Abraham CHITTY II (1619-84/5), son of Abraham I, clothier, and brother of Henry, vintner, was baptised at Odiham 1619 Nov 17, and (according to CC) was apprenticed, 1637 Jul 20, to a cooper named William LAWTON.

In 1645 he was made free of the Coopers' Company on Aug 7, and on Sep 18, at All Hallows, Barking, he married Joan LAWTON, probably his former master's daughter. This practice, well-known from the legend of Dick Whittington, was by no means uncommon, especially where the master had no son to carry on his business.

His Will, dated 1684 Oct 7 with a codicil of Dec 2 following, and proved 1685 May 13, speaks of his brewhouse and dwelling-house in Thames Street, occupied partly by himself and partly by his son Abraham, and of his messuage in the Manor of Crondall, Hants. (Stow in his 'Survey of London' 1609 noted a great brewhouse in Thames Street.) He names his wife, his sons Abraham and Josiah and the latter's wife Sarah, his son-in-law and grandson both named Richard RICHBELL, and his sister Elizabeth BILLINGHURST - who had also been remembered by her brother Henry a few years earlier.

Abraham also names two other 'sisters', Dorothy DEANE and Ursula RICHARDS. Although an Ursula 'CHETER' who married a John WELLS at St James Garlickhithe in 1652 could possibly be a twice-married sister of Abraham, these two ladies were more probably his wife's sisters. Unidentified cousins mentioned in the Will are named TICKNOLL, RICHARDS, REAMES and - the most interesting, as his father had witnessed a BARNHAM Will - Johanna BARNHAM, widow, and her sons including Benedict.

Abraham also left legacies to the poor of Odiham (his birthplace), Crondall (where he had a messuage), All Hallows Barking (his wife's and his own one-time home), St Benet Paul's Wharf (which probably included his final Thames Street home) and St Mary Whitechapel.

His widow Joan survived him but was dead by 1688.

Five children were baptised at All Hallows, Barking:

1. Abraham III, born/baptised 1648 Jul 30/Aug 30 - see later.
2. Mary baptised 1651 Jan 17, probably died before her father having married Richard RICHBELL and had a son Richard who, on coming of age, was to receive the Crondall messuage. Two RICHBELLs buried in Westminster Abbey were other children of Mary:- John, 1714 Apr 2, and Mary, 1721 Nov 21(CC).
3. Sarah baptised 1653 Feb 4.
4. Hannah baptised 1655 Jul 27.
(Of these two, Sarah and Hannah, nothing more is known).
5. Josiah baptised 1658 Apr 15 - ancestor of the present CHITTYs 'of London' - of whom much more later.