Biography of Elizabeth Barkham Lady Garrard 1593-1632

On 15th January 1634 [her father] Edward Barkham (age 64) died. His eldest son [her brother] Edward Barkham 1st Baronet (age 42) inherited all his estates except Waynflete which were inherited by his younger son [her brother] Robert Barkham (age 35). In 1652 [her mother] Jane Crouch (age 61) died.

Church of St George, South Acre [Map].

A very rich and stately altar monument, of marble and alabaster, ornamented with several deaths heads, bones, &c. in basso-relievo, on this rests a large black marble slab, supported at each corner by a column of black marble of the Dorick order; on this slab lies a mat or bass of alabaster, curiously carved; and on that lie the statues of Sir Edward Barkham and his lady, on their backs, in their full length and proportions in alabaster, Sir Edward in armour, and (what is somewhat incompatible) with his scarlet gown and golden chain about his neck, as Lord Mayor of London, over his armour; so that the statuary was of the same opinion with the Roman orator, Cedant arma togœ (Let the arms yield to the toga or Let the sword yield to the toga); he has also a book in his right hand, and rests his head on a cushion: his lady is in a dress agreeable to the age she lived in, her hands across, and rests her head on a cushion; at the head and foot of this monument are the effigies of two sons (Edward Barkham 1st Baronet and Robert Barkham) and three daughters (Elizabeth Barkham Lady Garrard, [her sister] Margaret Barkham (age 29) and [her sister] Jane Barkham (age 38) Note. one daughter [her sister] Susan Barkham had predeceased her father) all kneeling on cushions. To this monument is a wall-piece of the same materials, on the summit of which is this shield, argent, three pallets gules over all a chevron or, Barkham; and under it this motto, diligentia, fortunæmater (fortune, prosper through diligence, care, economy); on each side of this, is a figure; that on the right hand representing Victory, with a laurel crown in her right hand, and on the pedestal that supports her, Barkham impaling quarterly 1&4, arg. on a pale sable three crosses pattee, or, in a bordure engrailed of the 2d, Crouch; in the 2&3 arg. on a chevron sable three helmets closed, or, Scot: the figure on the left hand is, a skeleton representing death, and on the pedestal the arms of Crouch and Scott quarterly, and by these figures are two hour-glasses with wings.