St Matthew's Guild

Newcastle Townsfolk

Please visit the Character Directory to see who other St. Matthew's members are portraying at faire.

If you would like assistance in creating a character, or if you have other questions concerning portraying characters at faire, please contact Mimi, our New Member Coordinator.

Developing a Character

St. Matthew's produces Folsom Faire, which takes place in the city of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Therefore, members are encouraged to develop characters portraying Newcastle townsfolk. These characters can be based upon historical Newcastle townsfolk, or created individually to suit the character you wish to portray.

Information on this page is designed to help you create an in-depth character to portray at faire. Start with the Character Outline, to get an idea of how to create a character, and then browse around for more detailed information. Also visit the Education page for more information on England in the 16th century, speech and language.

Choose a destination:

Character Outline

Answer each of these questions.

1. What is your full name? (English people would have a first and last name only.)

2. How old are you?

3. What is your social class? (Choose from peasant, lower middle class, solid middle class, upper class, nobility.)

4. What is your trade? (Even a soldier would have had a trade.)

5. What is your primary personality characteristic? (i.e. nationalistic, crabby, greedy, dimwitted, etc.)

6. What is your marital status? (Most adults would have been married, though you can also be widowed.)

7. What is your spouse's name(s)?

8. What does your spouse do?

9. Do you have any children? How many? What are their names?

10. Is your character related to any other character in the guild? If so, who and how?

11. How do you spend your leisure time?

12. Who is your best friend?

13. What are you most proud of?

14. What are 3 things that other guild members should know about you to ask when we meet you on the street or in an inn or to gossip about when you aren't around?

15. What is your character's personal history? (i.e. parents, events that shaped your life, interests, friends, enemies, etc. Keep this simple. It is mostly so that you know your character better. Very few people will ask you about your character's life.)

Newcastle Townsfolk (c.1565)

Bishop of Durham

James Pilkington

Mayor

William Carr

Sheriff

Anthony Swinburne

Aldermen

Robert Ellyson

Sir Robert Brandlynge

Cuthbert Ellyson

Bartram Anderson

Richard Hodshon

Christopher Mitford

Oswald Chapman

Local Ships

The Premerros (owner Robert Ellison; master Thomas Grey)

The Mary Flower (Cuthbert Hunter; Edw. Tailor)

The Grace of God (Roger Rawe; John Bayttes)

Warden of the West Marches

Henry, Lord Scroop

Warden of the East Marches

Francis, Earl of Bedford

Priest

George Carr

Curate

Robert Wood

Baliff

Anthony Thomlingson

Clerk of the Town Court

Bennet Chessye

Merchants

Cuthberth Sticknell

Thomas Bewick

John Green (wife Margaret)

Gawen Aydon (who was also paid for “scourging a boy about the town, and for setting a man on the pillory for two days.” Wife Agnes)

Master Mariners

James Anderson

Richard Harrigatt

Collecter of Holme Cultram

Richard Benson

Schoolmaster

Humphrey Grey

Wallers

Bartram Alleson

Thomas Blackbull

Andrew Potts

Mason

Matthew Potts

Slaters

Roger Watson

Carpenters

Christopher Brown

Leadworkers (for windows?)

Thomas Fletcher

Thomas Peerson

William Galyghtly

Joiners

Thomas Rand

Thomas Py

Thomas Tomson

Smiths

James Trewghet

John Brown

Rodger Howbourn

Glazier

George Ewyne

Glass Seller

Mistress Selby

Stonemason

Henry Orde

Plumber

John Pierson

Lime Seller

Robert Rede

Mariners

William Wilkinson

Edward Johnson

Michael Sklaitor

Butchers

Wiliam Wilkinson

William Dykeson

Cooper

Alexander Rowell (wife Isabel)

Grocer

Robert Bewicke

Shoemaker

Simon Jackson (wife Isobel)

Fool

John Watsome

Sergeant

Christopher Wilson

Tailor

John Fressell

Merchant Apprentice

Cuthbert Carr

Peddler

John Brown

Jenkin Brown (were put under warden’s protection after being slanderously called Scots and threatened with imprisonment for it)

Barber

Richard Thomson

Jay Family

Ralph (tailor, d. 1562)

Janet (wife)

Matthew and Richard (sons)

Elizabeth (daughter)

The Fenne Family

James (father, grocer and apothecary, d. 1565)

George, Robert, John, Christopher (brothers)

Jane and Elizabeth (George’s daughters)

Johanna (his wife)

Joan (Christopher’s wife)

Robert Eden (his apprentice)

Eleanor Anderson (his servant)

Townswomen

Janet Dodds (single, age 30 in 1562)

Janet Clerk (went to court in defamation suit vs. Agnes Aydon in 1565, Agnes having called her a cutpurse)

Janet Sawter (ducked in 1563 as a scold)

Isabel Carlell (sued William Brandlind, heir to Sir Robert, for the maintenance of their illegitimate daughter Margery)

Trades & Occupations

In the Country

Farmer

Fisherman

Herdsman

Linen-maker

Miner

Shearer

Water diviner

Fishwife

Wool-maker

Jobs Requiring Advanced Schooling and/or Money

Alderman

Bailiff

Barber-surgeon

Broker

Constable

Dentist

Glassworker

Goldsmith

Horsebreeder

Jeweller

Lawyer

Livestock-merchant

Master-crafter

Miller

Money-lender

Schoolmaster

Scribe

Shipwright

Silversmith

Spectacle-maker

Spice-merchant

Town Recorder

Trade-merchant

Vicar

At a Manor House

Cook

Cooper

Field-hand

Fisherman

Forrester

Gardener

Gleaner

Herbalist

Herdsman

Ladies-maid

Ploughman

Reaper

Servant

Shearer

Sower

Stabler

Steward

Vine-grower

Vintner

Woolmaker

In the Town

Armourer

Baker

Basketmaker

Belfounder

Blacksmith

Bookmaker

Bottlemaker

Bower

Brewer

Broderer

Brosier

Butcher

Buttonmaker

Cardmaker

Carpenter

Carter

Cartwright

Chapemaker

Cheesemonger

Cleric

Coachmaker

Cobbler

Cofferer

Coppersmith

Cornmonger

Currier

Cutler

Distiller

Ditcher

Draftsman

Draper

Dyer

Fanmaker

Fatmonger

Feltmonger

Fishmonger

Fleshmonger

Fletcher

Fuller

Galochemaker

Garlicmonger

Girdler

Glover

Gravedigger

Grocer

Haberdasher

Haymonger

Horner

Horseshoer

Hosier

Innkeeper

Joiner

Lacemaker

Lanternmaker

Leatherworker

Limner

Lockyer

Marbler

Mercer

Minstrel

Netmaker

Oilmaker

Painter

Papermaker

Pedlar

Pewterer

Piemaker

Plasterer

Player

Plumber

Potmaker

Potter

Pouchmaker

Poulterer

Ropemaker

Saddler

Salter

Seamstress

Skinner

Soapmaker

Spurrier

Stabler

Stainer

Tablemaker

Tailor

Tallowchandler

Tapster

Tavern Wench

Thatcher

Timberhauler

Tinker

Turner

Watercarrier

Waxchandler

Weaver

Wheelwright

Wiredrawer

Woodcarver

Woodmonger

16th Century Names

This is not a complete list. Period surnames included those borrowed from placenames, towns and parishes, from occupations, such as John Mason or John Saddler. Surnames were also taken through the custom of being known as someone’s son, such as “Johnson.”

WOMEN
Abigail Adraina Agatha Aggie Agnes Albinia Alice Allisoun Ambrosia Amy Anastasia Annabella	Anne Annis Arabella Audrey Avis Barbara Beatris Berra Bess Blanche Cecilia Charity	Cherry Christian Cicely Clemency Deborah Denys Diana Edith Eleanor Euphemia Eustace Eva	Eveline Felice Frances Gattie Gertrude Gillan Helen Helena Isabella Jane Jennet Jessamyn	Jill Joan Julian Kate Katherine Lettice Letticia Lillian Lora Lucy Mabel Mabyl	Magdalene Maggie Margery Margret Marta Maude Meg Megan Meredith Millicent Molly Nan	Nancy Nanny Nesta Penelope Phillipa Rebecca Rose Sara Tamar Tess Thomasine Ursula
Women • Men • Surnames
MEN
Adrian Alard Alban Aldred Alexander Alfred Ambrose Amyas Andrew Anselm Antony Archibald Armigill Arthur Aubrey Augustine	Barabe Barnaby Barthlet Bartholomew Basil Bastain Bennet Bernard Bertram Bevis Cecil Charles Chidiock Christopher Clement Cuthbert	Danile Darby Denys Donstan Drue Dudley Edmund Edward Edwin Egremont Erasmus Evan Francis Gaurigan Gawin	Geradus Gilbert Giles Goddard Gregory Grey Griffin Guilford Guy Halbert Harold Henry Hubert Hugh Humphrey	Ingleram James John Joseph Josiah Lambert Lenard Lewis Lodowik Mandell Martyn Mat Matthew Mauris Mendeth	Michael Mildmay Miles Nycholas Nygel Paul Pearce Percival Philip Randal Reginald Richard Robard Robert Robin	Rodger Rowland Sebastian Stavely Stevyn Theobald Thomas Tristam Tristan Valentine Vincent Walter Warham Will William
Women • Men • Surnames
SURNAMES
Abberbray Abbott Acland Acton Adams Adkinson Agas Aglionby Aircastle Alesbury Allen Alley Alleyn Anderson Andrews Anthington Appletree Arden Arundel Ascham Asheton Ashley Attham Aylmer Babthrope Bagot Bailly Baitingloss Baker Bakewell Bames Banister Barclay Barket Barlow Barnfield Barnwell Barrow Bartlet Basset Bayne Beale Beaton Bell Bellot Bembridge Benbow Bentham Besant Bevil	Bigham Billingsley Blackberry Blacket Blackwell Blackwood Bladge Blagrave Bland Blount Blyth Bonham Bonner Bonython Borrows Bowyer Bradbridge Bridges Briggs Bromley Brooke Brown Bryan Bryskett Bull Bulmer Bunyan Burbage Burcot Burney Bushness Byrd Camden Carlile Carnock Caufield Chadderton Chamberlin Charnock Chedsey Cheney Chetham Child Cholmley Churchyard Clarendon Clennock Colepeper Cooper Copeland	Cotton Coverdale Cox Creighton Croft Crompton Culverwell Cutler Dale Davers Davidson Deloney Dering Deventer Digges Donne Dormer Dowland Downham Drayton Drew Drury Dundas Earle Eliot Ellis Erdeswicke Fairfax Fane Fanshawe Farnaby Feckingham Fenner Field Fitzgerald Fleetwood Fleming Fletcher Forrester Foster Franklin Freeman Fuller Gage Gargrave Gifford Gilpin Godwin Golding Goldwell	Goodge Goodman Gramphound Greene Greenham Greenwood Grey Grindal Guest Gynne Habinton Hacket Hall Hammer Harbourne Hardy Hariot Harrison Harvey Hatton Hawkins Hayricke Heath Henslowe Heynes Hickman Hicks Higford Hills Hobart Holinshed Holland Holton Horsey Hoverden Humphrey Hungerford Hunwicke Ingelby Ipswell James Jewel Johnson Jones Judde Kebel Kempe Kingsmill Kirby	Knox Kyd Lambarde Lane Latimer Leland Lever Leveson Lewis Liliburne Lloyd Loder Lodge Lovell Lumly Lumm Lyly Lyon Manship Manwood Markham Marlowe Marston Martin Mason Masters Mayne Mercator Middleton Molcaster Moore Morgan Moryson Mosley Mundy Napier Nash Neale Neville Nordon Nowell Offley Osborne Paget Parker Parkhurst Parsons Peacham Peele	Pelham Penry Perkins Perreres Perry Pickering Platt Platter Plowden Pole Poley Pomfrett Powell Price Puttenham Randolphe Rhodes Ridely Rodway Rokby Rookwood Rowlands Rowse Saddler Sadler Sampson Sanders Sands Savage Savile Saxton Seckerston Semphill Shaw Sheldon Shelton Shirburn Shirwood Sillery Smythe Southworth Spekard Spelman Spenser Stanley Stickland Story Stowe Stubbs	Tallis Tanner Tarleton Taverson Taylor Tewkesbury Thirleby Thomas Thomason Thorne Tichburne Timperley Tinker Topcliffe Towneley Trapps Trevelyan Tunstall Turbeville Tusser Twyne Udall Vincent Waad Wallop Walpole Warner Webster Wedgewood Wentworth Weston Wheller Whellwright White Whitgift Willoughby Wilson Windebank Wingfield Winter Winthorpe Wolfe Woolton Wooton Worpfal Wyndham Yelverton York Young
Women • Men • Surnames