too valuable for his own good - Kings Lynn Norfolk
"Near this place are deposited the remains of Sir Benjamin Keene, son of Charles Keene, esquire, formerly mayor of this corporation. He died at Madrid on the 15th day of December 1757 aged 61 years"
Sir Benjamin was the eldest son of Lynn merchant Charles Keene, mayor in 1714 by Susan Rolfe of Heacham.
He was the nephew of Mary Rolfe wife of Rev Thomas Pyle of Lynn and mother of Joyce Pyle, who stood as one of the sponsors at Admiral Lord Nelson's private baptism.
He was named after his uncle Benjamin Keene, mayor in 1683 www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/F3AU9t
He was educated at the Free Grammar School in the town, and at Cambridge and Leyden in Holland, he was MP for Lynn from 1702 to 1742. He was British Consul at Madrid and Minister at the Spanish Court, followed by British ambassador in Lisbon (1746-50) where he died in 1757 shortly after being relieved of his position due to ill health. He had requested his recall to London on several occasions, but he was considered too valuable to British interests for his withdrawal to be considered. Robert Walpole described him as “one of the best kind of agreeable men, quite fat and easy, and of universal knowledge.”
Benjamin died unmarried and left his estate to his brother Edmund;
His marble urn on a square pedestal was designed by Robert Adam, it was paid for by public subscription in 1762. It shows a portrait of Sir Benjamin Keene with a female figure pointing to ships in a harbour scene
Brought back here to be buried, his grave is in the vestry which is not open to the public en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Keene
- Chapel of St Nicholas' , Kings Lynn, Norfolk
HIS WILL: ibequeath.wordpress.com/2021/05/05/benjamin-keen-1710-of-... Provides for his family apart from his son Henry who is left just twelve pence, but there is no explanation. T
Pictures with thanks - © Copyright J.Hannan-Briggs CCL www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5291343 Evelyn Simak CCL www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1948046
too valuable for his own good - Kings Lynn Norfolk
"Near this place are deposited the remains of Sir Benjamin Keene, son of Charles Keene, esquire, formerly mayor of this corporation. He died at Madrid on the 15th day of December 1757 aged 61 years"
Sir Benjamin was the eldest son of Lynn merchant Charles Keene, mayor in 1714 by Susan Rolfe of Heacham.
He was the nephew of Mary Rolfe wife of Rev Thomas Pyle of Lynn and mother of Joyce Pyle, who stood as one of the sponsors at Admiral Lord Nelson's private baptism.
He was named after his uncle Benjamin Keene, mayor in 1683 www.flickr.com/gp/52219527@N00/F3AU9t
He was educated at the Free Grammar School in the town, and at Cambridge and Leyden in Holland, he was MP for Lynn from 1702 to 1742. He was British Consul at Madrid and Minister at the Spanish Court, followed by British ambassador in Lisbon (1746-50) where he died in 1757 shortly after being relieved of his position due to ill health. He had requested his recall to London on several occasions, but he was considered too valuable to British interests for his withdrawal to be considered. Robert Walpole described him as “one of the best kind of agreeable men, quite fat and easy, and of universal knowledge.”
Benjamin died unmarried and left his estate to his brother Edmund;
His marble urn on a square pedestal was designed by Robert Adam, it was paid for by public subscription in 1762. It shows a portrait of Sir Benjamin Keene with a female figure pointing to ships in a harbour scene
Brought back here to be buried, his grave is in the vestry which is not open to the public en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Keene
- Chapel of St Nicholas' , Kings Lynn, Norfolk
HIS WILL: ibequeath.wordpress.com/2021/05/05/benjamin-keen-1710-of-... Provides for his family apart from his son Henry who is left just twelve pence, but there is no explanation. T
Pictures with thanks - © Copyright J.Hannan-Briggs CCL www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5291343 Evelyn Simak CCL www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1948046