Woodhouse of Bretforton and Salwarpe, Worcestershire - 16th Century

[rainbowdragon]

(Note, it is a good idea, when reading through parish registers transcripts, to see if there is any other information after the transcripts.)

I have been tracing my Woodhouse family of Salwarpe for some years now.

The earliest proven Woodhouse ancestor was William Woodhouse and his wife Katherine; his widow was mentioned in a document dating to around 1538 to 1544 and was mentioned in the 1560 will of her grandson Hugh Woodhouse.

Their son was Richard Woodhouse whose will dated to 1554. His eldest son was William. Other common family names included Alice and Katherine.

On to the Bretforton connection

I was looking through my Bretforton transcripts today, when I discovered a whole lot more information than I expected.

One was the transcript of the will of John Woodhouse, vicar of Bretforton, dated to 1530, and I immediately noticed he left a legacy to the church at Salwarpe. In his will he mentions his brother Richard's eldest son, his sister Joan, wife of Thomas Charlott, his sister Margaret, wife of William Ewens, his sister Alice, wife of ? Tandy, other brothers and sisters, and his parents, both unnamed.

The PDF also included family trees of these people but, alas, no name for the parents of John, Richard, Joan, Margaret, and Alice.

The timing looks right for this John to be the brother of Richard Woodhouse.

Other than checking for the wills of the near relatives, and I already know that they left some, can anyone think of anything else I can do to try and prove the connection (if any) between John and Richard?

(Note 2: I am really hating Henry VIII right now. In John's will he asked to be buried at Evesham, Abbey, and Henry VIII destroyed it 10 years later)

[kiterunner]

You could look for any mention of them in "visitations".

[rainbowdragon]

A good idea, thanks. :) The Woodhouses of Salwarpe don't appear, but the other families might very well.

Also, I found another possible lead. :)

Reading through the PDF more closely, I found that John Woodhouse, supposedly, was entitled to bear arms, and a description of those arms.

After finding out that my distant uncle Arthur Allen (17th century) was using arms without permission, and how common that sort of thing was back in those days, I'm not overly confident about this lead.

Still, I sent an email to the College of Arms, just in case.

[Mary from Italy]

In case it comes in useful:

Wodehouse, or Woodhouse, of Boycott, Salwarf>e, where the
family had a large estate. The last of them is said to
have died in great poverty at the end of the last century.
— Sable, a chevron or gutt6e de sang between three
cinquefoils ermine. (N.)

These are the arms of the ancient Norfolk family of Wodehouse,
now Earls of Kimberley. John Woodhouse, of Salwarpe, disclaimed
arms at the Visitation of 1634.

https://archive.org/stream/heraldryworcest01grazgoog/heraldryworcest01grazgoog_djvu.txt

[rainbowdragon]

That's a pretty good indication, then, that they weren't entitled to those arms. :(

I thought as much, but I was still a little hopeful. Thanks for that.

[Mary from Italy]

I haven't read the whole thing, but if you look at the link, there's an explanation of how and why people disclaimed arms.

[Mary from Italy]

Have you seen the 1574 will of Richard Woodhouse of Salwarpe? It's on Ancestry.

[rainbowdragon]

Thanks. I'll read through it later. That is the link. :)

[rainbowdragon]

Have you seen the 1574 will of Richard Woodhouse of Salwarpe? It's on Ancestry.

Yes, I have copies of all the Salwarpe Woodhouse wills up to 1700.

[rainbowdragon]

I haven't read the whole thing, but if you look at the link, there's an explanation of how and why people disclaimed arms.

Okay, so some disclaimed arms to avoid expense.

I guess I'll know for certain once the College of Arms gets back to me.