Abraham CHITTY (1683-1759), listed with his parents in St Andrew Undershaft in 1695, was Citizen and Cooper by 1714 when he took an apprentice from 'Oakingham, Berks' - presumably Wokingham, He was Upper Warden of the Coopers' Company in 1748. Wine cooper in Lemon Street, Goodmans Fields, St Mary Whitechapel, 1725.

He had freehold property at Southwark and a leasehold near Westminster in 1741, property at 'Ockingham' (Wokingham?) in 1744 - possibly derived from the HUSE family - as well as four houses at Plaistow (Sussex, according to M-C; probably Essex rather than near Bromley, Kent).

He was at 'Plastow' in 1742; in 1747 was going to Chobham 'to Stop up some lites of three houses --- when there'. This must refer to the Window Tax, introduced in 1697 and increased in 1747 (as well as in other years). This was an assessed tax on the rental value of any house having more than six windows and worth more than £5 per annum. In 1748, Abraham speaks of his late father-in-law PHILLIPS, and, writing from 'Randall's', talks of building a stable at his London house.

M-C refers to Abraham as having had £1000 security from his brother Josiah, 1747 Jun 2, cancelled Jul 21. In 1749 he refers to 'the wine which Mrs CHITTY likes' and to 'my chaize in your stable' - probably brother Josiah's. Letters from Chobham in 1749 speak of Josiah's new home - that on Lemon Street, St Mary's Hill? - of dining with the Coopers' Company Court at Egham, and of meeting brothers Josiah and Thomas at Chertsey.

Abraham married (1st) 1715 Apr 28 (where?) Anne, daughter of the Rev Peregrine PHILLIPS. She was born in 1687 but the date of her death or burial has not been traced.

He married (2nd) 1738 Jun 15 at St John at Hackney Elizabeth PRIEST or PREISTDIGE of Chobham, a widow. (CC felt that, as the bridegroom was not described as a widower and it is not proved that Anne was dead, this might have been a first marriage of Abraham the vintner, son of Isaac; but Abraham the cooper's references to Chobham fit with his re-marrying a widow who perhaps brought him property there).

Abraham's death, 1759 Apr 9, was noted in the London Magazine - 'brother of the Alderman'.

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