Thomas Inskip, a watchmaker and clockmaker from Shefford in Bedfordshire was an interesting man. He was responsible for the clock at Greenwich Observatory, left his archaeological collection to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and was a friend to labouring-class poets, Robert Bloomfield (who Thomas is buried next too in Campton Churchyard), and later John Clare.
Bloomfield and Clare are also known as ‘peasant or pastoral poets’ and are currently enjoying a revival: I recently met Jonathan Bate, author of a new biography on Clare which has used Thomas’ correspondence with Clare as a source. (Unfortunately, the correspondence of Clare to Inskip is lost.)
It seems Thomas befriended Robert Bloomfield when Robert, down on his luck, moved to Shefford in 1812. Thomas met Clare in London around 1820 “amongst the Cockneys, whom we both equally admire!”. Clare related to Bloomfield as a kindred spirit, and Thomas tried to organize a meeting between them, as he regarded them as “the nation’s great poets of humble life”; but Bloomfield died “in pain and poverty” in 1821 before the wished for meeting could take place; much to John Clare’s regret.
Described in a poem by John Dalby as “kind Inskip”, Thomas promoted John Clare’s work in the Northampton Mercury. When Clare was in the Northampton General Lunatic Asylum “the elderly” Thomas became his outside advisor and confident. They shared discussions about poetry and sexual desire, “the days when we were young! And the arms-full of Petticoats we rumpled!”. Thomas was also instrumental in the publication of Clare’s poetry in the Bedford Times between 1847 and 1849. “Inskip offered what Clare always craved from his editors: a mixture of practical advice and confidence-building encouragement.”
Thomas Inskip was born in Kimbolten, Northamptonshire in 1780, the son of Edward Inskip a Farmer from Old Warden, and Mary Handscombe from Clifton. He married twice, the last to Isabella Wright in 1815, and died in 1849 in Brighton of Cholera. His watchmaking business was taken on by son Hampden Inskip, and eventually grandson Alfred Inskip.
Book – John Clare, A Biography by Jonathan Bate ISBN 978-0-330-37112-4
Correspondence from Inskip to Clare is in Northampton Central Library.
Jennifer Inskip Kirkby
mikeinskip
Terry Inskip
Hi Jennifer, thanks for this wonderful blog!
Thomas Inskip was my great x 3 grandfather. I only came across him a couple of years ago while researching family tree.
I got as far back as Hampden Inskip (Thomas’ son) and then came across One Name Study and found out about Thomas.
I knew his parents were Edward and Mary (from a genealogy site), but thanks to you I now have Mary’s maiden name and fact that Edward was a farmer.
Do you know of Thomas Inskip’s epic poem ‘Cant’? British Library have a copy and also available on Google Books. He was a wonderful forward-thinking man!
Thanks again,
Pat B.
My family also goes back to Thomas Inskeep. I really appreciate your work on this. Do you have a blog email I can sign up for?
Pat
Thank you for your kind comment. This is exactly why Terry and I share our research on this blog, so we are very glad to have been of help.
You should also read the blog on the Bedfordshire Inskips -especially why they moved there in the sixteenth century and the story of John and Margaret – as both you and I have a common inheritance there.
Edward Inskip had 3 wives, Mary was his first and died in 1783. Edward was son of William Inskip (1713) from Southill and Mary Day, he too was a Yeoman farmer and I believe owned the Red Lion in Hitchen.
William in turn was the son of Edward Inskip (1687) born Old Warden and Avice Mason. He was a husbandman at marriage, but worked his way up the social scale to become a Farmer. Which will basically mean he enhanced his landholding and social responsibility/standing.
Edward was the son of William Inskip (sometime before 1657) born Henlow and his second wife Elizabeth Usher. He was a husbandman
William was the son of William Inskip (1625) Old Warden and his first wife Ann Shaw from Henlow. William was a tailor, and when Ann died returned to a cottage holding in Old Warden. There is an excellent story of a maidservant stealing a kettle from him and his second wife Elizabeth.
William was the son of Edward/Edmund Inskip (1590) and his wife Ellen Thruxton . As land to rent was short in Old Warden due to the economics of the time, he moved to Campton to marry Ellen. He would probably have been a husbandman, perhaps a Labourer.
Edward was the son of John Inskip and Margaret Pope; as far as I am aware through my research the first Inskip in Old Warden. See post about them.
Sorry. Edward and Ellen married in Edworth not Campton !! They returned to Old Warden around 1623 possible to look after an aging John Inskip who died in 1626. Edward appears in the court rolls, but is possibly a Labourer not a Cottager.
Oh my goodness!! Fantastic information Jennifer.
I thought I wouldn’t get any further back as seemed to have exhausted the records on internet.
Can’t wait to share it with the family.
Thank you so much!!!
Best wishes,
Pat B
Hi Jennifer.
Not sure whether you have the following deatils regarding Edward Inskip and Ellen Thruxton.
They married at Edworth on 25th September 1615.
Just to say that this is really helpful as a website.
I am a distant relative of Robert Bloomfield and have recently come into possession of some significant Inskip books – I’d be grateful for the chance to discuss this further. I’m preparing a paper to present my initial findings to the next meeting of the Robert Bloomfield Society – but would like the chance to share it here if that was appropriate…
Ed
ed.fordham@gmail.com
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