Place Name
Thomas Withering (variously spelt Witheringe or Witherings) (died September 28, 1651), Postmaster General to Charles I, had lived in Nelmes Manor House, the grounds of the which contained a walled garden, lake, orchard and a number of fine trees as well as a moat. Withering is credited with suggesting the idea of a packet post in 1635 explaining it would improve intelligence of “anie fight at sea, anie distress of His Majestie’s ships (which God forbid), anie wrong offered by anie nation to anie of ye coastes of England or anie of His Majestie’s forts…the newes will come sooner than thought”. Soon after the state – more specifically the monarch – had a monopoly on the postage system, hence the creation of the Royal Mail. In 1646 he purchased the Nelmes estate at Hornchurch from the Naunton family who as Royalists were suffering financial difficulties. He died on his way to St Andrew’s Church, where an alabaster monument was erected in his memory. He left his estates at Nelmes to his nephew William Witherings.
