Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: 26 March 1514.
Place of Burial: Saint Alkmund, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
Mills (p. 82) and Owen/Blakeway (2:288) give the monumental inscription.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Elizabeth Grafton.
This relationship is given by Owen/Blakeway (2:290) and by Morris (p. 285).
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Jane Pontesbury (buried in Chetwynd, Shropshire) married (1) John Onley; married (2) Robert Pigott.
George Pontesbury (died 10 October 1550) married Jane Lacon.
Anne Pontesbury married Richard Banastre.
Evidence
Chancery Pleadings from the National Archives Catalogue:
C 1/53/94
Pontesbury v Adys.
Plaintiffs: Thomas Pontesbury, merchant of the Staple.
Defendants: Roger Adys.
Subject: Messuage in Fransvile, in the suburbs of Shrewsbury, sold to the complainant by the said Adys and two others. Shropshire.
Date: 1475-1480 or 1483-1485.
C 1/64/517
Pontesbury v The Sheriffs of London.
Plaintiffs: Thomas Pontesbury, of Shrewsbury, merchant of the Staple of Calais.
Defendants: The sheriffs of London.
Subject: Refusal of Piers Hous and Margery, his wife, executrix and previously the wife of John Gryme, citizen and grocer of London, to postpone for the attendance of Thomas Grafton, attorney and factor of the complainant, an action of debt brought by them before Robert Billesdon, one of the said sheriffs, against the complainant and Thomas Oteley. Certiorari. London
Date: 1475-1480 or 1483-1485.
C 1/219/52
Pontesbury v Hasilbech.
Plaintiffs: Thomas Pontesbury, merchant of the staple of Calais.
Defendants: Reynold Hasilbech, clerk, and Henry Cook.
Subject: Action of debt upon a bond for the payment of rent for the said Reynold’s parsonage called St Nichase or Trycase in Guisnes. Calais.
Date: 1493-1500.
Chancery: Ancient Deeds from the National Archives Catalogue:
C 146/6503
Conveyance by John Wakyrley, esquire, Richard Skyrmot, gentleman, and John Morborn and Thomas Blokwyn, chaplains, at the request of William Kyng, of Peterborough, draper, to Thomas Grafton, citizen and woolman of London, John, bishop of Ely, Guy Wolston, esquire, Thomas Hille, alderman of London, Thomas and Robert Luyt, gentlemen, and Thomas Pontesbury, of Shropshire, merchant, of their messuage in Peterborough, in le Prestgate, between Dedelane and the abbot's garden, which they held jointly, by the gift of the said William Kyng. 17 August, 2 Richard III.
17 August 1484.
C 146/6585
Quitclaim by William Kyng, of Peterborough, draper, to Thomas Grafton, citizen and woolman of London, John, bishop of Ely, Guy Wolston, esquire, Thomas Hille, alderman of London, Thomas and Robert Luyt, gentlemen, and Thomas Pontesbury, of Shropshire, merchant, of his right in a messuage in Peterborough, in le Prestgate, between Dedelane, the abbot's garden, etc. which they had by the gift of John Wakyrley, esquire, Richard Skyrmot, gentleman, and John Morborn and Thomas Blokwyn, chaplains, who had it by his gift. 19 August, 2 Richard III.
19 August 1484.
C 146/6626
Conveyance by John Trotter, John Drayton, clerk, William Chalk, William Brette, and William Morkyn, to Thomas Grafton, merchant of the Staple of Calais, Robert Brakyngbury knight, Thomas Pontesbury, merchant of the Staple of Calais, Thomas Luyt, William Forster, and Robert Plomer, gentlemen, and Richard Gosselyn, of 16a. land with a garden in Writell and a way leading to 1a. thereof, abutting on the high road from Writell to Blakemore, which land, etc. they had jointly by the demise of Stephen Robgeaunt, William Coope and Edmund Sawell. 23 May, 2 Richard III.
23 May 1485
from the Birmingham Archives:
MS 3192/Acc1941-031/146/4
Recovery: Thomas Pontesbury, John Crowther, Margaret, his wife, Thomas Russell and Johanna his wife.
1482.
from the Shropshire Archives:
3365/67/22v
1467-1468
Thomas Pontesbury a juror
3365/67/23
1469-1470
Thomas Pontesbury elected bailiff
3365/67/24
1473-1474
Thomas Pontesbury elected bailiff
3365/67/25v
1479-1480
Thomas Pontesbury elected bailiff
3365/67/26
1481-1482
Thomas Pontesbury elected bailiff
3365/67/28
1489-1490
Thomas Pontesbury elected bailiff
3365/67/28
1494-1495
Thomas Pontesbury juror
3365/67/112v
1480-1489
Thomas Pontesbury is bailiff (witness)
and:
A certain charter enrolled at the request of John Plowden, Thomas Pontesbury and his wife made before Thomas Mitton and Roger Knyght bailiffs 4 HVII as follows
1 John Plowden son and heir of Edward Plowden once burgess of Shrewsbury dec'd
2 Thomas Pontesbury of Shrewsbury merchant and Elizabeth his wife
1 quitclaims to 2 all right in land which 1 inherited after the death of his father called 'le aldesfeld' within Shrewsbury next to the 'le aldemere parke' <?> lord king from the said town to Ellesmere on one part and the demesne land from Hencote which [belongs?] to Lilleshall abbey <?> parcell of land in the fields or pastures, which pastures belong to John Stury. The 'Aldesfeld' stretches next to the common <?>.
Sealed also with the bailiffs' seal.
Witnesses, Thomas [Mitton], Roger Knyght, bailiffs, Thomas Thornes John Hoord, Thomas Goldesmyth, Richard Wantenor, John Otteley, William <?> John Phelypps and others.
Given in Shrewsbury Saturday in the feast of St James apostle 4 HVII [25 Jul 1489]
6000/3852
1481
Thomas Pontesbury, bailiff, witnesses a demise.
3890/2/1/5
Thomas Pontesbury, then bailiff of Shrewsbury, witnesses a feoffment.
6000/11501
"Sciant presentes,etc". Thomas Knight, son and heir of Roger Knight formerly of Salop, armiger, deceased gives etc. to Adam Grafton, clerk and William Bromhall, chaplain his four tenements situate "in villa Salop - in vico vocat Mardepole" of which two were in the tenure of Roger Adams, one of John Witton, and one of Thomas Marshall, and also land in the fields of Bykton, Hanwood, Asturley, Weston and Walforde in the county of Salop.
Witnesses:- Thomas Mitton and Richards Pontysbury, Baillifs of the toen of Salop, Richard Abbott of Haughmond, Richards Lee of Longely, Roger Kynaston of Walfird, Roger Thomas of Salop, Thomas Pontysbury, sen. Seal attached.
20 Aug 1493
1/84
Hadnal (?)
1. John Newport, esq.
2. Thomas Pontesbury, gent, guardian of the body and land of Richard Banastre, son and heir of John Banastre, Pontesbury has given to John Newport the custody, ward and marriage of Richard, warranting John against any claims for recovery to be made against him or them concerning the wardship of Richard's body or lands by Lady Straunge or any other to her use; John covenants that Richard shall wed one of his daughters at Richard's election on the feast of the assumption next if Richard be ready. John will pay £26.13.4 on sealing of this indenture, £13.6.8 at Michaelmas, £13 6s. 8d. at Annunciation following and that sum from feast to feast until he has paid over to Thomas 120 marks. Thomas grants to John that he may enjoy all lands and tenements to Richard's use during Richard's nonnage of which John Banastre, Richard's father, was siesed in fee simple or fee tail, the lordship of Haddenall' excepted, always provided that Thomas Banastre, brother to Richard, receives 26/8d. yearly to his finding during Richard's nonage.
Thomas Pontesbury to have profits due from Hadden hall next Michaelmas: Thereafter John Newport shall occupy and take them for the use of Richard during his nonage. Thomas is to have the letting and setting of Haddenhall during that period, provided the rents be not lessened. The profits to be employed at the discretion of John and Thomas for the use of Richard.
12th July, 19 Henry VII (1497)
1/83
1. John Newport, Esq.
2. Thomas Pontisbury, gent. Defeasance of Pontesbury's bond under statute staple in 120 marks, see XPHIL1/82, condition Thomas keeps all covenants in his grant of the wardship of Richard Banastre
20th July, 19 Henry VII (1504)
3365/67/62v
1502-1505: Thomas Pontisbury, formerly of Shrewsbury, gent….
Thomas Pontesbury appears frequently in the Exchequer Customs Accounts of the Staplers’ Company. (1481).
The 1508/1510 will of William Pontesbury, merchant of Shrewsbury:
In the name of god amen The ten day of Octobr In the yere of our lorde m vC viij. I William Pontesbury merchaunt of Shrowesbury in my hole mynde bequeth my soule to almighty god to our lady seynt mary and to all the holy company of heven my body to be burie within the churche of seynt Alkmonds afore the high aulter there as my wif Johane was buried. It[em] I will that there be xij tapers of goode wax every taper of vj lb and I will that the vicar haue his duetie that is the hede and the foote and ij tapers to myself to brenne at my sepultur every day /oon to the crosse/ twoo to our lady and seynt Katheryn/ oon to our lady of seynt Marys on to Seynt Wenefred. Item oon to seynt mary Feerhouse and oon to the grayfreehouse under the Well/ Itm I geve & bequeth to Elizabeth my wif my milnes lying within the p[ar]ysshe of Burinton during hir lif naturall/ And after the decesse of the saide Elizabeth my wif I will that Thomas Burynton and Eleyn my doughter haue the saide milnes to theym and to the heyres of their ij bodies lawfully begoten/ and for default of heyres of their ij bodies laufully begoten I will that my doughter Dorothee shall haue the said milnes to hir and to hir heyres of hir body lawfully begoten/ and for defaulte of heyres of the said Dorothee/ than the said milnes to remayn to the next heyre of me the said William Pontesbury and Elizabeth my wif for ever/ Item I geve and graunte to Elizabeth my Wif all other my lands and ten[enmen]ts within the Towne of Shrowesbury & to hir heyres and assignes for evermore/. And the Residue of my goods not bequethed I geve to the said Elizabeth my wif & that she dispose of theym according to hir mynde to the helping and supporting of the marrying of my doughters & paying of my detts And also I ordeyne and make the saide Elizabeth my wif my sole executrice Thies beying Wittnesses Sir Thomas Palmere parson of Burynton Sir William Lynyoll chapleyn Richard Lyster and other/ and for the treuth of the promisses to this my last will I haue putto my seale the day and yere aboue Written/.
[Proved 1510]
In his 1550 will, George Pontesbury asks to be buried “in the churche yarde of Seynt Alkemunde at the quire and by my granfather.” He also names his “cosyn Thomas byryntun.”
References
Morris, Joseph. "The Provosts and Bailiffs of Shrewsbury" in Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society . Volume II (1902).
Owen, Hugh, and John Brickdale Blakeway. A History of Shrewsbury Volume II (1825).
Stephenson, Mill. Monumental Brasses in Shropshire (London, 1895).
Will of George Pontesbury. Proved 1550 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
Will of William Pontesbury. Proved 1510 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.