Complete Peerage Addition: Sir Thomas de Astley, 3rd Lord Astley
Douglas Richardson
Complete Peerage, 1 (1910): 283–284 (sub Astley) has a brief account
of Sir Thomas de Astley, 3rd Lord Astley, of Astley, Bentley,
Weddington, and Wolvey, Warwickshire. The death date of Sir Thomas de
Astley is apparently not known. However, Complete Peerage says that
Sir Thomas de Astley was "living 3 May 1366."
Sir Thomas de Astley was surely dead sometime before 1388, when his
son and heir, Sir William de Astley, was granted a license to grant a
rent charge of 40s. on his manor of Bentley, Warwickshire to the
collegiate church of Astley, Warwickshire [see Cal. Patent Rolls,
1385-1389 (1900): 485].
So exactly when did Sir Thomas de Astley die? To date, I've been
unable to find an exact date of death for Sir Thomas. However, I
recently found new evidence that he was living as late as 21 July
1381, when he presented John de Wyngleye, clerk, as Canon of Erdbury
[Reference: National Archives, E 326/5845; Ancient Deeds - Ser. B 2
(List & Index Soc. 101) (1974): B.5845].
The published and online versions of this record state that the date
of this document is 15 Richard II [1391-1392], which date is
impossible. As such, I consulted with Dr. Adrian Jobson, Medieval
Records Specialist with the National Archives, who kindly checked the
actual record. After checking the document, he states that the
correct date of this record is 21 July 1381. He has requested that
the record in the online Catalogue be changed to show the correct
date.
For interest's sake, the following is a list of the 17th Century New
World immigrants that descend from Sir Thomas de Astley, 3rd Lord
Astley:
Barbara Aubrey, Christopher Batt, Elizabeth Bosvile, George, Giles &
Robert Brent, Charles Calvert, Matthew Clarkson, Humphrey Davie,
Muriel Gurdon, Mary Launce, Nathaniel Littleton, Percival Lowell,
Simon Lynde, Thomas Owsley, Mary Johanna Somerset.
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah