Family and Education

b. c.1642, s. of John Pollen or Paulyn, merchant, of London by Anne, da. of William Bernard of Bristol, Glos., wid. of Nicholas Venables of Andover.  educ. King’s, Camb. 1657; G. Inn 1658.  m. (1) lic. 23 May 1667, aged about 25, Frances (d. 1673), da. and h. of Edward Exton†, merchant, of Southampton, Hants, 1s. 1da. (d.v.p.); (2) 30 Dec. 1675, Elizabeth (d. 1681), da. of Philip Jackson, merchant, of London, 2s. (d.v.p.) 1da. (d.v.p.); (3) lic. 22 May 1696, Mary, da. of Edward Sherwood of East Hundred, Berks., 2s. (1 d.v.p.) 3da. (2 d.v.p.).1

Offices Held

Sheriff, Hants 1669–70.

Biography

Little is known of Pollen’s background beyond that his father was a London merchant. The previous identification of his father as the merchant of that name who wrote his will in 1648 while in Java is almost certainly incorrect. John Pollen was living in Andover by the time of his first marriage and bought real estate in Andover itself and the surrounding area. In 1686 he founded an almshouse in Andover, and, returned as a Tory for the borough in the 1689 Convention, he retained his seat in 1690 when he was classed as a Tory in Lord Carmarthen’s (Sir Thomas Osborne†) list of the new Parliament. The next year, in April 1691, he was classed by Robert Harley* as a Court supporter. He was granted periods of absence in January 1692, February 1693, February 1694 and March 1695. At least two of these occasions were for the recovery of his health.2

Pollen continued to reside in Andover and voted in the 1710 and 1713 county elections for the Tory candidates, but did not himself stand again. His will, proved on 27 Nov. 1719, listed several estates in Hampshire together with Bank of England stock worth £2,000, the latter having been acquired by 1710. To Andover, Pollen bequeathed land to pay for a charity school for 20 poor children of the parish and an annuity of £10 for a schoolteacher. His younger son, John, represented the borough from 1734 to 1754.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Authors: Paula Watson / Sonya Wynne

Notes

• 1. Berry, Hants Gens. 66; London Mar. Lic. ed. Foster, 1071; St. Dionys Backchurch (Harl Soc. Reg. iii), 38; Vis. Hants (Harl. Soc. n.s. x), 211.
• 2. The Commons, 1660–89, iii, 259; Foster, 1071; VCH Hants, iv. 354, 357, 383.
• 3. Hants Poll 1710 (IHR), 11; 1713, p. 3; PCC 217 Browning; Egerton 3359 (unfol.).