John Malte (abt. 1507 - 1546)

Descendants

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Biography

He was the King's tailor.

John Malte received a sizeable grant of land from the king in 1541, including the manors of Watchfield and Uffington in Berkshire, and another, with Ethelreda, in 1546. John Malte's will is dated September 10, 1546 and was proved June 7, 1547. In it he calls Ethelreda "Awdrey Malte, my bastard daughter, begotten on the body of Joane Dingley, now wife of one Dobson."

John Malte lived with his daughter, Bridget Scutt, and Ethelreda continued to live with the Scutts after his death, marrying John Harington somewhat later than Harington's biographer proposes.

John Malte's will is dated September 10, 1546 and was proved June 7, 1547. In it he calls Ethelreda "Awdrey Malte, my bastard daughter, begotten on the body of Joane Dingley, now wife of one Dobson."

Ethelreda Malte, also called Audrey and Esther, was the illegitimate daughter of John Malte (d.1547), Henry VIII's tailor, and Joanna Dyngley or Digneley, although the late sixteenth century Nugae Antiquae claims she was the natural daughter of the king. Alison Weir (Mary Boleyn) suggests a birth date in the late 1520s on St. Ethelreda's Day (June 23). She believes Ethelreda was the king's child. Joanna Dyngley apparently took no part in her daughter's life and was married to a man named Dobson at some point after Ethelreda’s birth. .... Joan's place in the royal household (according to some sources) was as laundress.

I believe that Etheldreda/Audrey/Esther was a ward of john Malte rather than his child and she was clearly integrated into his family as she continued to live with her 'sister' Bridget Scutt after her father/guardian's demise.

The Malte household was in Watling Street in the parish of St. Augustine at Paul's Gate, London.

John was a Citizen & merchant tailor of London he was the king's tailor, he designed, made and fitted the clothes of King Henry VIII which appear in Holbein's portrait of the king.

His 1st wife was named Meriel, they had two daughters.

1. Their 1st daughter was Muriel Horner née Malte
2. Their 2nd daughter was Bridget Scutt née Malte.

His 2nd wife was named Anne d.1549.

1. She bore him a daughter, Elizabeth Hilton née Malt.

Anne Malte purchased Hickmans 100 acre manor in Haggerston Hamlet in the NE of Shoreditch parish. She paid a yearly rent of 27s 4d on property in Bread Street in the parish of All Saints, London.

John Malte purchased the manor of Podimore Milton, Somersetshire and gave it as dowry to John and Muriel Horner

Sources

• http://www.kateemersonhistoricals.com/TudorWomenM.htm
• John Malte at FamilySearch
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/139738465/john-malte: accessed 29 November 2023), memorial page for John Malte (unknown–Dec 1546), Find a Grave Memorial ID 139738465, citing St Augustine Watling Street, London, City of London, Greater London, England; Maintained by Lucas (contributor 50499237).