Richard Bangs

     Richard was born circa 1522 in Smallburgh, County Norfolk, England.¹ In 1543, he was taxed in Smallburgh for 3 shillings 4 pence, a substantial tax for the day. This tax indicates he was a landholder and at least 21 years of age. On this tax roll he was three lines down from his father, William. He removed to Norwich and enrolled as a member of the Gild of St. George in 1544. He was a freeman of Norwich in 1547, constable in 1549 and later became a sheriff and a land holder of multiple properties.² Richard married Margaret Hicks in 1560 in Norwich, County Norfolk, England.³ In 1570, there was a great flood in Norwich which did great damage to properties, completely destroying some buildings. Since Richard had several properties and his home near the bank of the river, he lost a great deal of his wealth due to this tragic event. In 1578, Queen Elizabeth honored the second largest cithy of her empire, Norwich, with a visit. Unfortunately, her trains brought the black plague with them to the city. In the next year and three quarters, over 4,750 people living in the city died. Richard was sheriff of the city at the time of the Queen's visit and incurred substantial expenses for which he was not reimbursed. All of this is thought to have let to the downfall of Richard and the loss of his wealth. Sometime in 1549, before the writing of his father's will, Richard, being in financial need, found it necessary to take his father to court. The court rendered that Richard was to receive recompense in the form of goods and chattels, "thereby sufficiently advanced by the said William his father."⁴ Richard departed this life on Friday, 16 May 1586 in Norwich. He drowned iin the river by suicide. This may not be so because there were notable men of the city who had been conspiring to fraudulentyly destroy him financially which the court was questioning, there are no records of a resolution.⁵