Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Burial: 18 December 1614.
Place of Burial: Dudley (St Thomas).
Thomas was described as “Old Thomas Darbye”.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Isabel.
Thomas mentioned his wife Isabel in his will. Isabel was buried 14 December 1614 in St Thomas, Dudley.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Anne Darby married Richard Parkes.
Joan Darby married John Bache.
Frances Darby married William Thornes.
Evidence
from the Dudley Archives catalogue:
Conveyance: Withymore Mill
10 October 1587
Bargain and sale by Henry Tailor of Northfeilde, Worcs. yeoman and John Taylor of the same, weaver (his brother), to Thomas Darby of the parish of Dudley, Worcs., nailor, of a messuage in the latter's occupancy in the parish of Dudley, and Withymore Mill, and lands called the Mill Meere, adjoining the mill pool, Hill Leasow adjoining Withymore Coppice, and the More Shotten; consideration of 62 10/-.
Thomas’s will:
[It is difficult or impossible to read the right side of the will, on the digital image.]
[1] In the name of God Amen The /Tenthe daie of February in the years of our Lord God [illegible]
[2] eight according to the Computation of England and in the sixth yere of the Raigne of our sov[er]aigne Lord James by the grace [of God] and …
[3] kinge of England France and Ireland defender of the faithe &c and in the twoe and fortiethe yeare of the raigne of … I Thomas
[4] Darbye dwellinge nere unto Wythmoore Mill within the p[ar]ish of Dudley in the Countie of Worcester yeoman beinge in [...] p[er]fecte
[5] health mynde and memory (God be thankd for it) doe make ordayne and dispose this my last will and Testamen’t as [...] and
[6] forminge[?] the disposinge only of Certaine of my messuages Cottages watermill lands Tenements and hereditaments with their appur
[7] tenances scituate lying and beinge within the p[ar]ishe and teraine of Dudley aforesaid in the said County of Worcester in manner and
[8] Forme followinge That is to day First I bequeath my soule to Allmightie God my maker, Redemer …Saviour Jesus … and my
[9] bodie to be buryed in the Church yeard of Dudley aforesaid And I geve will and bequeath unto Richard P[arkes] my sonn
[10] in Lawe and to anne his wieffe my dawghter all that my messuages Cottages or Tenements with their appurtenances S…
[11] and buildings therto belonginge whearin I the said Thomas doe now dwell, and the Garden Orchard …
[12] belonginge, and one leasowe Closse or pasture ?relea.. ? the said messuage or Tenement …
[13] and beinge called the hill[?] Leasowe with[?] all and singuler their appurtenances To have and to hould…
[14] Cottage or Tene’nt and other the p[re]miss’s withall and avery their appurenances which the said Rychard..
[15] his nowe weiff to their only use and behooffe for and duringe their naturall lives and …
[16] of Them without[?] impeachment of any waste and before the deceasse of them the said Richard and …
[17] to hould the same p[re]misses with thapp[ur]tenances and the Revercon[?] thereof unto Richard …sonne…
[18] and to the heires of his bodie Lawfully begotten and to be begotten to his and their …
[19] default of suche yssue Then the Remaynder thereof to the use and behoffe of the…
[20] her Father and Anne his now wieffe for ever To be holden of the Chieffe Lords of the fee thereof by the R… ..
[21] One and of right accustomed And I give, will, unto John Bache my sonne in Lawe…
[22] my dawghter all that Cottage of tenem’t wherein the said John Bache now dwelleth withall …Smythes …
[23] and buyldings Orchard gardaine and backsyd therto belonginge and one Leasow Closse or pasture…adioyninge
[24] called the Mooreshuttinge, withall and singular their appurtenances To have and to hould the same Cottages or Tenements
[25] and other the p[re]miss’s last afore menconed with their appurtenances unto the said John Bache and Joane his wieffe to their
[26] only use and behoffe of them the said John Bache and Joane and of the heires of their bodies…and …lawfull…
[27] and to be begotten for ever To be holden of the Chieffe Lords of the Fee thereof by the rents and s[er]vices…
[28] and of right accustomed And I give will and bequeathe unto William Thornes my sonne …
[29] wieffe all that my water Corne mill called wythemoore mill, with the millpoole or pondes F…
[30] watercourse and fearme thereto belonginge with thapp[ur]tenances And one Cottage or Tenement called…
[31] Adioyninge to the said mill And twoo other Cottags or Tenements standinge on the other syde …
[32] with the Smythes howsinge gardeines & backsyds to them and every and any of them belonginge: And …
[33] meadowe calle the Millmore to the said Mill belonginge and adioyninge with all and singular …
[34] To have and to holde the said water Mill Cottages and other the p[re]misses last afore menconed with all and singular their appurtenances
[35] unto the said William Thornes and Franc’s his wieffe to thonly use and behooffe of the said William Thornes and Frances…
[36] and of the heires of their bodies betweene them Lawfully begotten and to be begotten for ever/ To be holden of the Cheeffe Lords …
[37] fee thereof by the Rents and ??Fines? thereof first did, and of right accustomed. and Yet never thelesse I further ..
[38] that all the aforesaid Messuags Cottags watermill Lands Tenements and Hereditaments afore [sp…d] and all In…
[39] the p[re]misses with thapp[ur]tenances shall first wholly remayne and be to Isabell my wieffe and her assignes for and
[40] the tyme & Tearme of her Natural lieff: And after her decesse then to the uses afore said any th…
[41] this my p[re]sent will and Testamt to the contrary not withstanding And I ordaine and make the said…ker
[42] and John Bache my sonns in Lawe the full Executors of this my p[re]sent last will and testament And I appoynt …
[43] William Thornes my sonne in lawe to be [supervisor] thereof, to see the same well and truly p[er]formed ..
[44] I have to this my p[re]sent last will and testament putt my hand and seale dated the daie and …
[45] Written:// The marke T of Tho: Darbye //
Commentary
In his 1580 will William Darby of Rowley left his smithy tools to his son Thomas Darby. In a list a debts owing to the testator appears “Thomas Darbie of withmoremill – vjs viijd”. The Thomas Darbie of withmore mill is pretty clearly the Thomas of this page, but there doesn’t seem to be enough evidence to identify him with William’s son with certainty.
References
Will of Thomas Darby of Dudley. Proved 1614 in the Consistory Court of Worcester. Digital images on FamilySearch.org.
Will of William Darby of Rowley. Proved 1581 in the Consistory Court of Worcester. Digital images on FamilySearch.org.