John COBBOLD

Life Events

1745	Born
1767	Death of father Thomas COBBOLD
1773	Married Elizabeth WILKINSON
1774	Birth of son John Wilkinson COBBOLD JP DL MP
1775	Birth of son Captain James COBBOLD
1776	Birth of daughter Elizabeth COBBOLD
1777	Death of mother Sarah COBBOLL
1778	Birth of daughter Sarah COBBOLD
1779	Birth of daughter Maria COBBOLD
1780	Birth of son Thomas COBBOLD
1781	Birth of daughter Mary COBBOLD
1781	Death of daughter Mary COBBOLD
1783	Birth of daughter Mary COBBOLD
1784	Birth of son William COBBOLD
1784	Birth of daughter Anne COBBOLD
1785	Birth of daughter Harriet COBBOLD
1786	Birth of son George COBBOLD
1787	Birth of daughter Sophia COBBOLD
1788	Birth of son Henry Gallant COBBOLD
1789	Birth of son Frederick COBBOLD
1790	Death of wife Elizabeth WILKINSON
1791	Married Elizabeth KNIPE in St Clements, Ipswich
1792	Birth of son Robert Knipe COBBOLD
1793	Birth of son Charles COBBOLD
1794	Birth of son Rowland COBBOLD
1796	Birth of son Francis COBBOLD
1797	Birth of son Rev. Richard COBBOLD
1798	Birth of son Reverend Edward COBBOLD
1799	Death of son Henry Gallant COBBOLD
1800	Birth of daughter Frances Catherine COBBOLD
1802	Death of daughter Maria COBBOLD
1802	Death of son Francis COBBOLD
1804	Death of son Rowland COBBOLD
1806	Death of daughter Anne COBBOLD
1806	Death of daughter Frances Catherine COBBOLD
1824	Death of wife Elizabeth KNIPE
1826	Death of son William COBBOLD
1832	Death of daughter Sophia COBBOLD
1835	Died

Biography and Notes

The family brewery was founded in Harwich in 1723 by John's grandfather Thomas Cobbold (1680-1752).
Thomas soon discovered that the water in Harwich was too brackish so in 1727 he started shipping clear spring water down the Orwell by barge from the 'Holy Wells'. The business prospered to the extent that in1746 he decided to move his family and the brewery to a site on the Cliff above the Orwell at Holy Wells. There has been a Cliff Brewery in Ipswich ever since.

The founder died shortly afterwards and his son another Thomas Cobbold (1708-1767) took over. The business still flourished but 'young' Thomas died only 15 years after his father and John, the 3rd generation found himself at the helm when only 22 years old. He had been educated at Greenwich and he turned out to be a natural businessman. His granddaughter, Emily Caroline remembers him having fair hair and blue eyes. Contemporary portraits suggest he was a well-built man. He had inherited property in Harwich and Dovercourt and the prosperity of the business provided him with an enviable lifestyle.

He married Elizabeth Wilkinson (1753-1790) in 1773 and she bore him 15 children in 17 years before, unsurprisingly dying. Another Elizabeth, this time Clarke nee Knipe (1764-1824) was his second wife who gave him another 7 children in 8 years. With his large philoprogenitive capacity satisfied he turned his attention to banking. Bacon,Cobbold,Rodwell,Dunningham,Cobbold & Co. received a substantial injection of cash from the brewery business which allowed it to survive the 1825 banking crisis and build a profitable banking business which was to trade for another 80 years.

His big family raised, his new house built, his duties as a Magistrate completed and his businesses prosperous he died in 1835 at the age of 90. He was certainly entitled to feel that his life was a job well done.


Anthony Cobbold 2006