Joan Goldston d1579

JOAN GOLDSTON, was a sister-in-law to William Goldston, being the second wife of his brother Richard Goldston, a carpenter in Gloucester, but one who also owned much property here. Richard Goldston's first wife, Elizabeth, died in 1558, and he later married a widow, Joan Chambers, the subject of this portrait. Joan Goldston's husband, who was a churchwarden of St. Michael's church, did a great deal of work in that church, as is shown by the Churchwardens' Accounts, such as mending seats, supplying timber and generally supervising repairs and building work. He wished to be buried in St. Michael's church, but there is no record of his burial taking place there. He died in 1575, and Joan, his widow, came in for much of his property.

It was her wish, on her death, to be buried in the churchyard of St. Owen's church 'before the Chauncell end there and a tome or stone to be sett or layed over my grave'. Unfortunately this church, together with its monuments both inside and outside, has disappeared, as the church was destroyed at the time of the Siege of Gloucester in 1643 because it stood just outside the South Gate and would have afforded cover to the Royalist troops outside the city's walls. Joan Goldston left money both to St. Michael's and St. Owen's churches.

Another of her gifts was the sum of thirteen pounds for the repair of Maisemore Bridge, but her main thoughts were for the 'helpe and Relyeffe of the poore people of the Citye of Glouc.', and for this she left twenty pounds for the provision of good and coal, together with money for wood as fuel for the inhabitants of St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Having been married to a man whose business was in the timber trade it is probable that they had, during their lifetimes, distributed wood as fuel for those who needed it, and this was continued after her death. Her residuary legatee was 'Jone Chambers the daughter of Roger Chambers my late sonne'.