start of the parish burial register in 1560 and I have not so far located a will for him or his father.

    1.2 Richard CORBIN (c1518 - 1587/8) like his father he was a baker by trade; he married twice and seems to have inherited his fathers properties; he became a burgess of Dorchester. See section 2 below for more information and a transcription of his will.

    1.3 William CORBIN (c1520 - 1567) he married at Holy Trinity church in Dorchester in Nov 1561 to Elinor (no surname given). They had two children baptised at Holy Trinity (1) William Corbin bap HT 23 Oct 1562 (2) James Corbin bap HT 23rd Jan 1564/5 who died an infant and was buried there on Oct 1567. William CORBIN senior was buried at HT on 25th Dec 1567 but I have not located anything else about his son William.

    1.4 Agnes CORBIN (c1522 - 1572)(5) she married John CHUBB from Misterton near Crewkerne in Dorchester and around 1548 (soon after their son Matthew Chubb's birth) moved to Dorchester to live. John CHUBB prospered as he soon became a member of the Corporation and in 1555 was town steward. The same year her father provided them with a house on the east side of North Street to live in. Her father also seems to have granted a house in Pease Lane to them on 21st June 1566 shortly before he died. There is a conveyance of premises by John CHUBB and Agnes his wife to Matthew their son on 19th January 1577 which usefully states that her father John Corbin is deceased. Their son Matthew Chubb (c1547-1617) a goldsmith became the wealthiest man in Dorchester and married Margaret who died in 1628 (link to transcription of her will).

2. Richard CORBIN (d.1587/8)

Richard CORBIN (d1587/8) All the evidence that we have points to the fact that Richard CORBIN was the son of John CORBIN Senior (c1495-1566). First we only have the one family of that surname living in Dorchester, and Richard is described as being a baker (his fathers trade) in several charters, and is about the right age. Richard's son Robert Corbin also appears to have inherited property from John Corbin senior in 1560 as he sells it in 1571 (Charter 667).

Charter 665 dated 20th May 1560 lists Richard as one of the burgesses of Dorchester. Later that year on 13th March 1560/1 he buried his first wife Margaret in the churchyard at Holy Trinity. He appears to have remarried to Elizabeth (d.1608) but I have been unable to locate a marriage for either. Charter 666 dated 1566 refers a Richard as a baker purchasing a property in Holy Trinity Parish from Robert Williams of Winterborne Herringston. There is another entry in the Municipal Records page 492 for 1575 regarding the sale to John Henning of the garden ground in the West walls late in the tenure of Richard Corbin and also the void ground adjoining for £6.13s.4d. Luckily the parish register for Holy Trinity Church has survived from 1559 and shows that he was buried at Holy Trinity on 8th Feb 1587/8. He left a Will dated 21st Jan 1587/8 which made his 2nd wife Elizabeth his executrix and she was granted administration on 11th May 1588. She inherited as part of her estate their half place plot in Fordington Fields which she still held in the 1600 Survey of Fordington Manor. Elizabeth CORBIN widow was buried at HT on 28 Sep 1608.

Known Children from his 2 marriages:-

    2.1 Elizabeth CORBIN a beneficiary under her father's will of 1587. Probably the Elizabeth Corbin that married Robert AVINE at Holy Trinity Church on 20th June 1603. They had a daughter Joane bap HT 7th August 1603 who was buried there on 12th. Because we do not have a baptism for Elizabeth it is assumed she is one of his earlier children, if so she would have been approaching the end of her child bearing years and perhaps the reason there is no trace of other children, but I can't locate anything else about them either.

    2.2 Robert CORBIN Senior (d.1636/7) a yeoman and grocer by trade. We know he was a son of Richard's as he is described as such in Charter 667 in the Municipal Records of Dorchester. This shows that in 1571 he sells a house he has owned since 1560 on the south side of High West Street and currently in the tenure of John Pouncy a butcher of Dorchester to John Stone a clothier in London. Usefully this charter also states 'which late belonged to John Corbyne, sen., late of Dorchester, yeoman, deceased'. He is not mentioned however in his fathers will of 1587/8 and I think this is likely to be because he was provided for by his grandfather in 1560 shortly before the death of his mother Margaret which occurred later that year. I have not been able to locate a marriage but the Robert Corbin baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 12th Oct 1612 could be a child of his. There is also a burial of a Margaret Corbin ( who may have been named after his mother Richard's 1st wife) the daughter of Robert Corbin at HT on 3rd Dec 1638 so it does look like he married. There is a suitable burial for an Alice Corbin widow but I have not been able to locate any mention of his wife's name. Robert senior was also listed as a member of the company of Freemen in Dorchester with his brother Henry on 7th Nov 1621 and was buried at Holy Trinity Dorchester on 4th March 1636/7. I have not located any Will or Letters of Administration for his estate.

      Robert CORBIN Junior (1612-1668?) I have not been able to locate his marriage to Elizabeth (d.1659) whose name only comes to us from her burial record where she is described as the wife of Robert CORBIN. They were probably married elsewhere and it was customary for the first child of a marriage to be baptised in the brides parish as she would return there for her mothers support during her confinement. They appear to have lived in Dorchester from at least 1655 where they had 3 more children. Their eldest son Robert then appears to have died followed 6 weeks later by Elizabeth so likely to have been from an infectious disease. Elizabeth was buried at Holy Trinity on 31st May 1659. Robert appears to have been buried at HT on 30 Aug 1668 but there are several later burials in 1676 and 1699. Robert and Elizabeth had the following children baptised or buried in Dorchester:-

      1. Robert Corbin (d.1659) Likely to be his eldest son, may have been baptised during the period January 1653/4 to 29th Aug 1654 when records are missing in the baptism register, but buried HT 12th Apr 1659 a6 weeks before his mother.
      2. Unnamed CORBIN (1655-1655) Unbaptised died aged 5 weeks and buried at HT 27th Feb 1655
      3. George Corbin (b.1656) bap 24th Oct 1656 aged 5 weeks at HT
      4. John Corbin (b.1658) bap 16th Nov 1658 HT

    2.3 Mary CORBIN (d.1587) buried at HT on 6th July 1587 before her father wrote is will.

    2.4 Maude CORBIN (?) unmarried and a beneficiary under her father's will which was written in January 1587/8.

    2.5 John CORBIN (1559-1659) was baptised on 22nd July 1559 at Holy Trinity church in Dorchester as the son of Richard Corbyn. Like his brother Robert, John is not mentioned in his fathers will of 1587/8. I have not been able to locate a marriage for him in Dorset but there is a letter from a John Corbin dated 25th March 1651 to Ralph Sprague in New England where he refers to Ralph as his son-in-law and this letter has been used to maintain that John Corbin married late in life to Christian Sprague the widow of Ralph's father Edward.(6) Christian and her first husband Edward were from Upwey and probably married circa 1596. The average age at which women married then was 25 so she would have been born around 1571, so younger than John. The problem is that John would have been 92 when he wrote the letter. If correct he would have died soon after and there is a suitable burial in Upwey for a John Corbin on 24th Mar 1657. Unfortunately because of the civil war no records survive for the parish of Fordington between 1640 and 1663 and none for Upwey prior to 1655 so I have had to turn to other records to try and see whether this has any basis in fact. But first a bit of background.

    We do know that following the death of her 1st husband, Christian was looking to secure the future of her family and her daughter Alice Sprague (c1597-1668) married Richard Eames (1588-1634) in Fordington on 5th June 1615 only a year after her fathers death. This drew the two families together and more importantly Ralph came under the influence of the Rev John White. There is some indication that all or most of the children came to Fordington for a time (their brother Christopher was buried there). Ralph Sprague (1599 - 1650) married in Fordington in 1623 and emigrated to New England in 1628 with his young family and his brother William. Richard Eames brother Anthony Eames (1595 –1686) was constable of Fordington and churchwarden at St Georges Church and also emigrated with his family in 1633. His daughter Millicent Eames marrying William Sprague after they arrived in New England. There is even some grounds for believing that Richards sister Anne Eames (b.1593) after her marriage to Thomas ROSE in Fordington in 1618 also emigrated with Anthony in 1633 to live at Marshfield and then Scituate in New England, so both families were very closely involved on both sides of the Atlantic.

    Apart from securing the future of her children it would be normal for Christian to remarry in her home parish of Upwey where registers for St Lawrence Church have not survived. Ralph Sprague, Edwards eldest son and heir was only 15 when his father died. Christian had the Fulling Mill to run which we would perhaps have expected Ralph to inherit, but instead he ends up in Fordington and then emigrating. I think what sits behind all this is the fact that Christian did remarry and that it was fairly soon after her 1st husbands death. With such a close association with Fordington it's easy to see how this could have been someone from the Corbin Family. Although the family primarily owned property in Dorchester, we know that John's brother Ralph Corbin died in Fordington where he had been living but was returned to Holy Trinity church for burial with his family in 1626. It's quite likely that John as a son from Richards second marriage also lived there as well. For those not familiar with Dorchester the high street actually runs on into Fordington so there was a fluid interchange between the two. The Rev John White was vicar of Holy Trinity and St Peters in Dorchester and held services before a crowd numbered in the thousands. The vicar of St Georges was the Rev Edward Pele (1590-1643), a friend of John White's, who actually appointed Anthony Eames Churchwarden and was an investor in John White's Dorchester Company (i.e. funding emigration to New England).

    So what other evidence is there. Fortunately the Dorset Quarter Sessions records have survived for the period 1625 to 1638 and those for the Bridport Session held between 5th and 7th Oct 1636 show that a John CORBYN was sworn in as constable of Waybyhouse Liberty at that session. This liberty contains part of the parish of Upwey and he must have been living there and a well respected member of the community to be elected constable. He may not have been the first of the family to live there as although the surname is annoyingly unclear there appears to be an entry in the Holy Trinity burial register for 1614 of an Elizabeth the wife of a Thomas Corbin from Upwey who was returned to Holy Trinity for burial.

    Given Christian's age, children by John Corbin are more likely to have come from an earlier marriage, but if she was younger when she first married she may have been able to bear him some children. All we know for sure is that descendants from a Corbin family are evident in Upwey from around this time. A Nicholas Corbin, a husbandman of Upwey, appears 3 times in the Dorset Quarter Sessions records of Bridport in 1630, 1632 and 1633 being licenced to sell ale. Perhaps more significant a Ralph Corbin of Upwey and a tailor by trade, was also licenced in 1630 and 1635 to sell ale (note:- date after the death of John's brother of that name). Ralph also appears in the Casebook of Sir Frances Ashley JP, Recorder of Dorchester, under the date of 25th Aug 1634 when he was bound over to the next sessions as a witness in a case of embezzlement against a Thomas Adams of Upwey a clothier by trade.

    Also descendants of the Corbin family are evident in Upwey from the very start of the surviving registers in 1655 so perhaps the reason we can't locate much in Dorchester and Fordington about John is that he moved to Upwey to live with Christian and possibly it was John Corbin that took over the fuller business and ran the Sprague Mill in Upwey? There is among the surviving parish records a Ralph CORBIN (d.1696) also described as a tailor by trade, and his wife Lidia (d.1677) who were having a large family in Upwey from before 1655. When Ralph died in 1696 he left a will which is available to view on ancestry and a headstone within the church. The main beneficiary and executor under this will is his son John CORBIN.

    Another possibly significant fact is that John's brother Henry CORBIN (1564-1645) (see 2.5 below) also married twice, the second time to Elizabeth Purchase. Elizabeth's brother Aquilla Purchase was Master of Trinity school in Dorchester and also emigrated to New England so his own family was directly involved in emigration to New England which means any children of John Corbin's could easily have gone as well.

    With so many vital records destroyed we are never likely to be able to prove exactly what happened to John Corbin or Christian Sprague. What I think I have managed to prove however is that everything I have discovered points to the letter being correct. I have proved beyond doubt that a John CORBIN existed at the right time, that he actually lived in Upwey where Christian ran the mill. That he was a man of some substance and alive in 1635. I have also shown that a wealthy family by the name of Corbin lived in Dorchester from at least 1535, that a descendant Richard Corbin had a son John Corbin baptised in 1564 in Holy Trinity Parish where parish registers survive throughout and no death is recorded for him. Clearly he could have been buried elsewhere in the town but his father and grandfather were buried at Holy Trinity and his brother who lived in Fordington was returned to Holy Trinity for burial so if he was in the town this is where we would expect to find him. Although somewhat fragmentary some bishops transcripts exist for Fordington and there is no burial for him there either. I have also shown that his family was involved in emigration, his preacher was John White, his brother Henry was married to Elizabeth Purchase who had 2 brothers who answered John Whites call for emigration as did Christian Sprague's 2 sons. I think this is fairly firm evidence. Whether this John CORBIN was married twice is still unknown, and it could be his son that married Christian Sprague, but father or son I think this is the connection.

    2.6 Henry CORBIN (1564-1645) Bap 10th Jan 1564/5 at Holy Trinity church in Dorchester. A baker by trade like his father he married twice. See section 3 below for more information and links to his will etc.

    2.7 Ralph CORBIN (1571-1626) Bap 21st Oct 1571 at Holy Trinity Church Dorchester he is named in his fathers will of 1587 as next in line to inherit the family home after his elder brother Henry. He is listed in the Survey of Fordington Manor undertaken in 1615 and shown as holding a tenement and a plot of 29.3 acres in Fordington Fields for 2 lives, his own and presumably that of his wife who was aged about 30. He was buried at Holy Trinity Church Dorchester on 8th Jan 1626/7 where it states that he was from Fordington so presumably had been living there.

    2.8 William CORBIN (1574-1575) Bap 31st May 1574 Holy Trinity church in Dorchester and buried there 30th May 1575

    2.9 Jane CORBIN (1575-1576) Bap 15th Mar 1575 Holy Trinity church in Dorchester and buried there 31st Jan 1576/7
The Will if Richard CORBIN
Dated: 21 Jan 1587/8 Proved: 11th May 1588
In the name of God Amen I Richard CORBIN of the parish of St Trinity in Dorchester in the County of Dorset being sick in body but whole in mind and of perfect memory do the one and twentieth of January in the thirtieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth etc make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following vizt:

First: I commend my soul body to be buried in the churchyard of the said parish of St Trinity and my soul into the hands of Almighty God expecting his merciful judgement

Item: I give to the poor people of the said parish to be delivered at the day of my burial two shillings

Item: I give unto Henry CORBIN my son all that my now dwelling house in Dorchester aforesaid and there my two acres of arable land lying in the west walls of Dorchester aforesaid to have to him and his heirs males of his body lawfully to be begotten for ever from and immediately after my decease

    And: if it shall happen that my said son shall die without any such issue male of his body lawfully to be begotten Then, my will is and by this prestute? I give and bequeath all my said house and two acres of Land unto Ralfe CORBIN my son and his heirs for ever, to beholden of the these Lord or Lords of the fee thereof
Item: I give unto Maude CORBIN my daughter one featherbed and in money, twelve shillings to be delivered unto her at the day of her marriage

Item: I give unto my children Henry CORBIN, Ralfe CORBIN, and Elizabeth my daughter vizt to Henry and Ralfe to each of them five pounds and to my daughter Elizabeth ten pounds, the said legacies of five pounds to either my said sons to be paid at such time as they and either of them shall come to their several ages of four and twenty years, and my legacy of ten pounds to be paid unto my said daughter Elizabeth at the day of her marriage or at such time as shall be thought convenient by my executrix

    And: if it happen that any of my said three last recited children do die before they shall receive any their legacies before given by virtue hereof Then my will is that the legacy or legacies of him or them so deceased shall be equally divided unto the rest or unto the one that shall survive and over live the other at the times limited by this my last Will according to my ? and meaning and not otherwise to be disposed
    And: if all my said last three children shall happen to die before such time as they or one of them shall receive the said legacy or legacies according to the tenor of this my last Will Then my will is that the same legacy and legacies shall remain and be unto my well beloved wife Elizabeth my executrix
All the residue: of my goods and chattels moveable and unmovable as well real & personal not before given and bequeathed I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth my said wife whom I make my full and whole executrix to the end and purpose she shall be aiding towards the bringing up of my children and for the better payment and satisfaction of my debts And do further request my loving neighbours Richard STEPHENS and Luke BOWDEN to be my overseers desiring their assurance and goodwill to see this my last Will and Testament to be effectually accomplished and performed accordingly In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above said in the presence of my said overseers

Signed Richard CORBIN

Signed and sealed in the presence of us Luke BOWDEN(8) and Richard STEVENS

Probate:- Administration granted at London on the oath of Elizabeth relict and executrix

3. Henry CORBIN (1564-1654)
Henry CORBIN (1564-1654) was the 5th known child of Richard CORBIN (d.1587/8) see above, and baptised at Holy Trinity church in Dorchester on 10 Jan 1564/5. Like his father and grandfather he was a baker by trade and inherited the family home under his fathers will dated 21 Jan 1587. He was churchwarden for Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester in 1611 and married twice:-
    (1st) Margaret BOWDEN (d.1614) They married at Holy Trinity Church in Dorchester on 9th July 1610 and she was buried there on 27th Jun 1614.
    (2nd) Elizabeth PURCHASE (d.1661) at HT on 5th Sep 1614. Elizabeth is a beneficiary under the will of her father Nicholas Purchase who died in 1620. From the well known publication Fire from Heaven by David Underdown Page 140 we know that “Old Nicholas Purchase who died in 1620, was a baker who was branching out into the brewing trade ----etc refers to his sons Joseph and Aquilla Purchase who was Master of Trinity School and emigrated to New England. This is useful as it shows a close association with another family that did have sons that emigrated and were in the same trade.
Henry was listed as a member of the company of Freemen in Dorchester with his brother Robert on 7th Nov 1621. He was buried at HT 24th Aug 1654 and administration of his estate granted to Elizabeth after the civil war on 6th Sep 1661. Link to transcription of his Will, An Inventory of his household goods, an oath undertaken by his widow Elizabeth and a Letter of Administration granted to her to administer his estate. It is clear from the inventory submitted to the court that they were wealthy, had a shop within the house, outbuildings, a stable and horse. The number of beds particularly trundle beds suggests they had live in servants. All Henry's all children died, hence no mention of them in the Will. Elizabeth only lived another 3 months being was buried at Holy Trinity church on 3rd Dec 1661. I have not managed to discover what then happened to her estate.

Henry had the following children:
    By his 1st wife:-
    3.1 Susan CORBIN (1611-1611) baptised at Holy Trinity Church Dorchester on 31st Dec 1611 and buried there on 17th Jan 1611/12

    By his 2nd wife:-
    3.2 Elizabeth CORBIN (1616-1618) by 2nd wife baptised at Holy Trinity church in Dorchester on 2nd Mar 1616/17 and buried there 24th Apr 1618
    3.3 Mathias CORBIN (1618-1619) bap HT 28th Feb 1618/19 and buried there 4th January 1619/20
    3.4 Elizabeth CORBIN (1620-1644) bap HT 16th Dec 1620 and buried HT 30th Mar 1644
    3.5 Deborah CORBIN (1625-1631) bap HT 30th July 1625 and buried there 21st Apr 1631

Genealogical Notes:-

(1). Other spellings encountered include Corben, Corbine, Corbyn but I have stuck to the more modern version of Corbin.

(2). See Charters 635 to 638 in the Municipal Records of Dorchester on pages 345/349

(3). See page 450 of Municipal Records of Dorchester and Bailiffs of Dorchester File on this site

(4). Transactions that John Corbyn was personally involved in, as opposed to just witnessed, are recorded in the Municipal Records of Dorchester which have been transcribed on this site and are summarized below:-

    Charter 600: John Corbin a baker purchased his baking house with garden in 1540 from John Clerke which was already known as Belamy’s bakehouse. It was situated in All Saints Parish Dorchester in Church Lane [now Church Street] Sold under Charter 648 in 1562.
    Charter 601: John Corbin Senior purchased the house and garden in 1547 from John Clerke which was on the east side of High South Street which was probably in St Peters  Parish. [This is the first record that refers to him as John CORBIN Senior]
    Charter 606:  John Corbin purchased two properties in 1547 from Robert Martin which were on the south side of High West Street and probably in Holy Trinity Parish
    Charter 635 & 636: John Corbin Senior (it also refers to his wife Edith) sells in 1548 a house and garden on the east side of North Street in possession of his son-in-law John CHUBB and Agnes his wife with provisions for their welfare [See Charter 628] to William Jolliffe and Mathew Wolf. This is probably in St Peters parish.
    Charter 614: John Corbin Senior purchased a house from Leonard Pope in 1549 which was on the south side of High West Street and probably in Holy Trinity Parish [Sells under Charter 632]
    Charter 615: John Corbin Senior purchased a house from a draper John Churchill in 1549 which was on the North side of High East Street and possibly in All Saints Parish if not it would be St Peters
    Charter 616:  John Corbin Senior purchased a house from the widow Julian Pope in 1550 in Church Lane All Saints Parish so close to the bakery. [Sells under charter 633]
    Charter 628: :  John Corbin Senior purchased a house and garden from the yeoman William Middleton in 1552 was on the north side of Pease Lane in Holy Trinity Parish [sold in 1555 under Charter 635 and 637]
    Charter 633: John Corbin Senior sells in 1554 the house in All Saints under charter 616 to Hugh Grendham
    Charter 637: John Corbin Senior sells in 1555 house and garden bought under Charter 628 on the north side of Pease Lane and in Holy Trinity Parish refers to John CHUBB Junior
    Charter 638: John Corbin Senior sells in 1555 to William Jolliffe & Matthew Wolf property in Pease Lane HT Parish which he acquired of John Sherwin deceased again to his son-in-law John CHUBB senior and Agnes his wife
    Charter 632: John Corbin Senior sells in 1556 the house on the south side of High West Street in Holy Trinity Parish to Henry Devenish [Purchased Charter 614]
    MRD Page 492: 1558 Sale of a burgage in Holy Trinity Parish late in the tenure of John Alford to John Corbyn the elder in fee simple for 43s 4p
    Charter 646: In 1560 refers to property owned by John Corbin Senior in All Saints on the north side of east street between the burgage of Robert Hunte and that of the late William Corbyn on the east
    Charter 665: Charter made to John Corbin Senior in 1560 a yeoman by the burgesses of Dorchester sell property in the parish of Holy Trinity on the south side of High West Street
    Charter 648: John Corbin of Dorchester a baker sells  Bellamy’s Bakehouse and garden in All Saints Parish to Peter Goodfellow in 1562 [See Charter 600) of 540 so held the bake house for 22 years.

(5). See:- (1) Fire From Heaven by David Underdown page 23 (2) Charter 636 MRD pages 345/7

(6). Source:- Originally pub in serial form "New England Historical and Genealogical Register July 1883-January 1899. Then published in book form by New England Historical and Genealogical Society Boston in 1901. This reference is to the reprinted version published in Salem 1907 by Henry F Waters which includes his comments on the letter etc.

(8). Luke BOWDEN who acts as witness to Richard's will is likely to have been a close friend of the family and possibly related to Richard's son Henry's 1st wife Margaret BOWDEN. He was married to Sarah who was buried at Holy Trinity church on 11th March 1607/8 followed by Luke on 5th June 1610.

Arthur Gould a tailor by trade buried at HT 13 Jun 1678

Research Sources used :- Municipal Records of Dorchester ; (See index, 21 entries mainly Charters) ; Surviving Parish Registers of Holy Trinity, St Peters, All Saints churches in Dorchester and St Georges Church in Fordington and St Lawrence Upwey; Fire from Heaven by David Underdown; Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills; Dorset Quarter Session Records (1625-1638) Published by Dorset record Society Volume 14 in 2006: The Casebook of Sir Francis Ashley Recorder of Dorchester 1614-1635 published by the Dorset Record Society 1981; British History On-line for Upwey



Research Notes for the Future:-

Corbin Births marriages and deaths located in Dorchester and Fordington from 1550 to 1799 inclusive but relationship to the above history not so far identified:-

?/ Jan 1563 - Burial HT - Richard CORBIN?
16 Sep 1582 - Marriage HT - Joane CORBIN married Nicholas HENDRY
09 Oct 1626 - Marriage HT - Margaret CORBIN married Nicholas WINSORE
26 Oct 1626 - Baptism HT - William Corbin's Family (Of unknown origin? possibly a child of John 1559-1659?) Known Children of his :-
    Robert Corbin (b.1626) bap HT 22 Oct 1626 may be the Robert who gave an oath of Loyalty to Charles II 31st Aug 1681 and mentioned on the Inventory of Robert Roberts in 1693/4
    Alice Corbin (b.1628) bap HT 20 Apr 1628
    Joane Corbin (1630-1645) bap HT 13 Jun 1630; buried 1st Mar 1645/6
    Elizabeth Corbin (1632-1639) bap HT 18 Aug 1632; buried 28th Feb 1639/40
    Mary Corbin (1634-1635) bap HT 1 Feb 1634/5; buried 4th May 1635
    Hannah Corbin (1636-1645) bap HT 29th Jan 1636/7; buried 3rd Mar 1645/6 FFH page 221 refers to a Hannah Corbin being given clothing and linen when she left the hospital to move to Ireland with her parents
    James Corbin (b.1642) bap HT 1st Jan 1642/3
?? ??? 1634 - Marriage FStG - Virtue CORBANE married Lawrence DEVENISH
06 Aug 1639 - Marriage HT - Joane CORBIN married Charles CRITCHIL
08 Dec 1642 - Burial HT - Alice CORBIN widow [Note:- Might be the widow of Robert CORBIN Senior (d.1636/7) about the right age]
24 Feb 1649 - Baptism HT - Frances CORBINE daughter of Thomas CORBINE
16 Dec 1657 - Marriage HT - William CORBIN married Rebekcah BLANCHER both of Charminster
20 Jul 1674 - Marriage StP - Jane CORBIN of West Stafford married Thomas DISKETT
06 Aug 1674 - Burial HT - Mary CORBIN widow left a will dated 6th July 1674 refers to sons Ralph and George Corbin and son-in-law Ralph Adams admin to Robert Corbin
09 May 1676 - Burial HT - Margery wife of Robert CORBEN
17 Feb 1682/3 - Burial HT - Elizabeth wife of Robert CORBEN
03 July 1693 - Burial HT - Sarah wife of Robert CORBIN
03 Dec 1693 - Marriage FStG - Robert CORBAN married Anne CORNE [See possible burial 3 Dec 1699 for Rbt and 9th Jan 1725/6 for ann]
22 Jan 1699 - Marriage StP - Elizabeth CORBIN married John PARCAR [PARKER]
26 Jun 1699 - Burial HT - Robert CORBIN
26 Jul 1701 - Burial HT - Elizabeth CORBAN
26 Jul 1722 - Will of Frewin CORBIN Mariner on Duke of york leaves everything to his father Thomas CORBIN of Dorchester
09 Jan 1725/6 - Burial HT - Ann CORBIN Widow [Note:- 3 Dec 1693]
25 Jun 1727 - Marriage StP - Jane CORBIN married Thomas KELLAWAY of Puncknole
28 Jul 1736 - Marriage StP - Mary CORBIN from St Peters married John FOANE from HT
05 Nov 1743 - Marriage StP - Rachel CORBIN of St Peters married Anthony READ of HT her husband left a will 1765 when Rachel was living.
24 Mar 1788 - Marriage HT - Elizabeth CORBIN married Peter RIGBY
05 Jan 1792 - Marriage ASt - George CORBIN of Maiden Newton married Deborah TULLIDGE
15 Aug 1833 - Marriage HT - Elizabeth Mary CORBIN married Thomas WOOD
31 Mar 1870 - Marriage HT - Joseph CORBIN a widower from Maiden Newton son of Henry CORBIN married Elizabeth ROBINS
23 May 1874 - Marriage ASt - James CORBIN father Silvestor CORBEN married Rebekah Jane GALPIN

Melcombe Regis Parish registers (Weymouth did not have an anglican church until 1830) and only located the following many of which have not been indexed at all on ancestry.com (Jan 2014):-

    7.1 Marriage - Richard BYSSHOP married unto Avis CORBIN 9th Oct 1580
    7.2 Burial - Johane CORBNE [CORBINE] buried 26th May 1594 (indexed)
    7.3 Burial - Marie [Mary] CORBINE buried 23 October 1589
    7.4 Marriage Katherine CORBINE bury ed 27th March 1598
    7.5 Marriage - John HUNLLIE & Margaret CORBINE married 16th May 1603
    7.6 Marriage - William BELLETT & Grace CORBINE married 4th July 1603
    7.7 Baptism - Edward son of Joseph CORBIN baptised 11 December 1607
    7.8 Burial - Edward son of Joseph CORBIN buried 2nd January 1607/8
    7.9 Marriage - Richard WOEN? of Rye and Catharine CORBINE of this parish married 26th Aug 1619
    7.10 Marriage - Thomas CORBINE and Ann NORTON were married 13th April 1629
    7.11 Marriage - John CORBIN married Joane HUMBER 20th July 1640 (indexed)
    7.12 Marriage - Ralph CORBIN of Weymouth & Mary RIALL of Upwey were married by licence June 1st 1719 at Winterboure Came

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