John Gidley is as well-known as his brother Bartholomew, partly because of the medals struck in their honour. John Gidley had two different medals struck to commemorate his 50th birthday in 1682, and these occasionally come up for sale in auction rooms. The Wellcome Library in London also has the medal commemorating his service as a surgeon.
John was born, according to his medal, on 21st May 1632, and christened in Winkleigh, Devon on 3rd June 1632. His parents were Bartholomew Gidley and Thomasine Richards, who were married in Exeter in 1609. They had a large and apparently healthy family of eleven children, of whom at least eight survived to adulthood. John was the youngest of four sons. His oldest brother Bartholomew was educated at Exeter College, Oxford, and I have seen a reference to John gaining an M.A. there in 1660. This seems likely for a future doctor; however John does not appear in the printed index to Oxford University Alumni. John must have shown an aptitude for a specialised education, as his other two older brothers, George and Samuel, became country gentlemen and moved away to Dunsford and Spreyton in Devon, respectively. Their offspring were passed over by Bartholomew Gidley when, childless himself, he sought an heir to his Winkleigh estates and to the right to bear the coat of arms granted to him in respect of his service in the Royalist Army.
Charles Worthy in his book on Devonshire Wills (London: Bemrose, 1896), has the following to say:
"... John Gidley had married Rebecca Dunning of Winkleigh, in which parish he had inherited an estate called Beuford ; he was a Court surgeon, and resided chiefly in London, but his will is dated at Winkleigh, 21st September, 1712. He left his eldest grandson the Beuford property, and his silver plate, hangings, and other furniture in his house in London to his second but eldest surviving son, John, and to his daughter, Rebecca, after their mother's death."
Beuford is presumably better known now as the hamlet of Beaford, near Winkleigh. By his will John's wife Rebecca inherited all the goods left at John's house in London, and he lists them: silver plate, tapestry and other hangings, bedding, beds and table "linnen", pewter, and brass. On her death these are to pass to his surviving son John Gidley and his daughter Rebecca Graham. His wife does not inherit goods kept elsewhere. These go to his grandson Bartholomew Gidley, together with the income from the Beuford estate, on condition that he pays one shilling on the first Sunday of every month to the poor of Winkleigh. Unfortunately this Bartholomew Gidley, a spendthrift, would not even maintain his grandmother Rebecca, and had to be ordered in 1717 to support her. There is an intriguing reference in John's will of 1712 that his daughter-in-law Elizabeth Gidley should deliver to the executors all the goods now in the Solomon Grandy, presumably a ship in which he had an interest.
John Gidley was buried in Winkleigh on 28th September, 1712.
