James Hume (1708–1766)
James Hume was baptised at Milton Abbot, Devon on 11 November 1708, the son of the Revd William Hume and his wife Jane Robertson. His older brother was the Right Revd John Hume, D.D., who was Bishop of Oxford from 1758 to 1766 and later Bishop of Salisbury.
In 1714 when James was six years old his father died.
On 4 February 1731 at St Benet's Church, Paul's Wharf, London, James Hume married Elizabeth Rokeby: they were both described as being of the Parish of St Andrew in Holborn, but they moved to Oxford soon after the wedding, and had the following eight children there:
- Nathaniel (or Nathanael) Hume (baptised at St Aldate's Church on 31 January 1732)
- William Hume (baptised at St Aldate's Church on 16 February 1733/4)
- James Rokeby Hume (baptised at St Aldate's Church on 13 August 1735 and buried there on 9 March 1735/6)
- Elizabeth Hume I (baptised at St Aldate's Church on 31 January 1738/9 and buried there on 14 May 1740
- Elizabeth Hume II (buried at St Mary the Virgin Church on 9 December 1745)
- John Hume (baptised at St Mary the Virgin Church on 20 January 1743/4)
- James Hume (baptised at St Mary the Virgin Church on 16 May 1744)
- Elizabeth Hume III (baptised at at St Mary the Virgin Church on 3 January 1753)
In order to be allowed to trade in the City of Oxford, the University had to matriculate James Hume as a privileged tradesman, and his matriculation as a “Pharmacopola” duly took place on 1 March 1734/5. He started off in St Aldate's parish, but moved to the middle of Oxford's High Street in c.1740.
Three of his sons were matriculated at the University of Oxford, and in each case James Hume was described as a gentleman:
- 1752: His eldest son Nathaniel Hume was matriculated by Christ Church on 4 June aged 19. He had attended Westminster School since at the age of ten in March 1742/3. He leased Blackhall Farm in 1756, and was ordained priest in 1760.
- 1760: His fifth son James was matriculated by Hertford College on 13 February at the age of 15
- 1761: His fourth son John was matriculated by Christ Church at the age of 18 on 21 March, and was ordained
James Hume retired to Headington, and on 9 August 1766 “a good house, situated in the High-Street, Oxford, now in the Occupation of Mr. James Hume” was advertised to let, described as adjoining the late Mr Fletcher's shop.
He died in Headington at the age of 63 on 2 December 1766 (according to the newspaper) or at the age of 56 on 3 December 1766 (according to the parish register): in fact he was about 58.
His death was announced thus in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 6 December:
On Wednesday last died, after a lingering Decay, aged Sixty-three, at his House at Headington near this City, whither he had for some Time retired for the Benefit of the Air, Mr. James Hume, an eminent Apothecary of this Place, in Partnership with Mr. Stevens.—He was an affectionate Husband, a tender Parent, and most sincere Friend.
He was buried inside the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford on 7 December 1766 and is commemorated there by two diamond tiles. The one on the wall (below left) reads: “Near this Place lie the Remains of JAMES HUME, Apothecary who died Dec: 3: 1766. Aged 56 Years”, and the one on the floor (below right) reads “JAMES HUME Apothecary was here buried Dec 7 1766”.
An advertisement placed in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 4 April 1767 announced that Mr Fletcher, the bookseller in the Turl, would deal with any demands or debts. His Will dated 6 February 1762 with a Codicil dated 20 January 1765 was proved in Chancellor’s Court of the University and at the Prerogative Court at Canterbury on 22 April 1767 (PCC Will PROB 11/927/346). He left his two copyhold estates in Headington to his wife, and meadow ground in Botley Mead to his son Nathaniel. He ordered that his executors (Dr Edward Bentham, his son Nathaniel, and the bookseller James Fletcher) should sell the impropriate rectories of Elberton and Almonsbury and an estate at Langford, Devon that he leased from Corpus Christi College.