B is for Bridget

April 2025 A to Z blogging challenge

My eighth great grandmother Bridget Trollope was born about 1641 in Lincolnshire, England. She was the daughter of Sir Thomas Trollope of Casewick near Uffington, county Lincoln, and Mary Trollope née Clitheroe. Her father had been created a baronet about the time of her birth. Sir Thomas Trollope died about 1654. Her maternal grandfather, Christopher Clitherow (1578 – 1641), had been Lord Mayor of London in 1635.

In 1679 Bridget, aged about thirty eight, married Edward Mainwaring of Whitmore Hall, a widower. Edward had three surviving daughters by his first wife.

On 4 May 1679 an indenture was made between Edward Mainwaring of the first part, Dame Mary Trollop Widow and Bridgett Trollop Spinster, her younger daughter, of the second part. The third part was signed by Bridget’s brothers, Sir Thomas Trollop Bart. and Matthew Trollop, Gentlemen, together with William Hyde Esquire, Bridget’s brother-in-law, and his son William Hyde Junior, these four ensured Bridget’s interests were upheld; Sir Edward Abney Knight and Thomas Abney both cousins of Edward Mainwaring, ensured Edward’s interests were maintained.The settlement concerned the uses of the manors of Whitmore, Annesley and Bucknall, and lands at Tutbury and Stoke; the sum of £3,500 was paid over as the bride’s portion.

The marriage was solemnised on 29 July 1679 at the parish church of Dowsby in Lincolnshire.

Bridget Mainwaring nee Trollope 1741-1723

The children of Bridget and Edward were:

• Mary Mainwaring (1680–1742)

• Edward Mainwaring (1681–1738) inherited Whitmore Hall

• Bridget Mainwaring (1682–1776)

• A still born daughter born 1685

Bridget was most likely in her forties or thereabouts when her children were born, and she had what was for the times a small family.

Edward died in 1703. His will and appointed Bridget as his executor, and he left her all his personal effects and plate and the residue of his estate.

Edward Mainwaring 1735-1703

On her husband’s death their son Edward inherited Whitmore Hall and Bridget appears to have lived at Newhall near Audlem, eleven miles west of Whitmore.

Bridget died in May 1723 aged 82 and was buried on 27 May 1723 at St Mary & All Saints, Whitmore. Her will mentions silverware, much of it engraved with coats of arms. This is no longer in possession of the family.

In what appears to be a companion pair, portraits of Edward and Bridget hang at Whitmore Hall.

The paintings are difficult to date, but, based on the hairstyle and style of dress, these were not done at the time of the marriage in 1679 as might have been expected. An account of the disbursements of Edward Mainwaring from 1674 to 1692 reproduced in the book Mainwarings of Whitmore (James Gordon Cavenagh-Mainwaring, 1935) does not mention any payments for portraits. This suggests that the portraits were painted after 1692.

Bridget’s portrait is similar to a portrait of a Miss Wynne by Charles Jervas (1675 – 1739), a well known and fashionable portrait painter. Jervas was an assistant to Sir Godfrey Kneller between 1694 and 1695. In both cases the sitter is painted against a dark, muted background that gives emphasis to the foregrounded human form. The two women have the same pose and are seated on a similar bench at a table also alike.

Bridget was in her fifties when her portrait was done. The artist was flattering both to her physical beauty and the air of confidence and assurance she appears to project. Perhaps Bridget was portrayed as she was supposed to be, not necessarily as she was–we do not have more information to know better.