Simon Clements

Simon Clements the apothecary would have been in practice at Newmarket from some time in the 1720s until his death in 1746. The family’s name is spelt variably Clemons or Clements in the records, but the references to him being an apothecary (his father’s will of 1731 and paternal grandmother’s will the following year) use the spelling Clements, so that’s the main spelling used on this page – see The history of medical treatments, training, qualifications and regulation for what an apothecary meant.

Simon Clements was baptised at St Mary’s church, Newmarket, in 1703 as Simon Clemons son of Simon and Elizabeth Clemons. His father was an innkeeper according to a 1731 will. Simon Clements the apothecary had two sisters who survived childhood, Elizabeth (after marriage named Elizabeth Norman) and Margaret (after marriage named Margaret Buckle). Simon Clements himself married Elizabeth Scotman at St Mary’s church, Newmarket, in 1733 (she was the sister of John Scotman, a church minister, who made an interesting will in 1750 – see below). Simon and Elizabeth had a son, also called Simon (so three generations of Simon – see the family tree drawn below) baptised at St Mary’s church in 1735, and likewise a daughter Mary in 1736 (who died in 1737). They also had a daughter Elizabeth baptised at All Saints’ church in 1738 (buried at St Mary’s in 1742). The reason for Elizabeth’s baptism at All Saints is interesting. Newmarket suffered a smallpox outbreak in 1738 in which a large number of people died. This particularly seems to have affected the St Mary’s parish, such that baptisms there were suspended for a while and performed at All Saints’ church instead, including Elizabeth Clements, who is recorded in the All Saints’ parish register as from the St Mary’s parish (see the page on Newmarket and smallpox for more details).

Simon Clements’ mother died in 1746 and later the same year Simon Clements the apothecary himself died and was buried at St Mary’s church, where he had been baptised just over 40 years earlier. His widow Elizabeth lived on until 1758. Their son Simon inherited the estate of John Scotman his uncle in 1750 as a teenager. Interestingly, this included a property in Newmarket called ‘the workhouse’, ‘in the occupation of Thomas Searancke Apothecary and Surgeon’ (which could have been Thomas Searancke 1 or Thomas Searancke 2, but much more likely the latter – see the pages on Thomas Searancke 1 and Thomas Searancke 2 for the rationale). The will was witnessed by Thomas Searancke junr. (so likely Thomas Searancke 2). Had Simon Clements the apothecary been part of the Searancke practice and is that how it came to be housed in a property belonging to his brother in law? Thomas Searancke 1 was about 25 years older than Simon Clements; had perhaps Simon been his apprentice and stayed on? The fact that this property was called ‘the workhouse’ is also interesting. Had part of the Searanckes / (Clements?) role included being medical officers to the workhouse, or were they simply operating out of a building that had formerly been a workhouse? (It’s not yet known what became of Simon Clements junior, who by his mid twenties had lost both of his parents and had no surviving siblings. There is nothing to suggest that he was a medic.)

Another contemporary of Simon Clements would have been Edward Harwell the surgeon (Simon Clements was a witness to his will in 1735, so perhaps there was even a triple partnership: Searancke, Clements and Harwell? Wotton Braham was also in Newmarket at this time heading up the perhaps rival practice of Braham and Sandiver?

Simon Clements' family tree, especially showing his relationship to the Scotmans, who owned the premises used by the Searanckes (fellow medics), and to those featuring in key wills mentioned above and detailed in the references below (see below or click image for source and acknowledgements etc., ref. Image 1).

Simon Clements’ family tree, especially showing his relationship to the Scotmans, who owned the premises used by the Searanckes (fellow medics), and to those featuring in key wills mentioned above and detailed in the references below (see below or click image for source and acknowledgements etc., ref. Image 1).

Image sources and acknowledgements:-

Image 1: Diagram drawn in 2019, by the author of talkingdust.net.

Note: see comments regarding images and copyright © etc. on the Usage &c. page as well.

Relevant references in chronological order

1701, 25th June: Simon son of Simon and Eliz Clemons baptised, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: this entry and the one below refer to a brother of Simon Clements the apothecary who died in infancy.]

1702, 20th February: Simon son of Simon Clemons buried, St Mary’s church, Newmarket: Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: this entry and the one above refer to a brother of Simon Clements the apothecary who died in infancy.]

1703, 25th February: Simon son of Simon and Eliz Clemons baptised, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1704, 6th December: Elizabeth daughter of Simon and Eliz Clemons baptised, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1706, 12th December: Margaret daughter of Simon and Eliz Clemons baptised, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1708, 9th September: Ann daughter of Simon and Eliz Clemons baptised, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1709, 17th October: Anne daughter of Simon and Eliz Clemons buried, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J502/41, microfilm of archdeacon’s transcripts, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: this entry is not legible on the microfilm of the parish register, which appears to have sustained significant damage to this page over time, so I have used the contemporary archdeacon’s transcript which has survived; also, it was still visible when the 1940s transcript J562/69 was made, where the full name Elizabeth is given, not just Eliz., but Anne is without the ‘e’.]

1731, 25th July: The will of Simon Clements the Elder of Newmarket… Innholder (probate 12th June 1732). Reference: The National Archives, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/652/186. [Note: he mentions his son Simon Clements of Newmarket apothecary. He also mentions his mother Margaret Bensted widow who lives in his house in Newmarket, called the blackbirds (see her will below – he specifies it’s to pass to Simon the apothecary on her death), and he mentions his wife Elizabeth and two daughters Elizabeth wife of William Norman and Margaret wife of ffrancis Buckle.]

1731, 2nd August: Simon Clements buried, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1732, 20th June: The will of Margaret Benson widow (probate 30th October 1732). Reference: microfilm J545/53, pg 159, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: this will appears to have been written immediately after the death of her son Simon Clements the Innholder, father of Simon Clements the apothecary above. In it she mentions ‘Elizabeth Clements of Newmarkett aforesd., widdow my daughter in law and late wife of my son Simon Clements deceased’ and ‘my Grandson Simon Clements of Newmarkett apothecary’. Other connections with the will above are ‘the dwelling house wherein I now live situate in Newmarkett aforesd. & called or knowne by the name of the Blackbirds’, her granddaughters Elizabeth wife of William Norman and Margaret wife of ffrances Buckle. Also she mentions several other relatives seemingly not relevant to Simon Clements the apothecary’s immediate family. Obviously Margaret Benson is the same as Margaret Bensted in the will above with all these confirmatory connections. Presumably she had been called Margaret Clements at some point also and remarried.]

1733, 5th September: Simon Clements batchel. maried Eliz. Scotman spinstr., St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: also recorded as: ‘Simon Clements, of Newmarket, s.m., & Elizh Scotman, of St. Mary, Newmarket. s.w. Bn.: Rev. John Scotman, M.A., of same 3 Sep., 1733’. Reference: Baunerman W, Bruce Baunerman GG. Allegations for Marriage Licences in the Archdeaconry of Sudbury in the County of Suffolk during the years 1684 to 1754. [Part 1]. London: The Harleian Society; 1918, pg 123.], [Note also, the book does state 3rd September but in the register it looks more like a 5 than a 3, although it could be debated, the number is not clear.]

1735, 3rd February: The will of Edward Harwell of Newmarket in the County of Suffolk Surgeon (probate 7th August 1735). Reference: The National Archives, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/672/275. [Note: the original will is dated 1734 – see New Year Change, note also that this will was witnessed by Simon Clements, likely the apothecary.]

1735, 15th May: Simon son of Simon and Elizabeth Clements baptised, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1736, 31st December: Mary daughter of Simon and Elizabyth Clements baptised, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1737, 17th June: Mary daughter of Simon and Elizabeth Clements buried, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1738, 9th June: Elizabeth daughter of Simon and Elizabeth Clements of St Mary’s baptised, All Saints’ church, Newmarket. Reference: Microfiche of Newmarket All Saints’ parish register (fiche 2), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: this appears to have taken place at All Saints’ because of a smallpox outbreak affecting Newmarket St Mary’s that year – see the page on Newmarket and smallpox for details.]

1741, 10th November: The will of Mary Scot(t)man, widow (probate 11th May 1743). Reference: IC500/1/197(13), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: Mary Scottman was the mother-in-law of Simon Clements the apothecary. In her will she mentions her daughter Elizabeth Clements and grandchildren Simon and Elizabeth Clements, who were both left some money to be ‘in the hand’ of their father (i.e. Simon Clements the apothecary) until they reach the age of 21 years. She also mentions her daughter who married into the Burgis family and sons Thomas Scottman and John Scottman (see below) – the surname is spelt Scottman throughout the will but she signs Scotman at the end. It’s also of interest that she left Thomas and John The Green Man Inn at Newmarket, which Thomas later leased to Thomas Searancke 2 and Robert Warren an Innholder for a year at least in 1760 – see the page on Thomas Searancke 2 for details.]

1742, 12th February: Elizabeth daughter of Simon and Elizabeth Clements buried, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1746, 10th March: Elizabeth Clemons widow buried, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: this was Simon Clements the apothecary’s mother – see next entry also.]

1746, 21st May: Death of Elizabeth Clements widow reported in the Newmarket manorial records. Reference: 359/12, pg 80, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: this with the entry above are a very clear example of the surname being spelt these two ways, very obviously here referring to the same person.]

1746, 6th November: Simon Clemons buried, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1750, 13th September: The will of John Scotman of Newmarket… Clerk (probate 27th September 1750). Reference: IC500/1/204(46), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: this is a very interesting will. John Scotman was a clerk i.e. church minister. He was the brother in law of Simon Clements the apothecary and owned a house in Newmarket known as ‘the workhouse’ occupied by Thomas Searancke, apothecary and surgeon. This could have been Thomas Searancke 1 or Thomas Searancke 2, but was probably the latter who was likely the Thomas Searancke junior witnessing the will (possibly both lived and worked there – were they perhaps medical officers to the workhouse?). In his will this property was left to Simon Clements his nephew. Obviously he mentions his sister Elizabeth Clements. He also mentions his sister Mary Burgis and brother Thomas Scottman. Interestingly the main beneficiary is his nephew Simon Clements (at that stage under the age of 21 years). There is the appropriate touch for a minister of leaving some bread to the poor of Woodditton and Ixning parishes, specifically to those who were not in the workhouse.]

1753, 13th June: Simon Clements ‘about the age of nineteen years’ turned up to the Newmarket manor court claiming his inheritance as detailed in John Scotman’s will, which was given to the custody of his mother until he reached the age of 21 years. Reference: 359/12, pg 118-119, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

1758, 6th November: Elizabeth Clements widw. buried, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: she was buried on 6th November, the same date as her husband 12 years earlier.]

Some other sources consulted include:-

Microfilm transcripts of St Mary’s and All Saints’ parish records, Newmarket: Reference: J562/69, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

The research notes of Peter May. Reference: HD1584, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).

Note: For published material referenced on this website see the ‘Acknowledgements for resources of published material’ section on the ‘Usage &c.’ page. The sources used for original unpublished documents are noted after each individual reference. Any census records are referenced directly to The National Archives, since images of these are so ubiquitous on microfilm and as digital images that they almost function like published works. Census records are covered by the ‘Open Government Licence’ as should be other such public records (see the ‘Copyright and related issues’ section on the ‘Usage &c.’ page for which references constitute public records, and any other copyright issues more generally such as fair dealing/use etc.).