Robert Jenner (c.1584 – 7 December 1651) was an English merchant in the City of London, who acquired land in north Wiltshire and sat in the House of Commons variously between 1628 and 1648.
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Life
Robert Jenner was born around 1584; his birthplace is unknown, although he had connections in north Wiltshire and south Gloucestershire, including John Jenner, yeoman of Crudwell, who was probably his brother. By 1617 he had married Elizabeth Longston, daughter of Thomas Longston, citizen and grocer of London.
Jenner completed an apprenticeship under the Goldsmiths' Company, London, in 1613 and by 1615 was employing apprentices of his own. His business specialised in refining silver bullion – either imported or bought from mines in Cumbria – for use in the wire-drawing trade. He prospered and was able to pay £1,400 for a house at Foster Lane in the City of London.
In 1624 he bought the Wiltshire manor of Widhill, near Cricklade (later in Blunsdon parish), together with the nearby manor of Eysey, at that time in Gloucestershire. Eysey was sold in 1630. In 1648 he bought the manor of Marston Meysey, also at that time in Gloucestershire. In the same year he paid for the rebuilding of the derelict chapel at Marston, which was raised in status to a parish church.
With Elizabeth he had a daughter, Anne, who in 1632 (aged 15) was married to Thomas Trevor, later Sir Thomas, the only son of Sir Thomas Trevor of Trevalyn Denbighs, Lord Baron of the Exchequer. It is presumed that Anne died childless before her father as she is not mentioned in his will.