Alexander Harington of Stepney

Alexander Harington was the father of John Harington of Stepney, poet and courtier, and grandfather of John Harington of Kelston, writer, courtier and inventor of the flush toilet. [1]

Disputed Origins

Alexander Harington of Stepney was not the son of Sir John Harington, MP, of Exton

Ref: https://archive.org/details/visitationofcoun00camd/page/38/mode/1up...

The parents of Alexander Harington are generally agreed to be unknown. Some suggest that Alexander may have been the perhaps illegitimate son of James Harington, Dean of York. [2] Another theory is that Alexander was not actually born a Harington, but through a close (or illegitimate) relationship changed his name in order to help the family regain their estates in the north. [3]

https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/research/members/1509-1558/J

Sir Robert Harington’s attainder was reversed in 1504 at the suit of his son James, dean of York, but his lands were not restored and his family pressed unsuccessfully for them until the end of the 16th century. The family’s pedigrees differ as to whether the dean of York had any children, but one of the earliest gives him two sons, Alexander and James. Whether these were born before he took orders or were his illegitimate offspring or were the children of an untraced brother is not known. Little has come to light about Alexander, who settled at Stepney where the family had long owned property and who died in 1539. Harington was later to recall his father’s poverty.3

---

https://genesurfing.wordpress.com/2016/05/27/john-harington-of-step...

But first of all who was John Harington, son of Alexander, and why was he living in poverty in Stepney only a few years after his family were the most prominent family in the north of England? …

Had the College of Arms been persuaded to grant these arms, against their better judgement, but would not go as far as identifying a direct pedigree? Or had they established a link to the family but had simply omitted some of the details, and if so then why would they do this? …

The key to this mystery is the identity of John’s father, Alexander of Stepney, who is widely identified as the illegitimate son of Sir James Harington, Dean of York. But the identity of his mother could be equally as important.

Notes

Nothing in the pedigree of John Harington of Stepney seems to be entirely genuine and he could have been the son of either Alexander Standish and Alice Harington or Alexander Radcliffe and Anne Harington.

But even if he was only descended from the female Harington line John may have felt that he had a genuine claim to at least some of the twenty five estates lost by his ancestors.

Whatever his plan – if, indeed there was a plan – John did manage to restore the family fortunes, but only through his loyalties to Henry VIII, Admiral Seymour and princess Elizabeth and, of course, his marriage to Awdrey Malte which gave him the foundations on which to build a new Harington dynasty.

References

1. Grant of Arms to John Harington of Kelston 1586: Miscellanea genealogica et heraldica London, England 1881 pg 17 <Archive.Org>
2. Stanley Thomas Bindoff, The House of Commons, 1509-1558, Volume 1 Boydell & Brewer, 1982 pg 300 <GoogleBooks>
3. Gene Surfing, May 27, 2016 Word Press
4. Gillian Tindall The Tunnel Through Time: A New Route for an Old London Journey Random House, 1 Sep 2016 pg 114 <GoogleBooks>
5. Ruth Hughey. John Harington of Stepney: Tudor Gentleman, his life and works.Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University Press, 1971

• http://www.stirnet.com/genie/data/british/hh4aa/harington1.php
• https://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Alexander_Harrington_(1)
• https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/h... suggests his great-grandfather, Sir Robert Harington Of Badsworth, Yorkshire, was attainted twice by Henry VII and probably died at the battle of Stoke in 1487.