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Biography of George Wheler 1651-1724

On 20th January 1651 George Wheler was born to Charles Wheeler of Charing.

On 31st January 1667 George Wheler (age 16) matriculated Lincoln College, Oxford University.

In 1677 George Wheler (age 25) was elected Fellow of the Royal Society. He was subsequently expelled in 1685.

On 1st September 1682 George Wheler (age 31) was knighted.

John Evelyn's Diary. 26th December 1683. I dined at Lord Clarendon's, where I was to meet that ingenious and learned gent Sr Geo. Wheeler (age 32), who has published the excellent description of Africa and Greece, and who being a Knight of a very fair estate and young, had now newly entred into holy orders.

Frost Fair

John Evelyn's Diary. 9th January 1684. I went crosse the Thames on the ice, now become so thick as to beare not onely streetes of boothes, in which they roasted meate, and had divers shops of wares, quite acrosse as in a towne, but coaches, carts, and horses, passed over. So I went from Westminster Stayres to Lambeth [Map], and din'd with the Archbishop (age 66): where I met my Lord Bruce, Sir Geo. Wheeler (age 32), Coll. Cooke, and severall divines. After dinner and discourse with his Grace till evening prayers, Sir Geo. Wheeler and I walked over the ice from Lambeth Stayres to the horse ferry.

In 1685 George Wheler (age 33) was appointed Vicar of Basingstoke, Hampshire.

John Evelyn's Diary. 24th October 1686. Dr. Warren preached before the Princess [NOTE. Not clear which Princess this is]; possibly at Whitehall, on 5th Matthew, of the blessedness of the pure in heart, most elegantly describing the bliss of the beatifical vision. In the afternoon, Sir George Wheeler (age 35), knight and baronet, preached on the 4th Matt. upon the necessity of repentance, at St. Margaret's [Map], an honest and devout discourse, and pretty tolerably performed. This gentleman coming from his travels out of Greece, fell in love with the [his future wife] daughter of Sir Thomas Higgins (age 62), his Majesty's resident at Venice, niece to the Earl of Bath, and married her. When they returned into England, being honored with knighthood, he would needs turn preacher, and took orders. He published a learned and ingenious book of his travels, and is a very worthy person, a little formal and particular, but exceedingly devout.

Before 1700 George Wheler (age 48) and Grace Higgons were married. They had eighteen children.

In 1700 [his daughter] Judith Wheler was born to George Wheler (age 48) and [his wife] Grace Higgons.

All About History Books

The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

On 19th June 1722 [his son-in-law] Archdeacon Thomas Sharp (age 28) and [his daughter] Judith Wheler (age 22) were married. They had fourteen children. He the son of Archbishop John Sharp.

After 1724. Durham Cathedral [Map]. Memorial to George Wheler (age 72)

On 18th February 1724 George Wheler (age 73) died. He was buried in the Galilee of the Durham Cathedral [Map].