13nth Great Grandparents; Lady Joan Larke and Sir George Leigh

Joan Larke 1490–1550

Lady JOAN LARKE of Yarmouth, Norfolk (Mistress of the powerful English Statesman, Churchman, and confident of King Henry VIII, "Cardinal" Thomas Wolsey. She was the mother of his two illegitimate children.) 

Joan Larke was born in 1497 in High Legh, Cheshire, England, the daughter of Ms. Larke and Peter, Thetford inn keepers. She married George Leigh in Adlington, Cheshire, England, in 1520 when she was 23 years old and had six sons and five daughters. She died in 1550 at the age of 53. 

Joan Larke was originally "married" to the infamous Cardinal of Henry the Eighth's time, Cardinal Wolsey.  Although there is no record of the legal marriage they did live together and have two children together, including Thomas Wynter Woolsey, later created Archdeacon of Cornwall 1510-1546.  It seems she was only 13 when she gave birth to him, perhaps 12 when she became pregnant to the Cardinal. As Cardinal Wolsey became more prominent, and necessary to help Henry  VIII divorce Catherine of Aragon, it was necessary to divest himself of his wife and hush up the whole arrangement.  Henry helped him do this by arranging a satisfactory marriage for Joan, to George Leigh. George was awarded houses and property.

George Leigh (1499-1520)

When George Leigh was born in 1499 in Cheshire, England, his father, Thomas Legh, was 49. His mother's name was Katherine Savage. He married Joan Larke in 1520 in Adlington, Cheshire, England. They had five children during their marriage. He died as a young father on June 12, 1529, at the age of 30 in Fleet, London, England. He was a Plantagenet of Anjou descendant.