Matthew Chitty
(d.1716?) of London

Matthew CHITTY (died about 1716), of St Peter Cornhill, Bishopsgate Street Within, and Amsterdam, merchant, son of Henry, married twice, but records of his baptism, marriages and burial are as yet all untraced. The dates of signing and proof of his Will show that he died between 1712 Mch 23 and 1716/7 Jan 21, probably at Amsterdam, where the Will was made. The Probate describes him as 'of parts overseas'. Both his wives were Amsterdam ladies, but he and the first had their home in London until at least 1685.

The first wife was Catherine de MOUSON and the approximate date of their marriage is indicated by a certificate of membership issued to her at Amsterdam for the London Dutch Church at Austin Friars, 1675 May 5. About 1680, Rachel ROMBOUTS, a widow in their service, made attestation at this church; and in 1681, Apr 13, 'Le Sieur Mattieu CHITTY and Madle Catherine de MOUSON his wife', Madle Catherine de la FONTAINE, widow of the late M. Jean de la FONTAINE, Madle Marie de MOUSON, her daughter, and Rachel, her servant, brought further certificates from Amsterdam to the London Church.

In 1685, Matthew, as executor of his father Henry, was plaintiff in a Chancery action concerning trade accounts - arrears of an earlier action by Henry.

Matthew is said to have traded at Amsterdam in the name of 'CHITTY and ZOONAN'.

Did Matthew who died about 1716 use the arms first officially registered in 1759? Rietstap's 'Armorial Général' gives for 'CHISSY [sic] of Amsterdam': 'or, a chevron ermine, in chief three lion's(?) heads gules erased.' If these queried lions were in fact talbots, this is the CHITTY coat with tinctures reversed. It is not easy to guess how Rietstap could have read 'or' and 'gules' in reverse; but that Matthew used this variant seems unlikely when we find 'CHITTY of London' impaled in his married daughter's family, the ST QUINTINs, in Harpham Church. This last mentioned use at least implies, if it does not prove, that the arms were used by the common ancestor, Abraham I (1582-1665).

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Page created 29 Sept 2001 by Mike Chitty, based on the late Erik Chitty's 1975 text