Always find it difficult to quote more than one source on this page as there is no way of saving a lengthy draft. So if the following is a bit low on sources it's not my fault. However, all the sources mentioned are either on the profiles or have been previously mentioned in this discussion.
I just thought it might be a good idea to clarify a few points that have been under discussion and then sum up. The first points are clear evidence for one of the wives of Simon de Constable being an Alice Fitton. There is clear contemporary evidence for this in the shape of Royal court records concerning respective claims for estates following the death of Simon de Constable.. The three claimants were his son, Robert, Katherine de Wyvlesby and Alice Fitton. It is of note, that the court ruled that Alice was his legitimate wife, not Katherine. The court also stated that Alice had been married to Simon for ten years at the time of his death. The source is currently on our geni profiles for Alice, wife of Simon. The second point is that there is not a jot of evidence for linking the Bollin Fittons of Cheshire to the Fitton family in Wiggenhall/Lynn. Thirdlly, some of the trees on other sites are an absolute disgrace and should only be examined out of curiosity and sympathy. I see profiles showing William Howards ancestors as being Dukes of Norfolk, etc, when there is little evidence to show that any of they actually existed and if they did they would have been little more than minor barons or burgers.
The next point is how did William Howard obtain his estates, etc. There is little doubt that he was a very clever guy and came to influence through his ability as a lawyer. In the process, he made money, and married well and was lucky. There is little doubt that the main landowners in the Wiggenhall/Lynn area in the mid 13th century were the Fittons. The family had grown rich and influential since Alan De Fitton was granted lands by the Bishop of Ely circa 1210. His family had drained marshland and are mentioned in a number of documents, which I have previously referred to. Unfortunately, by the end of the century, their male line dried up with only Edmund de Fitton's on son, John apparently surviving into the 14th century and him without male issue. Edmund would appear to have had two daughters, the first and co-heir, was Alice and the second, who married John Tilney.
It is generally acknowledged that William Howard came by his estates through his marriage to Alice de Fitton. The question arises as to when?
It would appear that William Howard became known as Lord of the manor of Lynn/Wiggenhall in 1285. Given this is the case I would suggest that he could only have become Lord of the Manor through a marriage to Alice around that time. It is also likely that he could not have become "Lord of the Manor"without the death of the previous incumbent Sir Edmund.
There is also no doubt that prior that date that William was well known to the Fittons. Both William and John de Fitton (Alice's brother) are shown as joint witnesses to deeds in 1278 and 1282.
I would also add that if anyone still thinks there are links to the Bollin Fittons of Cheshire, just think about the lands the Howards inherited. None of them are Bollin estates. They are all lands formerly held by the Wiggenhall/Lynn Fittons.
Which gets me round to the main argument. If you all recall, the debate was about who was the mother of William Howard's children. Geni currently shows the mother as being Alice Ufford, whilst most historians and sources say that it was Alice Fitton. The reason why there is doubt is because an Alice Fitton was married to Simon de Constable up to the time of his known death in York Castle in 1294. (Please note, there are numerous contemporary records to prove this date - see Simon de Constable's profile on geni) As such, the argument goes that the Alice married to Simon could not then have married William Howard before that date.
However, as mentioned, William Howard was Lord of Wiggenhall and Lynn by 1285. These were Fitton estates and he could not have become Lord without marriage to Alice De Fitton. Ergo, he must have married her before that date. There can be no doubt about this.
The conclusion that must be drawn is that there were at least two Alice Fittons. The one who married William (dau of Edmund Fitton) and the other Fitton, who we have yet to determine, who married Simon de Constable.
There were certainly at least two other Alice Fittons, who were part of this family. There was an Alice married to Robert de Fitton, who may have been Edmund's brother. There was also a slightly younger Alice who had property with Maud early in the next century.
My contention is that there is clear evidence that William had possession of the Fitton estates by 1285. This could only have come about through his marriage to Alice. Ergo, there is now no reason to suggest that Alice de Fitton should not be restored to her rightful place as mother of the two/three Howard children. It also explains the origins of a substantial part of the Howard estates as marshland originally granted to the de Fittons by the Bishop of Ely, circa 1210.
