Sir John Wittewrong, 1st Baronet facts for kids

Sir John Wittewrong (born November 1, 1618 – died June 23, 1693) was an important English gentleman. He was a colonel in the Parliament's army during the English Civil War. He also owned a large estate called Rothamsted Manor.

Sir John Wittewrong: A Life Story

Early Life and Family Roots

Sir John's family, the Wittewrongs, were Protestants from Flanders. Flanders is a region in what is now Belgium. In 1564, they left their home city of Ghent. They moved to London to escape religious problems. Jacques Wittewrong came first with his wife and two children. Most of his family followed him later. Jacques worked as a public notary, which is like a legal assistant. He passed away in 1593.

John Wittewrong was Jacques's grandson. His father was Jacob Wittewrong(le) (1558–1622). Jacob was a very rich brewer, making beer for a living. John's mother was Anna. After Jacob died, Anna married Thomas Myddelton. Through his stepfather, John gained connections in Wales. He later served as the High Sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1665. A High Sheriff was a top official in a county.

A Leader in Challenging Times

John Wittewrong was knighted in 1640. This meant he was given the title "Sir." He then fought in the English Civil War. This war was between the King and Parliament. Sir John fought on the side of Parliament as a colonel. A colonel is a high-ranking army officer.

In 1658, he became the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire. He was also an Independent in his religion. This meant he had his own religious beliefs. He supported ministers who did not follow the main church.

Homes and Estates

Sir John bought land in Wheathampstead in 1649. In 1662, he was made a baronet. This was a special title, like a knight, but it could be passed down. In 1667, he bought Stantonbury. He built a large house there, but only small parts remain today.

He also owned Rothamsted Manor. His family had rented this estate since 1611. They bought it in 1623. Sir John made many changes to the manor over the years.

His Weather Diary

Sir John Wittewrong kept a detailed weather diary. He wrote down the weather conditions regularly. When he wrote his diary, England used the Julian Calendar. This calendar was 10 days behind our current calendar. So, to match today's dates, you would add 10 days.

Also, the new year officially started on March 25th back then. But people often thought of January 1st as the start. To avoid confusion, dates between January 1st and March 24th were written like 1684/5. Sir John used this method in his diary.

Sir John was one of the first people to own a home barometer. A barometer is a tool that measures air pressure. It is also called a Weather Glass. Scientists learned that air pressure relates to the weather around 1644. The measurements used then are still similar to what we use today.