Thomas Greve
Also spelled Greves, Grevis, Grevys
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: 1550.
Place of Death: unknown (probably King’s Norton, Worcestershire).
Thomas made his will 26 March 1550 and Isabel is described as a widow in a deed poll of 10 December 1550. A Thomas Greves was buried 9 September 1549 in King’s Norton.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Isabel.
Isabel is named in Thomas’s will. Brassington (p. 291) states that “Isabel, the wife of Thomas Grevis, is supposed to have been one of the sisters, or daughters, of John Middlemore of Hazelwell, Isabel being a common Christian name in that family.” The use of the name Isabel in itself can hardly be considered strong evidence, but perhaps the Chancery case cited below would show that Isabel was in fact a Middlemore (I have not seen the documents.)
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Richard Greve
Martin Greve
John Greve (buried 21 June 1582 in King’s Norton - abode Horestocke (Warstock)).
William Greve
Alice Greve (buried 4 October 1591 in King’s Norton) married John Rotten.
Margaret Greve married John Chamber.
Mary Greve
Evidence
In the register of members of the Guild of Knowle, several Greves are attested:
1468:
Thomas Greve et Johanna ux’ eius
1486:
Thomas Grevys et Alicia vx’ eius de Knolle
1496:
Johes Greves et Margeria vx ei’ de Norton
1498:
Johes Grevis Syngulman
1506:
John Greve et elisabeth
Elizabz greve et Johis greve de Kingisnorton
Thomas Greuys et Isabella vx’ eius easdem [Norton]
1511:
Isabel’ Greves vx’ Thome Greves de nortton
1520:
“tempore Thome Grevys de Kyngis Norton…” [i.e. Thomas Grevys was master of the guild.]
Rychard greve de norton
Annys greve sen’ de Kyngisnorton
Arms were granted to Thomas Grevis in 1523 (or 1528). (The Genealogist v. 6;, Brassington, p. 292, Ex Libris Journal p. 120)
In a 1529 charter “Thomas Greves at the Horestok” and “John Greve” appear. (Smith, p. 86).
A 1531 grant (National Archives Catalogue MS 3375/427748):
Grant from John Praty of Yardley to Thomas Greve of Kingisnorton of lands in Yardley called Smethes croft and Ravynshurst
1 December 1531
A 1535 deed poll (National Archives Catalogue MS 3375/432063):
Deed poll whereby John Bonde, gent., John Waldiss, gent., and Richard Totie, late of the city of Coventry, William Norton of Coventry, draper, and John Baker of Solihull, co. War., chaplain, grant, at the request of Baldewin Porter, son of John Porter, gent., to Thomas Greve of Norton Regis King's Norton lands and tenements within the lordship of Solihull.
31 December 1535
A 1538 grant (National Archives Catalogue MS 3375/428450):
Grant from Thomas Greve of Norton Regis King's Norton to William Greve, his son, of lands in Solyhull Solihull, co War., and in Norton Regis and Yardeley Yardley and of an annual rent arising from lands and tenements in Moseley, to hold upon conditions recited.
30 September 1538
A 1538 grant (National Archives Catalogue MS 3375/428451):
Grant from William Greve, son of Thomas Greve of King's Norton, to the said Thomas Greve, of lands in Solyhull Solihull, co. War., and in Norton Regis King's Norton and Yardeley Yardley and of an annual rent arising from lands and tenements in Moseley.
3 October 1538.
A Chancery case from 1544-1551 (National Archives Catalogue C 1/1272/39-43):
Short title: Tong v Greves.
Plaintiffs: Richard TONG and others, executors of Thomas Broke of London, merchant tailor.
Defendants: Thomas GREVES of King's Norton, yeoman.
Subject: Action by defendant for wood in a pasture called Over Ormesley, bought of the said Broke, formerly of the abbot and convent of Bordesley. Worcestershire
The 1544 will of William Middlemore mentions that he owns a mill leased by Thomas Grevys.
from the Calendar of Patent Rolls 1549:
from a list of rents “heretofore given to the support of the priests in the late services of Holy Trinity, St. Mary and St. Michael in the church of Kynges Norton and chapel of Moseley within the parish of Kynges Norton”: …Thomas Greve…William Greve, Elizabeth Greve, … John Rotton …,Richard Beddell, Roger Beddell, … Thomas Greve, John a Rotten, …
A similar list contains: … Richard Byddyll, John Rotton, John Greve, …Roger Biddill “in Kynges Norton, Moseley and Yerdley or elsewhere, Worc.”
Thomas’s will:
In the name of god amen The xxvjti daie of the monthe of March in the fourth yere of the Reigne of oure moste dreade soueraigne Lord Edwarde the sixt by the grace of go kinge of England Fraunce and Ireland defendor of the faithe and of the Churche of England and Irelande supreme hedd/ I Thomas Greve of Hoorestocke within the parishe of Kingisnorton wheler being of hole mynde and in god p[er]fytt remembraunce laude and prayse be unto almightie god make and ordeyne this my p[rese]nte Testament concernyng herein my last will in maner and forme folowing that ys to saye First I comende my soule unto almightie god my maker and redemer and my bodye to be buryed within the Church of Saynt Nicholas in kingisnorton aforesaid/ Item I give and bequeath unto the poore mens Chest iiij d Item I will that such debtes and duties as I owe of right or of [...] to any persone or persones be well and truly contented and paide by myn Executrix executor or executors hereafter namyd or els ordeyned so to be paide withoute any delaye or contradiction Item I give bequeath unto my sonne Richard in money and money worthe twentie poundes/ Item I give and bequeathe unto my sonne Marten tenne poundes/ Item I give and bequeath unto my sonne John Greve fyve markes/ Item I give and bequeath unto William Greve my sonne five markes/ Item I gyve and bequeath unto Marten my sonne aforenamed fyve marks. Item I give and bequeath to Richard my sonne aforenamed five marks/ Item I give and bequeath to Alice Ratton my doughter five marks. Item I give and bequeathe to Marget Chamber my doughter five marks/ Item I give and bequeathe to mary my yongest daughter fyve marks/ Item I give and bequeathe to my servante Thomas Chedon tenne shillings/. Item I give unto every servante dwelling in my house at the daye of my departing vjs viijd/ And of this my present testament I ordeyne and make Isibell my wyfe hole and soole Executrix but upon this condicon that she do performe all the contents and bequests heretofore named and bequeathed according to my will and mynde, But and yf thaforesaid Isabel my wyf do denye or not performe the contents and bequests hereof according to my will and mynde other in parte or in all/ that then John Ratton John Greve William Greve Richard Greve and John Chamber my sonnes whome I ordeyne and make ouerseers of this my last will shall enter all as Executors unto this my Last will and then Isabell my wyfe to have (my debts being paid and my bequests performed all the residue of my goodes not given nor bequeathed unto her and her use/ These beinge witnesses George Myddlemore gent Thomas Rattsey gent John Prattye gent John Ratton John Perte with other moo
[Proved 8 June 1551]
A 1550 deed poll (National Archives Catalogue MS 3375/428456):
Deed poll whereby John Greve of Moseley, yeoman, grants to Isabelle Greve, widow, messuages, lands and tenements at Whorestocke in the parish of Norton Regis King's Norton.
10 December 1550
A Chancery case from 1558-1579 (National Archives catalogue C 3/77/95):
Grevys v Myddlemore.
Plaintiffs: Richard Grevys.
Defendants: Simon Myddlemore and Jane Myddlemore.
Subject: property in Moseley, Worcestershire.
References
Brassington, W. Salt. Historic Worcestershire. 1894.
Carter, William Fowler. The Records of King Edward’s School Birmingham v. 1 (The Dugdale Society, 1924).
Grant, H. M. and E. A. B. Barnard. “The Parish and Church of Kingsnorton: Being some Record of Recent Documentary Researches” in Transactions of the Worcestershire Archaeological Society for 1924-1925. v. 2 new series.
Journal of the Ex Libris Society v. 1 (1892).
The Register of the Guild of Knowle in the County of Warwick (W.B. Bickley ed.), Birmingham and Midland Institute, 1894.
Smith, Toulmin. Memorials of Old Birmingham (1864).
Will of Thomas Greve. Proved 1551 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.