Sir Thomas Parr
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Parr was an English
knight
, courtier and Lord of the Manor of Kendal
in Westmorland
(now Cumbria
) during the Tudor period
. He is best known as the father of Catherine Parr
, queen consort of England and the sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII
.
through his mother, Lady Elizabeth.
Thomas' forebears were members of a rough-and-ready northern landed gentry
clan, the Parrs of Kendal. They had been, after the crown, the most influential presence in southern Westmoreland since 1381. His mother and grandmother before him were royal ladies-in-waiting, and this enabled Thomas to acquire a polished upbringing at the English court.
According to biographer Susan James, the young Thomas most likely studied under Maurice Westbury of Oxford, learning (among other things) classical Greek and Latin as well as modern languages. Westbury had been installed as a teacher by Lady Margaret Beaufort at her estate of Colyweston. It was at Colyweston that certain gentlemen, including the son of the Earl of Westmoreland, not only received an education but also gained political connections that would prove useful in their future careers. Thomas' father, the first Baron Parr of Kendal, had once been Lady Margaret Beaufort's revisionary heir to her substantial lands in Westmoreland, known as the Richmond fee. Thomas' grandmother's family, the Vauxs, were also close to Margaret, enjoying a long-term relationship with her.
In adulthood, Thomas found the educative tools that he had acquired as a young man to be of considerable practical use, and he would emphasise this aspect of household management when the time came to educate his own children.
Sir Thomas More
's first wife, Jane, was a niece of Parr, thereby making More an in-law of his. Parr was fond of More — the future but ill-fated Lord Chancellor
of the kingdom — and respected his intellect. He was also an advocate of the teachings of his erudite cousin, Sir Cuthbert Tunstall
. These teachings embraced the discipline of mathematics, which Thomas' daughter Catherine
would put to good use in her later capacity as the lady of a succession of important households.
Under the rule of King Henry VIII
, the Parr family flourished. Their influence, income, and titles increased as Thomas' career advanced. He became a Master of the Wards and was appointed Master of the Guards and Comptroller to the King. He was knighted and made High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
in 1509, and of Lincolnshire
in 1510. His wife, Maud, became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon
. Shortly before the birth of their first surviving child, Catherine
, the couple had bought a house in Blackfriars
, London
. Sir Thomas was popular with Henry and, as we have seen, served at court with Sir Thomas More. Although he was rich in land and money, Sir Thomas never attained the aristocratic title of baron. He did, however, hold messuages, lands, woods, and rents in Parr, Wigan, and Sutton, as well as the manor of Thurnham
.
and Joan Fogge in 1508. Before the birth of their most famous offspring, Catherine
(also spelled Katherine), Maud gave birth to a son. This occurred not long after Maud and Thomas' marriage. Their happiness at the birth proved short lived as the baby soon died and his name remains unknown. After the birth of their third child, Anne
, Maud fell pregnant again — in circa 1517, the year of her husband's death. The child, however, either miscarried or was stillborn, or succumbed in very early infancy to an illness. Whatever the cause of the tragic loss, it may have been somewhat of a relief on a practical level as the baby had arrived at a difficult juncture in Maud's life, with her husband dying and she being appointed executrix of his estate.
The surviving children of Sir Thomas and Maud were:
. Because Sir Thomas died before any of his children were of age, Maud — together with Sir Cuthbert Tunstall
, the children's uncle Sir William Parr, and a Dr. Melton — were made executors.
Sir Thomas died in his home at Blackfriars
, London, on 11 November 1517. He was interred in St. Anne's Church, Blackfriars, within an elaborate tomb. His widow would be buried beside him in due course.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, courtier and Lord of the Manor of Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
in Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
(now Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
) during the Tudor period
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
. He is best known as the father of Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
, queen consort of England and the sixth and final wife of King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
.
Life
Thomas was the son of Sir William Parr of Kendal and the Lady Elizabeth FitzHugh. He descended from King Edward III of EnglandEdward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
through his mother, Lady Elizabeth.
Thomas' forebears were members of a rough-and-ready northern landed gentry
Landed gentry
Landed gentry is a traditional British social class, consisting of land owners who could live entirely off rental income. Often they worked only in an administrative capacity looking after the management of their own lands....
clan, the Parrs of Kendal. They had been, after the crown, the most influential presence in southern Westmoreland since 1381. His mother and grandmother before him were royal ladies-in-waiting, and this enabled Thomas to acquire a polished upbringing at the English court.
According to biographer Susan James, the young Thomas most likely studied under Maurice Westbury of Oxford, learning (among other things) classical Greek and Latin as well as modern languages. Westbury had been installed as a teacher by Lady Margaret Beaufort at her estate of Colyweston. It was at Colyweston that certain gentlemen, including the son of the Earl of Westmoreland, not only received an education but also gained political connections that would prove useful in their future careers. Thomas' father, the first Baron Parr of Kendal, had once been Lady Margaret Beaufort's revisionary heir to her substantial lands in Westmoreland, known as the Richmond fee. Thomas' grandmother's family, the Vauxs, were also close to Margaret, enjoying a long-term relationship with her.
In adulthood, Thomas found the educative tools that he had acquired as a young man to be of considerable practical use, and he would emphasise this aspect of household management when the time came to educate his own children.
Sir Thomas More
Thomas More
Sir Thomas More , also known by Catholics as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman and noted Renaissance humanist. He was an important councillor to Henry VIII of England and, for three years toward the end of his life, Lord Chancellor...
's first wife, Jane, was a niece of Parr, thereby making More an in-law of his. Parr was fond of More — the future but ill-fated Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
of the kingdom — and respected his intellect. He was also an advocate of the teachings of his erudite cousin, Sir Cuthbert Tunstall
Cuthbert Tunstall
Cuthbert Tunstall was an English Scholastic, church leader, diplomat, administrator and royal adviser...
. These teachings embraced the discipline of mathematics, which Thomas' daughter Catherine
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
would put to good use in her later capacity as the lady of a succession of important households.
Under the rule of King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, the Parr family flourished. Their influence, income, and titles increased as Thomas' career advanced. He became a Master of the Wards and was appointed Master of the Guards and Comptroller to the King. He was knighted and made High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of Northamptonshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
in 1509, and of Lincolnshire
High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Lincolnshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred...
in 1510. His wife, Maud, became a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
. Shortly before the birth of their first surviving child, Catherine
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
, the couple had bought a house in Blackfriars
Blackfriars
Blackfriars is an area of central London, which lies in the south-west corner of the City of London.The name Blackfriars was first used in 1317 and derives from the black cappa worn by the Dominican Friars who moved their priory from Holborn to the area between the River Thames and Ludgate Hill in...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Sir Thomas was popular with Henry and, as we have seen, served at court with Sir Thomas More. Although he was rich in land and money, Sir Thomas never attained the aristocratic title of baron. He did, however, hold messuages, lands, woods, and rents in Parr, Wigan, and Sutton, as well as the manor of Thurnham
Thurnham Castle
Thurnham Castle or Godard's Castle is situated to the north of the village of Thurnham which is 3 miles north-east of Maidstone, Kent .It is a 12th century flint-built castle constructed by Robert de Thurnham in the reign of Henry II on a hill on the edge of the North Downs...
.
Marriage
Thomas Parr married Maud Green (6 April 1495 – 20 August 1529), daughter of Sir Thomas GreenSir Thomas Green
Sir Thomas Green was Lord of Greens Norton, Northamptonshire, England. He was the son of Sir Thomas Greene , Lord of Greens Norton, and Matilda Throckmorton. He is best known for being the father of Maud Green and grandfather to queen consort Katherine Parr and the last male heir to the Lordship...
and Joan Fogge in 1508. Before the birth of their most famous offspring, Catherine
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
(also spelled Katherine), Maud gave birth to a son. This occurred not long after Maud and Thomas' marriage. Their happiness at the birth proved short lived as the baby soon died and his name remains unknown. After the birth of their third child, Anne
Anne Herbert, Countess of Pembroke
Anne Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, Baroness Herbert of Cardiff was lady-in-waiting to each of Henry VIII of England's six wives. She was the younger sister of his sixth wife, Catherine Parr.-Early years:...
, Maud fell pregnant again — in circa 1517, the year of her husband's death. The child, however, either miscarried or was stillborn, or succumbed in very early infancy to an illness. Whatever the cause of the tragic loss, it may have been somewhat of a relief on a practical level as the baby had arrived at a difficult juncture in Maud's life, with her husband dying and she being appointed executrix of his estate.
The surviving children of Sir Thomas and Maud were:
- Catherine ParrCatherine ParrCatherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
(c. 1512–5 September 1548); Queen Consort of England and Ireland, who wed:- Sir Edward BurghSir Edward BurghSir Edward Burgh was the eldest son and heir to Sir Thomas Burgh, 1st Baron Burgh and his wife Agnes Tyrwhit. He is known for being the first husband of Catherine Parr, later Queen consort to King Henry VIII...
, 1529 at GainsboroughGainsborough, LincolnshireGainsborough is a town 15 miles north-west of Lincoln on the River Trent within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. At one time it served as an important port with trade downstream to Hull, and was the most inland in England, being more than 55 miles from the North...
, LincolnshireLincolnshireLincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England. - John Nevill, 3rd Baron Latimer, 1534 in London, Middlesex, England.
- King Henry VIIIHenry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, 12 July 1543 at Hampton Court PalaceHampton Court PalaceHampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central London on the River Thames...
in the private oratory of the Queen's Closet. - Sir Thomas SeymourThomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of SudeleyThomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, KG was an English politician.Thomas spent his childhood in Wulfhall, outside Savernake Forest, in Wiltshire. Historian David Starkey describes Thomas thus: 'tall, well-built and with a dashing beard and auburn hair, he was irresistible to women'...
on 4 Apr 1547. Had issue: Lady Mary.
- Sir Edward Burgh
- William Parr, 1st Marquess of NorthamptonWilliam Parr, 1st Marquess of NorthamptonWilliam Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton, 1st Earl of Essex and 1st Baron Parr, KG was the son of Sir Thomas Parr and his wife, Maud Green, daughter of Sir Thomas Green, of Broughton and Greens Norton...
, 1st Marquess of Northampton (c. 1513–28 October 1571) He married three times, all without issue:- Anne Bourchier, 7th Baroness BourchierAnne Bourchier, 7th Baroness BourchierAnne Bourchier was the suo jure 7th Baroness Bourchier, suo jure Lady Lovayne, and Baroness Parr of Kendal. She was the first wife of William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton, Earl of Essex, and the sister-in-law of Catherine Parr, the sixth wife of Henry VIII of England.She created a scandal in...
- Elisabeth Brooke
- Helena Snakenborg.
- Anne Bourchier, 7th Baroness Bourchier
- Anne Parr, Countess of Pembroke (c. 1515-20 February 1552), married in 1538, William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke, by whom she had two sons and a daughter.
Death
Sir Thomas fell seriously ill in November of 1517. He had compiled a will which made provision for his wife and children. The two female children were to receive dowries while the bulk of the estate was to be inherited by his only male child, WilliamWilliam Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton
William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton, 1st Earl of Essex and 1st Baron Parr, KG was the son of Sir Thomas Parr and his wife, Maud Green, daughter of Sir Thomas Green, of Broughton and Greens Norton...
. Because Sir Thomas died before any of his children were of age, Maud — together with Sir Cuthbert Tunstall
Cuthbert Tunstall
Cuthbert Tunstall was an English Scholastic, church leader, diplomat, administrator and royal adviser...
, the children's uncle Sir William Parr, and a Dr. Melton — were made executors.
Sir Thomas died in his home at Blackfriars
Blackfriars
Blackfriars is an area of central London, which lies in the south-west corner of the City of London.The name Blackfriars was first used in 1317 and derives from the black cappa worn by the Dominican Friars who moved their priory from Holborn to the area between the River Thames and Ludgate Hill in...
, London, on 11 November 1517. He was interred in St. Anne's Church, Blackfriars, within an elaborate tomb. His widow would be buried beside him in due course.