My ancestors - Spring - Contents

Thomas Spring

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • More on Crane in [Visitation of Suffolk].
  • CRANE on p.137 of [Visitation of Suffolk].

Tomb of Thomas Spring (inside carved parclose), Lavenham church.
Photo 2014. See full size.
From jmc4 on Flickr. Used with permission.

Thomas Spring,
"The rich clothier",
of Lavenham, Suffolk, a wealthy wool town.
See wikipedia.
He became the richest inhabitant of Lavenham. Said to be the richest man in England outside the peerage.
He mar Alice Appleton [dau of Thomas Appleton, of Little Waldingfield, Suffolk, by his wife Margery Crane].
He was meant to have two wives, but if so, Alice was the 2nd since she survived him.
He greatly expanded St Peter and St Paul's church in Lavenham, including building "Spring's chapel", on N side of the church. See street view of the massive church.

Thomas dies, 1523:
His will dated 13 June 1523.
He died 29 June 1523 [notice in church].
Will pr 3 July 1523. See transcript of will on p.171 of [Visitation of Suffolk]. (todo) See original.
Elaborate tomb in Lavenham church with a carved parclose. He asked in his will for the construction of "a Tombe with a parclose therabout".
On outside of chapel, on S side of chancel, is memorial to him with arms date 1525.
In E window is memorial to him date 1527.
The Spring arms, as well as the merchant's mark of Thomas Spring, appears over thirty times on the exterior of the building.

Alice dies, 1538:
Alice's will dated 13 Apr 1538. Codicil 31 Aug 1538.
She died Aug-Sept 1538, bur with husband in Lavenham church.
Her will with codicil pr 5 Sept 1538. See transcript of will on p.173 of [Visitation of Suffolk]. (todo) See original.
[Visitation of Suffolk] reads the tomb as saying that Thomas died 1510 and Alice died 20 Jan 1512. But in the same text it shows his will of 1523 and her will of 1538.
Thomas had issue by wife Alice:

1. Robert Spring,
   clothier, of Lavenham.
   He mar Anne Eden [dau of Thomas Eden].
   Visitation of 1561 says Thomas Eden was of London.
   Robert's will dated 8 Oct 1546 (38 Henry VIII).
   New will dated 10 Oct 1547 (1 Edward VI).
   He died 3 Apr 1549 (3 Edward VI).
   Will pr 24 May 1549. See will on p.178 of [Visitation of Suffolk].
   [Visitation of Suffolk] has him having sons with wife Anne Eden, and other issue with another wife "Emme". But in the same text it has his will in which he lists his wife "Augnes" or "Agnes".
   Robert had issue by wife Anne:

   
   

   1. Thomas Spring,
      mar Juliana Fairy [or Julian Fayer, dau of John Fayer, Sheriff of London],
      [Visitation of Suffolk] is confused about his wives, showing him with a 1st wife who is a repeat of his grandfather's wife,
      died 1556,
      had issue:
      1. Capt. Thomas Spring,
         settled in Co.Kerry.

      
      

   2. Nicholas Spring,
      had issue:
      1. Thomas Spring,
         of "Loos Hall, in Walsham" (unidentified).
         [Burkes Landed Gentry, 1879] thought Capt. Thomas of Co.Kerry was son of Nicholas.
         But [Visitation of Suffolk] shows two Thomas Spring cousins.

Rev. Arthur Blennerhassett Rowan visits Lavenham church in 1844 and reads the Spring inscriptions.
From p.132 of [Rowan, 1846].

Detail of parclose around tomb of Thomas Spring.
Photo 2014. See full size.
From jmc4 on Flickr. Used with permission.