Sir Thomas Knollys, Lord Mayor of London

Sir Thomas Knolles (d. 1435)

Sheriff of London from 1394—1395 CE. Mayor from 1399—1400 CE. Member of the Grocers’ Company.

Sir Thomas Knollys or Knolles (died 1435) was an English businessman in London who was active in both local and national government. He held a Membership in the Worshipful Company of Grocers -- The Company was responsible for maintaining standards for the purity of spices and for the setting of certain weights and measures.

He has not yet been proved to be an ancestor of Sir Francis Knollys.

Biography

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Knollys

Sir Thomas Knollys (died 1435) was Sheriff of London in 1395 and Lord Mayor of London in 1399 and 1410.

Lord-mayor Knollys was a member of the Grocers' Company. He directed in 1400 the rebuilding of the Guildhall, and he also rebuilt St. Antholin's Church in Watling Street, where he was buried with his wife Joan. His will, dated 20 May 1435, was proved 11 July 1435 at Lambeth, where it is still preserved.

Origins

Born about 1350, he was once thought to be descended from the soldier Sir Robert Knollys but modern sources give his father as Richard. There were obviously close links with Sir Robert, who named Thomas as one of his executors in 1389.[3][4]

Career

Before 1387 he had become a member of the Grocers' Company, which he served as warden and as master, contributing to the building of their new hall in Poultry and to the rebuilding of the guild church of St. Antholin in Watling Street, where he lived. In addition to his main business interests in goods and properties, he also became a major financier, lending extensively to other businessmen and to the government.[3][4]

In local government, he was an alderman by 1393, Sheriff of London in 1394 and twice served as Lord Mayor in 1399 and in 1410, in his second term being responsible for rebuilding the Guildhall.[3][4]

In two brief royal appointments, he was collector of customs duties on wool for London in 1400 and joint treasurer of war finances in 1404.[3][4] In October 1416 he became an MP for the City of London as one of the two aldermanic representatives.[5]

In addition to his London properties, in 1391 he bought and later extended a country estate at North Mimms in Hertfordshire.[3] After 1484, upon the death of his grandson Robert without sons, moieties of the property were inherited by Robert's two daughters: Anne who married Henry Frowick, and Elizabeth the wife of James Stracheley.[6]

He was buried in St Antholin's beside his wife and his will made on 20 May 1435 was proved on 11 July 1435 at Lambeth.[1][7]

Family

By 1371 he had married Joan (died 1431) who in their sixty years together had nineteen children, of whom four sons and three daughters survived their father. His eldest son Thomas (died 1446), who inherited his businesses and properties, was through his younger son Richard the ancestor of the courtier Sir Francis Knollys.[3][4]

His known children from his marriage to Joan (last name not known) included[8]:

• son Thomas (grocer)
• son William (grocer, burgess and merchant of Bristol)
• daughter Beatrice (relict of Richard Grosselyn)
• daughter Margaret
• daughter Margery

He is also remembered for having St. Antholin's Church in Watling Street , London rebuilt. This is where Thomas was eventually buried with his wife, Joan. [9]Thomas Knolles died between 29 June and 11 July 1435 [6] and his epitaph has been recorded as follows:

Here lieth graven under this stone, Thomas Knolles, both flesh and bone, Grocer and Alderman years forty, Sheriff and twice Mayor truly. And for that he should not lie alone, hear with him his good wife Joan. They were together sixty year and XIX children they had in fear. [10] (Spelling has been standardised for ease of reading.)

His will, dated 20 May 1435, was proved 11 July 1435 at Lambeth, where it is still preserved. There were three codicils to his will which related more to business matters rather than family.

Family Notes

As there are currently no known reliable sources for the parents of Thomas he has been disconnected from Robert Knollys and Catherine Beverly who were previously connected as his parents.

Knollys is said to have been was a forebear of Robert Knollys (great-great-grandson) and Francis Knollys (Robert's son).

Knollys is said by Dugdale to have been descended from Sir Robert Knollys or Knolles (d 1407), the soldier, but, according to Sidney Lee in the Dictionary of National Biography, this is an error. Discussing Francis Knollys, Lee states: "Sir Francis's pedigree cannot be authentically traced beyond Sir Thomas Knollys ... from whom Sir Francis's father was fifth in descent".

Re:

”Sir Thomas Knollys, Lord Mayor of London was born to Sir Robert Knollys and Lady Constance de Beverley. He was twice married, firstly o a lady named Isabell. From this union was born a son and a daughter: Robert Knollys c.1402-1485, and Margery Knollys 1416-1444.”

Evidence needed ...

Research Notes

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Knollys-15

Knollys is said by Dugdale to have been descended from Sir Robert Knollys or Knolles (d 1407), the soldier, but, according to Sidney Lee in the Dictionary of National Biography, this is an error. Discussing Francis Knolly's, Lee states: "Sir Francis's pedigree cannot be authentically traced beyond Sir Thomas [11] One thought is that Thomas was a son of Richard Knollys, brother of the Robert given here as his father.

He has not yet been proved to be an ancestor of Sir Francis Knollys.

Property Notes

'Parishes: North Mimms', in A History of the County of Hertford: Volume 2, ed. William Page (London, 1908), pp. 251-261. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/herts/vol2/pp251-261 [accessed 16 May 2021].

n 1388 William de Kesteven sold his share of the manor to the farmer of its other three parts, Beatrix Mountviron. (fn. 51) Beatrix had in 1391 become the widow of William Bakton, and as such she sold her fourth part of the manor to Thomas Knolles and Joan his wife for a hundred marks of silver. (fn. 52)

This Thomas Knolles, lord of all the manor of North Mimms, died in 1435–6, and left as his heir a son Thomas, (fn. 53) who, like his father, is called citizen and grocer of London. (fn. 54) He devised the manor to his son Robert, who came into possession in 1446, and in that year settled it on himself and his heirs, with remainder to his brother Richard, in tail male. (fn. 55) In 1457 Robert did homage to Richard duke of York for the manor which he held of the honour of Clare by military service, (fn. 56) and in 1478 he paid 6s. 8d. which he owed for suit at the court of the same honour. (fn. 57) In 1483 he discharged to the feodary of Essex and Hertfordshire the suit due from North Mimms to the honour of Stamlorne, (fn. 58) and in 1484 he paid 3s. 4d. to the feodary of the duchy of Lancaster in Essex and Hertfordshire, as suit of court to the honour of Mandeville. (fn. 59) Further, in 1484 he paid 4s. 4d. due to the sheriff of Hertfordshire, to the gardener of the 'king's grenewey,' (fn. 60) and in 1447, as the holder of one knight's fee in North Mimms, he contributed 2s. to the aid for the marriage of Princess Anne, the king's eldest daughter. (fn. 61)

From findagrave

• Sir Thomas Knollys
• Birth: unknown
• Death: 1435
• Burial: St Antholin's Church, London, City of London, Greater London, England
• Plot: St Antholin's church and these memorials were destroyed in the Fire of London in 1666.
• Memorial #: 100360143
• Bio: Sir Thomas Knollys, Lord Mayor of London was born to Sir Robert Knollys and Lady Constance de Beverley. He was twice married, firstly o a lady named Isabell. From this union was born a son and a daughter: Robert Knollys c.1402-1485, and Margery Knollys 1416-1444. He held a Membership in the Worshipful Company of Grocers -- The Company was responsible for maintaining standards for the purity of spices and for the setting of certain weights and measures. Epitaph: Thomas Knolles, citizen and grocer, inherited the manor of North Mymms but only enjoyed possession for ten years. He was also a great benefactor to the church of St Antholin in Budge Row, where he was buried "under a faire marble stone, thus sometime engraven but now quite taken away for the gain of the brasse". The following was the epitaph: Thomas Knolles lyeth undre this stone And his wyff Isabell, flesh and bone; They weren togeder nyntene yere, And x chyldren they had in fere. His Fader and he to this Chyrch Many good dedys they did wyrch. Example by him ye may see That this world is but vanitie; For, wheder he be smal or gret, All sall turne to wormy mete. This seyd Thomas was leyd on Bere The eighth day the moneth Fevrer, The date of Jesu Crist truly An Mcccc five and forty. Wee may not prey, hertely prey yeFor owr Soulys, Pater Noster and Ave, The sooner of owr peyne lessid to be, Grant us the holy trinite. Amen His will, dated 20 May 1435, was proved 11 July 1435 at Lambeth, where it is still preserved.Sadly, St Antholin's church and these memorials were destroyed in the Fire of London in 1666. (With love and respect, the research and bio is by the 17th great granddaughter of Sir Thomas Knollys)
• Family Members
• Parents
• Robert Knollys 1312-1407
• Constance Beverley Knollys 1316-Unknown
• Spouse
• Joan Knollys
• Children
• Thomas Knollys Unknown-1445
• Maintained by: Todd Whitesides (47553735)
• Originally Created by: Audrey DeCamp Hoffman (46783896)
• Added: 7 Nov 2012
• URL: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/100360143/thomas-knollys
• Citation: Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 06 August 2018), memorial page for Sir Thomas Knollys (unknown–1435), Find A Grave Memorial no. 100360143, citing St Antholin's Church, London, City of London, Greater London, England ; Maintained by Todd Whitesides (contributor 47553735) .

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From https://www.northmymmshistory.uk/2018/03/a-short-history-of-knolles...

Sir Thomas Knolles and his wife Joan had already purchased a quarter share from Beatrix Bakston in 1391 for 100 marks of silver and this later consolidation now meant that Sir Thomas was Lord of the manor of North Mymms.

Sir Thomas is said to have been son of Sir Robert Knolles who is mentioned in Froissart's Chronicles and captain in the wars against France, Spain and Brittany under three kings Edward III, Richard II and Henry IV, and was buried with full military honours in Whitefriars, London in 1407. His arms displayed in the church window at North Mymms suggest, at least, that the family believed themselves descended from him.

Whether or not Sir Thomas and his family spent much time there is impossible to gauge, for his business and political interests were centred around London. He lived in Cordwainer Street, was an Alderman, and Lord Mayor twice in 1399 and 1410. Also attributed to him is the church tower of St Mary's at North Mymms, dated around 1428 which would be in keeping with his philanthropic and religious benefactions.

Sir Thomas died in 1435, and was buried with his wife, Joan, in St Antholin's Church in the north aisle.

Thomas Knolles, citizen and grocer, son of Sir Thomas, inherited the manor of North Mymms but only enjoyed possession for ten years.

He directed the rebuilding of the Guildhall in 1400 and was a member of the Grocers company in the City of London.and he also rebuilt St. Antholin's Church in Watling Street, where he was buried with his wife Joan. His will, dated 20 May 1435, was proved 11 July 1435 at Lambeth, where it is still preserved.

Knolleys was a forebear of Robert Knollys (great-great-grandson) and Francis Knollys (Robert's son).

Knollys is said by Dugdale to have been descended from Sir Robert Knollys or Knolles (d 1407), the soldier, but, according to Sidney Lee in the Dictionary of national Biography, this is an error. Discussing Francis knolly's, Lee states: "Sir Francis's pedigree cannot be authentically traced beyond Sir Thomas Knollys ... from whom Sir Francis's father was fifth in descent".

Alternative spellings of Family Name:

• Knollys
• Knolles
• Knowles
• Knowls
• Knollis

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References

• https://www.northmymmshistory.uk/2018/03/a-short-history-of-knolles...
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Unknown-540862 cites

1. Great Britain Court of Common Pleas; Essex Archaeological Society, Colchester, Eng; Kirk, Richard Edward Gent; Kirk, Ernest F; Reaney, Percy Hide; Fitch, Marc Feet of fines for Essex. Edited by R.E.G. Kirk Internet Archive
2. Mentioned in the Wikipedia entry for her husband. Wikipedia contributors, "Thomas Knollys," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Thomas Knollys (accessed April 28, 2019).
3. Sylvia L. Thrupp The Merchant Class of Medieval London, 1300-1500 University of Michigan Press, 1989 Google books
4. "Parishes: North Mimms," in A History of the County of Hertford: Volume 2, ed. William Page (London: Victoria County History, 1908), 251-261. British History Online, accessed June 27, 2020, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/herts/vol2/pp251-261.
5. The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993 Available from Boydell and Brewer - KNOLLES, Thomas (d.1435), of London [https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/k... HOP
6. E. Cave, 1790 The Gentleman's Magazine Google Books

• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Nov 5 2016, 22:53:17 UTC
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knollys_family
• http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/index.html
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Antholin,_Budge_Row The church was "re-edified" at the expense of Sir Thomas Knollys (Mayor of London in 1399 and 1410) and his son, also called Thomas. Both were buried in the church.[1][5] It seems to have been rebuilt again in 1513 by John Tate.[3]
• “ Historical Personography. The Map of Early Modern London. Ed. Janelle Jenstad. Victoria: University of Victoria. Accessed June 20, 2018. http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/historical_personography.htm.
• http://users.trytel.com/~tristan/towns/florilegium/lifecycle/lcdth1...