Family and Education
bap. 23 June 1594, 7th but 3nd surv. s. of Alexander Bence of Aldeburgh (d. 27 Jan. 1613) and Mary, da. of Thomas Squier of Aldeburgh;Regs. of the Par. of Thorington ed. T.S. Hill (1884), 101, 105, pedigree; Add. 32484, no. 84; Vis. London 1664, 19. bro. of Alexander† and Squier*. m. (1) 29 Nov. 1620, Anne Aylett of Rendham, Suff. 2s. 2da.;Rendham par. reg.; Vis. London 1664 (Harl. Soc. xcii.), 19; Add. 19091, f. 169. (2) 3 Sept. 1633, Elizabeth or Mary Fowle of Redgrave;Marriage Lics. of the Archdeaconry of Suff. 1613-1674 ed. F.A. Crisp (1903), 85; The Reg. of the Par. Church of Knodishall 1566-1705 ed. A.T. Winn (1909), 58. (3) bef. 1659, Rachel (d. aft. 1675).PROB11/311/477. d. by Nov. 1662.HMC 8th Rep. 251.
Offices Held

freeman, Aldeburgh 1612 – d.; burgess, 1627 – 29; capital burgess, 1629–?d.; bailiff, 1629 – 30, 1635 – 36, 1648–9.Suff. RO (Ipswich), EE1/C1/1, ff. 3v, 5, 6, 7. Alderman, Walbrook ward, London 17 May-1 Sept. 1653.Aldermen of London, i. 222, ii. 82–3.

freeman, Grocers’ Co. 1621.GL, MS 11592A, unf. Asst. Soc. of Saltmakers, Gt. Yarmouth 1636–?d.Select Charters of Trading Companies ed. C.T. Carr (Selden Soc. xxviii.), 150. Elder bro. Trinity House, ?-Jan. 1649, 1660 – d.; master, 12 Mar. – 18 June 1660; asst. 18 June 1660–d.Harris, Trinity House, 34, 39; CJ vii. 871b; HMC 8th Rep. 251; The Corporation of Trinity House ed. W.R. Chaplin [1952], 5, 7, 12, 50, 52–3, 124–5.

member, recess cttee. 9 Sept. 1641;CJ ii. 288b. cttee. of navy and customs by 5 Aug. 1642.Supra, ‘Committee of Navy and Customs’; CJ ii. 706a. Commr. for navy, 15 Sept. 1642. Member, cttee. for admlty. and Cinque Ports, 19 Apr. 1645; cttee. for excise, 6 June 1645;A. and O. cttee. for powder, match and bullet, 30 June 1645.LJ vii. 468a. Commr. determining differences, Adventurers in Ireland, 1 Aug. 1654.A. and O.

dep. lt. Aldeburgh 3 Sept. 1642–?CJ ii. 749b; LJ v. 338a. Commr. New Model ordinance, Suff. 17 Feb. 1645; assessment, 21 Feb. 1645, 23 June 1647, 16 Feb. 1648, 7 Apr., 7 Dec. 1649, 26 Nov. 1650, 10 Dec. 1652, 24 Nov. 1653, 9 June 1657;A. and O.; An Act for an Assessment (1653, E.1062.28). gaol delivery, Aldeburgh Dec. 1645;C181/5, f. 265v. militia, Suff. 2 Dec. 1648, 12 Mar. 1660; Tower Hamlets 2 Dec. 1648.A. and O. J.p. Suff. by Feb. 1650-bef. Oct. 1660.C193/13/3, f. 61; Bodl. Tanner 226, p. 187; A Perfect List [of JPs] (1660), 51.

farmer, Aldeburgh rectory by 1645. 20 Oct. 1645CUL, MS Ee.III.10, p. 20. Elder, eighth London classis,; fourth Suff. classis, 5 Nov. 1645.A. and O; Shaw, Hist. Eng. Church, ii. 402, 425.

of Aldeburgh, Suff. and London.
Likenesses

Likenesses: stylized family group on father’s fun. brass, Aldeburgh church.Add. 32484, no. 84.

Volume
Commons 1640-1660
Web Title

BENCE, Alexander (1594-c.1662), of Aldeburgh, Suff. and London.

Will
13 Sept. 1659, pr. 14 July 1663.PROB11/311/477.
Estates
leased land on Cobholm Island, Gt. Yarmouth from Gt. Yarmouth corporation, 1654;Norf. RO, Y/C 31/5a. his estates worth £300 p.a. (excluding land in Ireland), with his total annual income being £1,200, c. 1655;Add. 15520, f. 125v. bought Cobholm Island for £530, 1657.Norf. RO, Y/C 31/5b.
Oxford 1644
No
Addresses
Religion
Image