George Kirkham

amily and Education b. by 1525, 1st s. of Thomas Kirkham of Blagdon in Paignton by Margaret, da. of Richard Ferrers of Feniton. m. Margaret, da. of Sir Thomas Denys of Holcombe Burnell and Bicton, 1da. suc. fa. 31 Jan. 1552.1

Offices Held Commr. to try maritime cases, Devon 1578; sheriff 1581-d.2

Biography George Kirkham, whose family had been established in Devon since the reign of Edward I and who was rated at £65 for the subsidy in 1579, probably owed his return to the Parliament of 1558 to his wife’s family: his father-in-law Sir Thomas Denys was still a power in the shire and his brother-in-law (Sir) Robert Denys was sheriff. Nothing is known of Kirkham’s part in this Parliament and little has come to light on the rest of his career. Unlike his brother James, an accomplice in Sir Peter Carew’s abortive rising of 1554, he seems to have accommodated himself to religious change, for although under Mary he endowed the church at Kilmington with some land for a light, he was to be made a sheriff under Elizabeth. He did not live to serve out his term, dying on 28 Jan. 1582 and being replaced by John Fitz. If he made a will it was probably proved at Exeter in 1582 or 1583, years for which such wills have long been missing. At the inquisition held at Exeter on 26 Apr. 1582 it was found that Kirkham’s only child had predeceased him and that his heir was his niece Margaret, the daughter of James Kirkham. The family house had been remodelled by George Kirkham about 1567.3

Ref Volumes: 1509-1558 Author: A. D.K. Hawkyard Notes 1. Date of birth estimated from age at fa.’s i.p.m., C142/95/18. Vis. Devon, ed. Colby, 146; Vis. Devon, ed. Vivian, 516. 2. J. Hoker, The description of the citie of Excester (Devon and Cornw. Rec. Soc. xi), 584-7. 3. W. G. Hoskins, Devon, 450; J. C. Roberts, ‘Parlty. rep. Devon and Dorset 1559-1601’ (London Univ. M.A. thesis, 1958), 313; C. H. Garrett, Marian Exiles, 209; D. M. Loades, Two Tudor Conspiraices, 40, 43-44; CPR, 1566-9, p. 48; C142/198/38; Pevsner, S. Devon, 54.The conveyance of Feniton:

William Malherbe of Feniton To his daughter and co-heir, Jane, the 1st wife of Richard Ferrers To Margaret, the daughter and heiress of Richard Ferrers

From Margaret to son George: To: George Kirkham, who was heir to his mother, Margaret Ferrers,

George then conveyed Feniton to his half brother William, who conveyed it to Sir George Cary of Cockington, his brother-in-law.

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