"One of the most important officials of the Commonwealth. Throughout virtually the whole of his career he acted also as a man of business to members of the Rich and Devereux families. He entered the public service as clerk, later secretary to the Providence Island Company. After the outbreak of the Civil War he became an Admiralty official (secretary to Warwick 1642-5 and to the Admiralty Committee 1645-53), after which he moved to the Council of State (as Assistant Clerk in 1653, and Clerk 1654-9, 1659-60). He was also, from 1648 until his death, Deputy-Clerk of the Duchy of Lancaster and from. c. 1650 Registrar of the Duchy Court. In the Convention he was Assistant-Clerk of the Parliaments (i.e. of the House of Commons). After the Restoration, apart from a spell as Secretary to the Brooke House Committee in 1668, he concerned himself with Duchy business. Like Pepys and other public officials, he used shorthand." (L&M Companion)
1 Annotation
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
William Jessop (c. 1603-75)
"One of the most important officials of the Commonwealth. Throughout virtually the whole of his career he acted also as a man of business to members of the Rich and Devereux families. He entered the public service as clerk, later secretary to the Providence Island Company. After the outbreak of the Civil War he became an Admiralty official (secretary to Warwick 1642-5 and to the Admiralty Committee 1645-53), after which he moved to the Council of State (as Assistant Clerk in 1653, and Clerk 1654-9, 1659-60). He was also, from 1648 until his death, Deputy-Clerk of the Duchy of Lancaster and from. c. 1650 Registrar of the Duchy Court. In the Convention he was Assistant-Clerk of the Parliaments (i.e. of the House of Commons). After the Restoration, apart from a spell as Secretary to the Brooke House Committee in 1668, he concerned himself with Duchy business. Like Pepys and other public officials, he used shorthand." (L&M Companion)