From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir John Popham (1531 - June 10, 1607) ^[1] was Speaker of the House of Commons from 1580 to 1583 and the Lord Chief Justice of England from June 2, 1592 to June 1607.

He was born in Huntsworth, near North Petherton Somerset in 1533 to Alexander and Jane Popham (née Stradling). It is said he was kidnapped by Gypsies when he was a child, and spent his childhood wandering with this lawless group of associates. He went on to study Law at Balliol College, Oxford. Various sources suggest he supported himself through being a highwayman.

Popham is credited for maintaining the stability of the British State, and for being one of the "real colonisers" of the British Empire; funding and orchestrating the shortlived Popham Colony in present day Maine.

He served as an MP for Bristol in the 1570s and 1580s and was a Somerset Justice of the Peace. Amongst the many estates he owned was Publow, Somerset.^[1], and Hemyock Castle.

Popham presided at the trial of the Jesuit, Robert Southwell, in 1595 and passed sentence of death by hanging, drawing and quartering. He also presided over the trials of Mary Queen of Scots (1587), Sir Walter Raleigh (1603) and Guy Fawkes (1606), sentencing Mary and Fawkes to death.

While working as the messenger to the Queen, Popham was imprisoned by the Earl of Essex with his henchman. Ever stoic, Popham replied that at his age, death would be “but cutting off a few years.” However, he was rescued and rowed to safety by Sir Ferdinando Gorges (1565-1647).

According to local legend, Popham was killed in 1607 by being thrown from his horse into Popham's Pit, a deep local dell, dying horribly and descending to Hell. He is named on his wife's grave stone in the nearby Wellington Church, but according to legend his body doesn't lie there. Every New Year's Eve his ghost is supposed to emerge from Popham's Pit and take one cock's step nearer to the grave. Until he has reached it, legend says that his soul will not Rest in Peace.

Sir Popham's fortune was held in Chancery after his death, and his descendants were prevented for unknown reasons from accessing this inheritance. One story tells how one descendant changed his name to 'Smith' in a fit of rage, giving up on this mysterious bequest.

John Popham married Amy Games, and they had 8 children:

• Sir Francis Popham
• Katherine Popham
• Penelope Popham
• Elinor Popham
• Elizabeth Popham
• Katherine Popham
• Mary Popham
• Amy Popham

Sir John Popham died June 10, 1607 at Wellington, Somerset.

A descendant of Sir John Popham is Sir Home Riggs Popham (1762-1820), A British admiral who developed the Signal Code adopted by the Navy in 1803.

1. ^ "thePeerage.com Person Page 19580" (genealogy), Darryl Lundy, thePeerage.com, Wellington, NZ, 2006-09-16, webpage: TPcom-19580.

• Popham, Frederick William, “A West Country Family: The Pophams since 1150” (privately printed, 1976)

^ Janes, Rowland (2003). Pensford, Publow and Woollard: A Topographical History. Biografix. ISBN 0-9545125-0-2. 

Legal Offices
Preceded by Sir Christopher Wray	Lord Chief Justice 1592–1607	Succeeded by Sir Thomas Fleming
Honorary Titles
Preceded by Sir Amias Paulet	Custos Rotulorum of Somerset bef. 1594–1607	Succeeded by Sir Edward Phelips
Political offices
Preceded by Sir Robert Bell	Speaker of the House of Commons 1580–1583	Succeeded by Sir John Puckering