John Tredeneck, MP

Family and Education 1st s. of Christopher Tredeneck of Tredinnick by Joan, da. and coh. of John Gosse. m. Frances, da. of one Sutton of Lincoln, 2s. 1da. suc. fa. 1532.

Offices Held

Commr. subsidy Cornw. by 1550, j.p. 1547-53, from 1559.

Biography Tredeneck sat in Parliament twice only, first in the Reformation Parliament, and then 30 years later in the first Parliament of Elizabeth. This suggests that he was a man of strongly protestant outlook, a view supported by his exclusion from the commission of the peace during Mary’s reign. In this case it is likely that his own claims to a parliamentary seat at Helston would have had the support of the 2nd Earl of Bedford. A fellow-Member in 1559 was Tredeneck’s brother-in-law, Nicholas Carminowe, sitting for Bodmin, who may also have been a protestant partisan who owed his seat to Bedford. Tredeneck was associated for a time with William Carnsewe I and Thomas Treffry in exploiting mines discovered by Burchart Cranyce. In 1563 Tredeneck and Carnsewe instituted a Chancery suit against Treffry’s heir, who had in his possession large quantities of lead belonging to the syndicate. The sale of this lead would enable them to repay a loan of £600 owing to the duchy of Cornwall, by means of which the venture had originally been financed, and which became due for repayment at midsummer 1563.

Tredeneck died in 1566 and was buried on 20 June that year in the parish church of St. Breock. The heir was his son Charles, who married a daughter of Thomas Marrow†.

Vivian, Vis. Cornw. 457-8; PCC 22 Thower; CPR, 1547-8, p. 82; 1553 and App. Edw. VI. p. 351; Lansd. 1218, f. 6; APC, vi. 118; C3/36/45.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603 Author: Irene Cassidy