Tuesday, July 04, 2006

The Shiffners of Coombe


I am currently researching a branch of the Fuller family tree populated by the Shiffner and Bridger families. Pictured here, in 1789, is Sir George Shiffner (1762 - 1842) in the uniform of the 11th Light Dragoons. Sir George married Mary Bridger, maternal 2nd cousin of Jack Fuller.

From Access 2 Archives:

George settled down to the life of a country gentleman having before marriage spent five years in the 11th regiment of Light Dragoons as a cornet. (Army List. His appointment dated 27 February 1782; for his resignation see No. SHR/3035) He then took an active part in local affairs as a justice of the peace, (He took his oath of qualification at the Epiphany sessions, 1803; East Sussex Record Office, QO/EW35.) deputy lieutenant (For his commission, 25 August 1798, see No. SHR/141.) and as Captain of the Lewes Troop of Yeomanry and Captain of the South Lewes Volunteer Battalion during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. (See Nos. SHR/90-139, 327.) He took over his father-in-law's work in connection with the joint estates in England and America and continued to improve and extend the Coombe estate. We have ample evidence of these activities in his correspondence and diaries, the latter being continuous from 1784 to 1837. His local reputation was such that he was considered as a candidate for Sussex in the Conservative interest in the 1807 parliamentary election in the place of the sitting Member, John Fuller, who had become unpopular for his outspoken defence of slavery in the colonies. This was a delicate matter since Shiffner had proposed him in 1801 and was related to him, but as Fuller persisted in his candidature, Shiffner declined the invitation; (See Nos. SHR/145-169, and T. W. Horsfield, The History, Antiquities and Topography of the County of Sussex, vol. 2 (1835), Appendix, p. 25.) instead, he sat for Lewes from 1812 to 1826. (Horsfield, op. cit., Appendix, pp. 47-49.) He had a baronetcy conferred on him in 1818.

See previous post.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I have done some considerable research into the Bridgers of Coombe, formerly of Ashurst and Warminghurst back to the 15th century. What is your relation? My mother was a Bridger; so our descent is back to a brother of Mary (Bridger) Shiffner. I can be reached at colinkiley@hotmail.com