William Wagstaffe of Ely

William Wagstaffe of Ely issued three different Tokens during his life time.

William Wagstaffe

(A shield bearing arms of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers on one. A heart – shaped shield bearing the arms of the Wagstaff family: two bends raguly, in chief an escallop shell on the other two).

Mercer of Elie

(Trellis in Centre). In the field lozengy of Vs, forming a cipher of 2Ws – one inverted crossing the other, making the initials of the issuer, W.W. This is on all three tokens.

William Wagstaffe, mercer, was a churchwarden of Holy Trinity in 1637, 1640, 1641 and 1644. He witnessed the accounts from 1638 to 1644 of the church as well as the Parson’s Charity Indentures between 1639 and 1659. In 1649 he was a governor of Parson’s Charity Also in 1649 it is recorded that “Mr. Wagstaffe of Ely, living and aged about 45 years is by patent bearing the date 26th of October 18th Car. Balife or Collector of the said Mannor of the Rents and Proffits £7.” William Wagstaffe Snr. ived in a house in Broad Lane which he had received from Francis Cockain.

William was buried at Holy Trinity on the 26th February 1675. Abigail his widow was in 1679 owning a tenement which was called The White Swan. The White Swan abutted The Club Inn on the Market Place. Abigail died on the 10th of April 1693, aged 78, and was buried 26th of April. There is a floor slab in the Lady Chapel which reads as follows:

Here lies the Body of William Wagstaffe, Gent.
Who dyed 24th Feb. 1675. Also Abigail his
Wife who dyed April 10th 1693 Aged 78.