Sir Thomas Grey, Knight of Horton

• BIRTH 10 Aug 1510 Horton, Northumberland, England
• DEATH 7 Aug 1590 (aged 79) Bethnal Green, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Greater London, England
• BURIAL August 10, 1590. St Botolph without Aldgate Churchyard, Aldgate, City of London, Greater London
• MEMORIAL ID 177683206

Biography

Thomas Grey’s father had been knighted at Flodden, and he himself was to combine the roles of squire and soldier in typical border fashion. His early career is difficult to distinguish from those of his namesakes.4

The first certain reference found to him is his appointment in 1536 as deputy to his maternal uncle Thomas Lord Darcy, keeper of Bamburgh castle, which lies within ten miles of Horton. After Darcy’s execution in the following year Grey petitioned Cromwell for the keepership: he was passed over, but one of the lists recording the new appointment bears a note ‘to remember Thomas Gray’, and in the same year he was appointed one of the officers of the east march at a salary of £20 a year. His career might have come to an abrupt end when in May 1538 he and his uncle Lionel, porter of Berwick, were arrested on Cromwell’s orders by the captain of Berwick, Sir Thomas Clifford. Lionel Grey was said to have boasted of committing a murder for which he had never been brought to justice, and this was followed by an accusation that he and his nephew planned to kill Clifford and his deputy in church ‘and said they would make the King glad to pardon them or yield the town to the Scots’. Cromwell evidently dismissed the charges as groundless, and four months later, when Clifford’s resignation was imminent, Lionel Grey thanked the minister through an intermediary for having ‘saved his life lately by doing justice to him’ and offered 500 marks for the captaincy. About the same time Thomas Grey was one of those appointed to bring ten men to help put down a threatened revolt by the men of Tynedale.5

In the Scottish campaign of 1542 Grey commanded 100 men and in the following winter he had charge of the night watch at Horton. He took part both in the burning of Jedburgh in June 1544 and in the defeat of the simultaneous Scottish raid into Northumberland. The relationship thus established with the Earl of Hertford, who commanded in the north, was to serve Grey well during the next few years. It was from Hertford that he received his knighthood at Norham in September 1545, on his return from another foray into Scotland, and Hertford’s assumption of the Protectorate in 1547 was followed by Grey’s appointment as treasurer of Berwick and paymaster of the pensioners in the marches. The combined office was an important one, carrying an annual fee of £30 and a seat on the council in the north, although Grey is not recorded as having attended any of the council’s meetings during his tenure. Grey was also brought onto the Northumberland bench and pricked sheriff: as one of the last of the sheriffs of Northumberland who, before an Act of 1549 (2 and 3 Edw. VI, c.34) remedied the situation, did not account to the Exchequer he doubtless made a good thing of his year of office.6

The fall of the Protector cost Grey the treasurership of Berwick, which went to Richard Bunny, but this was partially offset in June 1550 by a grant of the constableship of Dunstanburgh, a coastal fortress south of Bamburgh, and of a 21-year lease of the site and possessions of the monastery of Newminster, Northumberland: the property, which included coal-bearing land, was leased to Grey in consideration of services ‘previously rendered’. This addition to the inheritance at Horton, Newstead and elsewhere in the county which he had received on his father’s death made Grey a substantial figure there. His own interest in the consolidation of the family’s possessions was reflected in the settlement of his lands, after his only son had died in infancy, on whichever of his daughters should marry his kinsman Sir Ralph Grey of Wark and Chillingham: it was his eldest daughter Isabel who did so.7

Grey is first known to have been returned to Parliament on the accession of Mary, but it is possible that he had sat in the Parliament of March 1553, for which the names of the Northumberland knights are lost: his recent shrievalty could have commended him both to the shire and to its titular duke, under whose aegis the Parliament met. As a Member of two Marian Parliaments Grey was to show himself amenable to the new regime, yet at home he seems to have served it without much enthusiasm. In April 1554 the Council exhorted him and other Northumbrian gentlemen ‘to show themselves more forward in service than they have erst done whereby they shall well redub [repair] their former slackness’, and in September 1556 and August 1557 he was summoned before the Council: on the last occasion, having professed himself ‘very willing to serve’, he was commissioned to carry a ‘mass of treasure’ to the north, where he offered to serve against the Scots without pay.

He had, on the other hand, won the regard of both John, 3rd Baron Conyers, and Thomas Wharton, 1st Baron Wharton, who intervened on his behalf when he was called before the council in the north in 1554 and 1556. Although Strype was to describe Grey as ‘one of the best reputation in the parts adjoining Scotland’ it is doubtful whether he diverged markedly from the Catholicism of his neighbours: when he and Cuthbert Horsley were returned to Parliament in October 1554 the sheriff described them on the indenture as ‘two of the grave and Catholic persons [within] the said county’, and Grey’s associates and kinsmen were noted for their religious conservatism. If his third shrievalty at the accession of Elizabeth, and his election to her first Parliament, suggest that Grey was not irreconcilable to further change, his disappearance from public affairs during the remaining dozen years of his life reflects the passing of his generation on the Scottish border. He died at Bethnal Green, Middlesex, on 5 Aug. 1570.8

Family and Education

b. by 1515, 1st surv. s. of Sir Roger Grey of Horton by Isabel, daughter of Sir William Darcy. m. 1527/31, Dorothy, daughter of Ralph, 3rd Lord Ogle, widow of Sir Thomas Foster of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumb. 1s. d.v.p. 6da. succeeded father 6 Jan. 1543. Knighted 23 Sept. 1545.2

Offices Held

Yeoman of the guard bef. Dec. 1531; j.p. Northumb. 1547-54; treasurer, Berwick-upon-Tweed June 1547-Feb. 1550; sheriff, Northumb. 1547-8, 1551-2, Nov. or Dec. 1558; constable and receiver, Dunstanburgh June 1550, steward May 1555-d.; commr. goods of churches and fraternities, Northumb. 1553.3

Parents
Sir Roger Grey, Knight of Horton 1474–1541
Isabel Darcy Gray

Spouse
Dorothy Ogle Forster 1500–1541 m abt. 1530, Northumberland, England

Children10x
Catherine Grey
Anne (Agnes) Grey
Isabell Grey Grey 1533–1581
Margery Grey
Barbara Grey
Roger Grey
Ursula Grey
Margaret Grey
Catherine Grey
Dau. Grey

References

1. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177683206/thomas_grey

2. http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/GREY8.htm#Thomas GREY of Horton (Sir Knight)3

3. http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=allerton_...

4. https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/g... GREY, Sir Thomas (by 1515-70), of Horton and Newstead, Northumb., and Bethnal Green, Mdx.

5. Ogle, H.A.(1902). Ogle and Bothal: History of the baronies of Ogle, Bothal, and Hepple, (pp.lxvii). link

6. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/soc.genealogy.medieval/R4O6CU...

"DOROTHY OGLE, m. (1) Sir Thomas Forster, m. (2) Sir THOMAS GREY, kt., of Horton, Northumberland.

[a] Thomas, b. by 1515, d. Bethnal Green, Middlesex, 7 Aug. 1570,

[b] bur. St. Botolph's without Aldgate, London, 10 Aug. 1570 (‘Sir Thomas Graye Knighte’).

[c] He requested to be buried nighe to the sepulture or grave where Sy’r Arthure Darcie lyeth buried.’

[d] MP, Northumberland (1553, 1554, and 1558).

[e] Co-executor to the will of his father Syr Rog’r Gray Knyght (1540[/1]).

[f] He only names two children in his will: Katherine Carre and Isabell wife of Syr Rauffe Grey, with most legacies going to extended family members.[d]"

7. Author: D. F. Coros Notes Ref Volumes: 1509-1558

[a] Grey’s christian name which has been torn off the indenture, C219/21/116, has been supplied from the Crown Office list for this Parliament, Bodl. e Museo 17.

[b] Date of birth estimated from first certain reference. Northumb. Co. Hist. xiv. 240, 242, 243; LP Hen. VIII, xix.

[c] LP Hen. VIII, v; CPR, 1547-8, pp. 87, 232; 1549-51, p. 178; 1550-3, p. 395; 1553, p. 415; 1553-4, p. 22; Somerville, Duchy, i. 537, 538-9. 4. LP Hen. VIII, v, vii, x, xiv. 5. Ibid. xi-xiii; Northumb. Co. Hist. i. 262-8. 6. HMC Bath, iv. 34, 52, 55, 71; LP Hen. VIII, xix-xxi; Hamilton Pprs. ii. 745; CPR, 1547-8, pp. 87, 232; R. R. Reid, King’s Council in the North, 167, 211. 7. CPR, 1549-51, p. 178; 1550-3, p. 395; 1553, p. 415; Northumb. Co. Hist. xiv. 240; E315/221, f. 194. 8. APC, v. 15, 351; vi. 156-7; HMC Shrewsbury and Talbot, ii. 37, 44; Strype, Eccles. Memorials, iii(1), 153-4; C219/23/95; Cath. Rec. Soc. liii. 56-58; Reid, 192; PCC 34 Lyon; Northumb. Co. Hist. xiv. 240; Surtees Soc. cxxi. 59-61.

http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/GREY8.htm#Thomas GREY of Horton (Sir Knight)3

• Thomas GREY of Horton (Sir Knight)
• Born: ABT 1509, Horton, Northumberland, England
• Died: 5 Aug 1570, Bethal Green, Middlesex, England
• Father: Roger GREY of Horton (Sir Knight)
• Mother: Isabel DARCY
• Married: Dorothy OGLE ABT 1530, Northumberland, England

Children:

• 1. Catherine GREY
• 2. Anne (Agnes) GREY
• 3. Isabel GREY
• 4. Margery GREY
• 5. Barbara GREY
• 6. Roger GREY
• 7. Ursula GREY
• 8. Margaret GREY
• 9. Catherine GREY
• 10. Dau. GREY

Født i 1509, første overlevende sønn av Sir Roger Grey av Horton og Isabel, datter av Sir William Darcy. Gift 1527/1531, med Dorothy, datter av Ralph, den 3. herren av Ogle, enke av SirThomas Forster i Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. Overtok etter faren 6 januar 1543. Adlet 23 september 1545. Parlamentsmedlem for Northumberland fra oktober 1553 til 1558.

Den første sikre referanse om hans arbeid er fra 1536 som nestleder til sin onkel Thomas Lord Darcy, av Bamburgh Castle, som ligger innen ti miles av Horton. Etter Darcy's avgang året etter begjærte Grey Cromwell om å overta eiendommen. Han ble forbi gått, men på en liste om den nye avtalen er det et notat " husk Thomas Grey", og samme år ble han en av offiserene av øst marsjen med en lønn på 20 pounds per år.

Karrieren kan ha fått en brå slutt i mai 1538 da Thomas og hans onkel Lionel Grey, porter av Berwick ble arrestert. av kapteinen på Berwick, Sir Thomas Clifford på Cromwells ordre. Det ble sagt at Lionel Grey skrøt av begått et mord, men aldri blitt stilt for retten, og dette ble etterfulgt av en anklage om at han og hans nevø Thomas hadde planlagt å drepe Clifford og hans nestleder i kirken "og sa de ville gjøre kongen glad å tilgi dem heller enn å gi byen skottene". Cromwell Avviste påstandene som grunnløse, og fire måneder senere, når Cliffords avgang var nært forestående, takket Lionel Grey Cromwell gjennom et mellomledd for å ha reddet livet hans sist ved å behandle han rettferdig og han tilbød ministeren 500 mark.

På samme tid var Thomas Grey en av de ti utvalgte menn som slo ned på et opprør i Tynedale.

I det skotske felttoget i 1542 hadde Grey kommandoen over 100 menn og den følgende vinteren han hadde ansvaret for nattevakten av Horton. Han deltok både i brenning av Jedburgh i juni 1544 og beseiringen feat av samtidige skotske raid mot Northumberland. Grey etablerte dermed et forhold med Edward Seymour, jarlen av Hertford, lederen i nord , som tjente Grey godt de neste fem årene. Det var fra Hertford at han ble slått til ridder på Norham i september 1545, da han kom tilbake fra en annen tur inn i Skottland, og Hertford's forutsetning til å bli et Protektorat 1547 ble etterfulgt av Greys avtale som kasserer av Berwick og sjef for utbetalingene av pensjonene av de som deltok i marsjene.

Da Seymour falt som protektor av Berwick og Richard Bunny overtok mistet Grey jobben som kasserer. I juni 1550 ble han konstabel av Dunstanburgh, en kyst festning sør for Bamburgh, og en 21- års leasing av sete og Eiendommen til klosteret Newminster, Northumberland, som inkluderte kull-bærende land. Hans egen interesse av familiens eiendom ble reflektert i oppgjøret av hans land, etter at hans eneste sønn døde som barn og hvem som helst av hans døtre som giftet seg med hans slektning Sir Ralph Grey av Wark og Chillingham. Det ble hans eldste datter Isabel som gjorde det.

I april 1554 ba "the Council" han og en annen Northumbrians herre 'om vise seg mer frem i tjenesten enn de har gjort hittil for å reparere for deres tidligere slapphet, og i september 1556 og august 1557 Oppsummerte for rådet:for de siste handlingene og hevdet at han var 'very villige til å tjene "Queen Mary, han fikk i oppdrag å bære en "mass of treasure" til nord der han tilbød seg og tjene mot skottene uten betaling Han hadde, derimot, vunnet tilliten til både John Conyers, 3dje Baron Conyers og Thomas Wharton, første Baron Wharton, som grep inn på hans vegne da han ble kalt før rådet i nord i 1554 og 1556. Selv om Strype beskriver Grey som "en med byens beste rykte deler tilstøtende Scotland' Det er tvilsomt om han skilt markert for katolisismen av sitt nabolag, Når han og Cuthbert Horsley var tilbake til parlamentet i oktober 1554 sheriff en beskrevet dem på indenture som ' to av alvorlige Katolske personer i fylke', og Greys medarbeidere og slektninger var kjent for deres religiøse konservatisme.

Han døde på Bethal Green, Middlesex, 5 august 1570