The Missing Roland Thornburgh

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

Contents 1 Speculative Biography of Roland Thornburgh 1.1 Survey 1.2 Conclusions of Survey 2 Other Rolands 3 Research Note: 4 Sources

Speculative Biography of Roland Thornburgh

In the recorded lineage of the Thornburgh family, the marriage between William Thornburgh "of Selside" and Eleanor Musgrave, daughter of Sir Richard Musgrave and Elizabeth Betham, represents a watershed, as it is the earliest entry in the line of Visitation pedigrees that does not seem to be totally fictitious. ^[1] While it must be noted at the outset that the union of William and Eleanor Thornburgh is well-documented, in at least two Visitation sources there is a suggestion that Eleanor might have married a Rawlin Thornborough instead or in addition to William. ^[2] A pedigree from the 1530 Visitation of Hampshire lists Eleanor's husband as "Rawlin or Willm. Thornburgh". ^[3] Accordingly, at the outset, some doubt must exist concerning the reliability of this lineage.

The son and heir of the Thornburgh/Musgrave union has been listed in most sources as William Thornborough, (about 1452 -1521). However, genealogist Robert Barnes ^[4], following genealogist Terence Fahay, has claimed that the gap between these two generations of Williams is too long and hypothesized as an intervening generation a Roland Thornburgh or Thornborough, born to William and Eleanor about 1427, by which date they were known to be married. This Roland would then be the father of the William born about 1452, although no spouse of his has been identified.

This page is an attempt at discovering such a Roland, if he might have existed.

Survey

A survey of sources has revealed the presence of Roland Thornburghs active from about 1458 to at least 1495, in and around Cumberland. Many of these (B) seem to represent the Roland identified by Barnes: "the king's servant Roland Thornburgh".

1458: "Indenture, being the award of John Hodeleston, Thomas Broghton and John Kirkeby, 'squyers,' 'for as mekyll as of lang tym ther has ben contravercy, variaunce and debate betwix Roland Kirkeby, squyer,' and 'Roland Thorneburgh, squyer,' and the said parties had agreed, and 'sworn apon a boke,' to abide their 'ordynaunce, dome and awarde,' they 'orden, deme and awarde,' Monday next after the 'feste of the Nativite of Seint John Baptist,' 36 Henry VI, that Roland Thorneburgh shall pay Roland Kirkeby 20 marks ..." Lancashire. ^[5]

1459: "Rowland Thornburgh paid 2s. 3d. for farm of the tithes of a moiety of Patton." ^[6] There is a similar record for Eleanor Thornburgh, also in 1459: "Eleanor Thornburgh pays 9s. for the farm of tithes of Selshede." ^[7] These two events are probably related and could indicate that Roland's father (and Eleanor's husband) had only recently died and each was accessing their inheritance/jointure. We know for certain that Eleanor's husband, William, was dead by Hilary Term 1458/9 (ie January 1458/9), when she was descibed as a widow in an action for debt taken in the Court of Common Pleas. ^[8]

1461: 7 December. "Committment to William Par, esquire, - by mainprise of Rowland Thornburgh, 'gentilman,' and Thomas Mackerell, 'yeoman,' both of Kirkeby in Kendale, co. Westmorland ..." ^[9]

(B ?) 1466: 22 February. "Commission to John Hodulston, knight, William Parre, knight, Richard Hodulston, William Haryugton and Roland Thornburgh to arrest Roland Kerkeby, esquire ... et al. and bring them before the king in Chancery." ^[10]

1471: A Roland Thornburgh (probably the one cited in 1458) inherited the manor of Kirkby Ireleth in Lancaster from Joan, the widow of Roger Kirkby, who held the property as her dower. The exact relationship is not made clear in the text. ^[11]

(B) 1471: 148 July. "Grant for life to the king's servant Roland Thornburgh of the office of porter to the king's castle of Carlisle with the accustomed fees ..." ^[12]

(?) 1473: 20 June. "Appendix: Commissions of the Peace." Roland Thornburgh named as Justice of the Peace for Cumberland at Coventry on 20 June. Also named at Westminster on 10 November 1475. ^[13]

(B) 1474: 26 February. "Grant for life to Roland Thornburgh of all messuages, houses, shops, lands and tenements in the town and lordship of Penreth, co. Cumberland, late of John Clyfford, knight, late lord of Clifford, attainted of high treason by authority of Parliament in the first year of the reign, and in the king's hands by his forfeiture, to hold by the service of as many knights' fees and as many rents and services as they were held before 4 March 1 Edward IV." ^[14]

(B?) 1474: 7 November. "Committment to the office of the escheatery - Rowland Thorneburgh; Cunberland and Westmorland." ^[15]

(B) 1477: 3 May. "Grant for life to the king's servant Roland Thornburgh of the office of keeping the king's gate of Carlisle from Easter, 11 Edward IV ..." ^[16]

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(B) 1480: 8 January. "Grant for life to the king's servant James Moresby, one of the yeomen of the king's chamber, of the office of porter of the king's castle of Carlisle, void by the death of Roland Thornborough, with the accustomed fees." ^[17]

(B) 1480: 26 January. "Grant for life to the king's servant William Ryther, one of the yeomen of the crown and ushers of the king's chamber, of all the lands in the towns and fields of Penreth and Carleton, co. Cumberland, which came into the king's hands by the forfeiture and attainder of John, late lord Clyfford, and were afterwards granted by the king to Roland Thorneburgh, now deceased, for life. ^[18]

1483: 10 December. "Commission ... to enquire what persons have committed treasons, insurrections and rebellions, and of what castles, manors, lordships, lands, rents, goods, or possessions they were seized or possessed at the time of their forfeiture and what these are worth, and to take the same into the king's hands, and to compel the bailiffs, receivers, and other officers to render an account - Roland Thorneburgh in the county of Cumberland. ^[19]

1481 - 1483: "Appendix: Commissions of the Peace." Roland Thorneburgh 28 April 1481; 24 May 1483; 26 June 1483; 5 December 1483. ^[20]

1485: 28 November. "Roland Thornburgh, senior" witnessed a deed of gift. ^[21] Tenements in Aystwahtfeld. Also witnessed by Sir John Hudilstone and Henry Hudilstone. Note: Could "Astwahtfeld" be the same place as "Eshethwayt" where Oliver Thornburgh was living when he was mentioned in a 1448/9 court case? ^[22]

1495: 28 October. At the Inquisition Post Mortem of Sir John Hudleston, "Roland Thornburgh senior, esq." was one of several ffoeffes given title to the manor of Millom (in Cumberland), "to the intent that his executors might out of the profits of the said manor perform his last will." ^[23]

Conclusions of Survey

It appears that a Roland Thornburgh - "the king's servant" - apparently the Roland Thornburgh identified by Barnes as his missing generation, was active in public life at least from 1471 until his death before 1480. This Roland was a Yorkist supporter, and beginning in 1471 he received a number of grants from King Edward IV - most notably the life grant of the property in Penrith once held by Lancastrian John Clifford. As Clifford died in 1461, this property may have been granted prviously to someone else - just as it went to William Ryther after Roland's death. It's notable that these grants were only for the life of the holders, who were not seized of them and could not hand them down to their heirs - the sort of property that really mattered in the 15th century. Nor did this Roland receive a knighthood or other title for whatever service he rendered to Edward's cause.

He was perhaps the Roland Thornburg named to the Cumberland Commission of the Peace in 1473 and 1475. But it is clear that there was more than one Roland Thornburgh alive and active during this period. By the year after the death of "the king's servant", in 1481, at least one other Roland Thornburgh held a position on the Cumberland bench and on other commissions that normally went to senior members of resident gentry families. This was probably the Roland Thornburgh styled as "senior" (implying a yet younger relative of the name - possibly but not necessarily a son).

What has not been discovered is any direct link with the alleged parents Thornburgh/Musgrave. No known pedigree has proposed the existence of a son Roland for William Thornburgh of Selside. The birthdate proposed for the theoretical Roland is based, not on any direct evidence, but on the marriage of the purported parents: it begs the question. There is no evidence of a spouse or of children. And while William Thornburgh of Selside, the purported father, was styled as "esquire", there is no evidence of "the king's servant" Roland being so styled, even after a date on which he would have succeeded to William's estate had he been son and heir - as William Thornborough the accepted son and heir was indeed so styled.

Thus while it seems most likely that he was a member of that family, perhaps the son of a younger son of an earlier generation, he has not been positively identified as any known member. Specifically, he can not be identified with the Roland Thornburgh known to be living after 1480 and named to the bench in that decade.

Other Rolands

Roland Senior The Thornburghs of Cumberland and Westmorland were a Yorkist family. While York was on the throne, Thornburghs were named regularly to the Commission of the Peace of Cumberland: Rolands in 1473, 1475, 1481, May 1483, June 1483, December 1483. Then, following the 1485 Tudor conquest, Henry VII named a William Thornburgh in 1487, 1495, 1499, and 1503. ^[24] This William Thornburgh Esq. was apparently Thornborough-14, (as he was styled Esquire) who replaced "a family member" (Roland Thornborough) on the bench ^[25] after the Yorkist rebellion of Humphrey Stafford in 1486. According to Purkiss, this family member was his father. "Roland Thornburgh did not have his commission renewed in 1487, possibly as his duties at court drew him away from the region, but his son William was appointed and remained a justice in Cumberland until 1510." ^[26] Unfortunately, the citation offered in support of this connection (LP Henry VIII, vol. 1, no. 664) has no such reference.

The identity of the Roland Thornburgh appointed to the Commissison of the Peace in 1473 and 1475 is not clear, but "Roland Senior" is quite likely to have been the Roland Thornburgh appointed in the subsequent years, following the death of Roland "the king's servant". He is known to have been for many years a close associate of Sir John Huddleston and Sir Thomas Broughton, prominent supporters of the Yorkists. Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Broughton, married William Thornborough, Esq., who probably replaced him on the bench in 1487. In short, the evidence strongly suggests that Robert Senior was the family member of William Thornburgh Esq. whom he replaced as JP.

The obvious candidate for Roland Senior is Roland Thornburgh - William Thornburgh's uncle, not his father. He was the second-born son of Roland Thornburgh MP and thus the brother of William Thornburgh who married Eleanor Musgrave. He was most likely born between 1405 and 1410. A younger brother Leonard Thornburgh was also a Yorkist, who held responsible positions in Boston, Lincolnshire, until his death after 1490.

Roland of Kirkby Ireleth Documents show that earlier than 1458, a Roland Thornburgh had been in dispute with members of the Kirkeby family - as usual, over the inheritance of property. The indenture of 1458 is notable in that it shows both John Huddleston and Thomas Broughton as mediators as well as naming Roland Thornburgh as a "squyer". This places all parties involved within the same general rank of landowners. Even if Roland Thornburgh were not in fact an esquire, it is telling that he could be described as one.

The nature of the relationship between Roland and the widow who released the Kirkby Ireleth property to him is not clear, but it may have something to do with the marriage of an earlier Roland Kirkby to Margaret Copeland, who became the mother of Sir Thomas Broughton (whose daughter Elizabeth married William Thornborough Esq). Some relationship is also suggested by the later marriage of Elizabeth, daughter of William Thornborough Esq., to William Kirkby, son of John Kirkby and the unnamed daughter of a Broughton. ^{[27] [28]}

Perhaps more pertinent is the possibility that this Roland was "Roland Senior", as suggested by their common connections to Broughton and Huddleston.

Research Note:

This profile was previously attached to parents Henry Thornborough and his wife, Elizabeth Booth. These parents are based on a pedigree recorded at the Visitations of Westmorland^[29] and Hampshire,^[3] the early part of which is completely erroneous. It is likely that these parents never existed. A pedigree of the medieval Thornburgh family which cites contemporary records (and is almost completely different to that in the visitations) was compiled by Frederick Ragg and published in 1914 in Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society.^[30]

Sources

1. ↑ See Note
2. ↑ The Heraldic Visitation of Westmoreland, Made in the Year 1615, by Sir Richard St. George, "Musgrave", p. 6. College of Arms, 1753. Musgrave
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Pedigrees from the visitation of Hampshire made by Thomas Benolt, Clarenceulx a 1530 ... as collected by Richard Mundy in Harleian ms. no. 1544</i> 1913. "Thornburgh", p. 50. Thornburgh
4. ↑ Barnes, Robert W. British Roots of Maryland Families II, Genealogical Publishing Company, 2010. Barnes
5. ↑ E 40/10386 Indenture
6. ↑ "Skelsmergh and Paton," in Records Relating To the Barony of Kendale: Volume 1, ed. William Farrer and John F Curwen (Kendal: Titus Wilson and Son, 1923), 251-264. British History Online, accessed November 8, 2022, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/kendale-barony/vol1/pp251-264.
7. ↑ "Selside and Whitwell," in Records Relating To the Barony of Kendale: Volume 1, ed. William Farrer and John F Curwen (Kendal: Titus Wilson and Son, 1923), 239-250. British History Online, accessed November 8, 2022, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/kendale-barony/vol1/pp239-250.
8. ↑ AALT CP40/788.
9. ↑ Calendar of the Fine Rolls Preserved in the Public Record Office, 1461-1471 Edward IV. Membrane 13, p. 49. CFR</li>
10. ↑ <i>Calendar of the Patent rolls preserved in the Public record office, Edward IV 1461-1467. Membrane 6d, p. 492. CPR
11. ↑ "Townships: Kirkby Ireleth." A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 8. Eds. William Farrer, and J Brownbill. London: Victoria County History, 1914. 392-400. British History Online. Web. 2 November 2022. note # 40.
12. ↑ Calendar of the patent rolls preserved in the Public record office prepared under the superintendence of the deputy keeper of the records, Edward IV and Henry VI, 1466-1477. Membrane 19, p. 264. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1891. Grant
13. ↑ CPR 1466-1477. p. 610. Appendix
14. ↑ CPR 1466-1477. Membrane 5, p. 424. Grant
15. ↑ Calendar of the Fine Rolls Preserved in the Public Record Office 1471-1485, Edward IV. Membrane 13, p. 101. CFR
16. ↑ CPR 1476-85, Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III. Membrane 15, pg. 36. Roland
17. ↑ CPR 1476-85. Membrane 1, p. 181. Deceased
18. ↑ CPR Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III, 1476-85. Membrane 14, p. 169. Deceased
19. ↑ CPR 1476-85 (Richard III), Member 22d, p. 396. Commission
20. ↑ CPR 1476-85, p. 556. Appendix
21. ↑ "Gift" DSTAN/1/23 Gift
22. ↑ AALT CP40/748.
23. ↑ Maskelyne, and H. C. Maxwell Lyte. "Inquisitions Post Mortem, Henry VII, Entries 951-1000." Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem: Series 2, Volume 1, Henry VII. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1898. 407-430. British History Online. Web. 2 November 2022. IPM
24. ↑ Purkiss, Edward. "Political Society in Cumberland and Westmorland 1471-1537", pp. 158-160. Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts./ School of History and Classics/ University of Tasmania./ 2008. Cumberland
25. ↑ Etty, Claire (2005) "Tudor revolution? : royal control of the Anglo-Scottish border, 1483-1530". Durham theses, Durham University, p. 115. Durham
26. ↑ Purkiss, pp. 61-62. Purkiss
27. ↑ Tonge, Thomas. Heraldic visitation of the northern counties in 1530, "THIS YS THE PETIGRE OF ROWLAND THORNBOROUGH, ESQUIER", p. 98-99. College of Arms: Durham [Eng.] : Pub. for the Society by Frances Le Keux, 1863. Thornborough
28. ↑ William Flower, Visitation of Lancashire 1567 "Kirkby of Upraawcliffe", p. 41. Kirkby
29. ↑ The Heraldic Visitation of Westmoreland made in the Year 1615, by Robert Glover, Somerset Herald; to which is added the Subsequent Visitation made in 1612, by Sir Richard St. George, Knt., Norroy King of Arms, (London: John Gray Bell, 1753), p. 26, Thornborough.
30. ↑ Frederick W. Ragg, "Shap and Rosgill and some of the Early Owners," in Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society, New Series, vol. 14, edited by W. G. Collingwood (Kendal: Titus Wilson, 1914), p. 60 Notes to the Thornburgh Portion of the Pedigree.