Thomas Vavasour (knight marshal)
Sir Thomas Vavasour | |
---|---|
Member of Parliament for Wootton Bassett | |
In office 1584–1586 | |
Member of Parliament for Wootton Bassett | |
In office 1586–1589 | |
Member of Parliament for Malmesbury | |
In office 1589–1589 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 1560 Yorkshire, England |
Died | 1620 (aged 59–60) |
Spouse | Mary Dodge |
Children | 4 sons, 2 daughters |
Residence | Captain |
Battles/wars | Arnhem 1585, Netherlands 1587 |
Thomas Vavasour (1560–1620) was an English soldier, courtier and Member of Parliament.[citation needed]
He came from a
In 1576 he married Mary, daughter and heiress of John Dodge of Copes[where?], Suffolk, widow of Peter Houghton, alderman of London. They had four sons and two daughters.[citation needed]
He became involved in court scandal and rivalry through the actions of his elder sister, Anne.[citation needed]
He was Member of
In August 1585 he fought in the Netherlands as
He is thought to have been knighted before August 1595, though the record is unclear.[citation needed]
Following military service he was a gentleman pensioner until the death of the Queen at Richmond Palace in March 1603. Following the accession of James I, Vavasour was made Butler of the port of London, earning him £1,000 compensation. In 1604 he was appointed Knight Marshal of the Household, a role confirmed to him for life in 1612 but, according to John Chamberlain, he sold the right for £3,000, in 1618, two years before his death.[citation needed]
He returned to parliament in 1609 to represent Boroughbridge after the death in office of Sir John Ferne and was re-elected in 1614 to represent Horsham.[citation needed]
In October 1618 he sold the office of Knight Marshall to Sir Edward Zouch for £3000.[1]
Vavasour's wealth and connection to the court allowed the construction of Ham House in 1610 on land belonging to the Crown. After his death in 1620 the lease passed to John Ramsay, 1st Earl of Holderness, a favourite of the King.[2]
References
- ^ Norman Egbert McClure, Letters of John Chamberlain, vol. 2 (Philadelphia, 1939), p. 173.
- ISBN 9780118875011.