occupation

Stock farmer

dates

Born: 1749, Cottisford, Oxon

Married: Mary HEDGES

Died: 1883

residence

Creslow, Bucks

submitted by

Keith WESTCAR

Background information

John WESTCAR was born in Cottisford, the son of John WESTCAR Senior (1721 - 1784) & Joanne née WATTS, married at Towcester 1780.

His mother Joanne was from a prominent Northamptonshire family and was Great-Aunt to Lord Sidmouth.

John WESTCAR of Cottisford married Mary HEDGES, who died soon after their marriage. John never remarried.

John was a very successful stock farmer at Creslow (Buckinghamshire).  He supplied much prize beef to the London markets. The method of transport was via the new canal from Aylesbury to London.  He was also a founder member of the Smithfield meat market in 1799.  He died age 83 after falling from his horse.

John left most of his estate to his grandson, Henry Emerson WESTCAR who built a mansion in Herne Village, now known as Strode Park in East Kent. Henry was a lieutenant in the Royal Horse Guards.

He died aged 29 leaving his estates to a Lady PRESCOTT.  Lady PRESCOTT and her family adopted the name WESTCAR by royal decree and became PRESCOTT-WESTCAR. 

The PRESCOTT-WESTCAR family later went on to build motor cars at Strode Park in the early 1920s.  One of the models build was known as the Westcar.  It would appear there is one surviving vehicle in the Westcar range which is owned by a collector living in Blackpool who is by profession a Punch and Judy entertainer.