Sir Oliver Starkey of Malta c1565
squeak
track down more information about him? This is the sum total of my knowledge
of him.
<story begins>
In Malta, there is a house, at 36 Merchants Street Valletta, which was
occupied in the late 16th Century by a Sir Oliver Starkey. He was the only
English Knight at the Great Siege of 1565, and Latin Secretary to Grand
Master La Valette.
Sir Oliver was born in 1523 and was descended from a longstanding Cheshire
yeoman family. Several members of his family held high office in Henry
VIII's court. There is no record extant of Sir Oliver's admission to the
Order of St John, but by letters Patent signed by Queen Mary, dated April
2nd 1557, the Order of England was restored and Sir Oliver inducted as
Commander of Quennington Priory, an appointment he held until his death.
The first mention of Sir Oliver in Malta was in September 1558 after a group
of English Knights had set out from England to re-establish the dormant
Langue. Throughout the period from his arrival in Malta until La Valette's
death in 1568, Sir Oliver was appointed to undertake numerous important and
sensitive missions. During the Great Siege, Sir Oliver was made responsible
for a section of the defences of St Angelo. In the remaining twenty three
years between the Great Siege and his death, Sir Oliver held high office
under three succeeding Grand Masters to La Valette. In 1578 he was appointed
Great Prior to the then defunct Order of St John in England. He died in
March 1588.
<story ends>
Graham Starkey
Canberra, Australia
squ...@ozemail.com.au
AJones9446
Lancashire and Cheshire Historical Society vol 55 (1940), p.95, Oliver Starkey
was a natural son of Hugh Starky (sic) the Younger, of Oulton, Cheshire, whose
brass is inside St Chad's church, Over, Cheshire. Hugh Starky died without
legitimate issue and his brother James was his heir. The account says that
Oliver was a "Knight of Malta" and subsequently Grand Master, (but this is
presumably an error for Great Prior).
Hugh Starky the younger was son and heir of Hugh Starky of Oulton, whose wife
was Margaret, a daughter of Philip Egerton. They were buried in Over church and
there was once an altar tomb and brasses in respect of them.
The article says that the family was related to the Starkies of Huntroyde,
Lancashire, who are apparently mentioned in Burke's Landed Gentry, 1936.
There is a Starkey pedigree in the Heralds' Visitation of Cheshire 1580 (though
it does not mention Oliver Starkey in it).
There is a reference to Hugh Stark(e)y and links from him, in the webpage
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hollow/9824/d0005/g0000090.html
but I do not know if the information there is reliable.
Presumably Ormerod's Cheshire would be a good source to check on if anyone has
easy access to it.
Alan Jones
AJones9446
younger was "Gentleman Usher to Henry VIII".
Alan Jones
Mike Gallafent
<squ...@ozemail.com.au> writes
>Does anyone know anything about this guy? Or have any thoughts about how to
>track down more information about him?
transcripts by the Chetham Society:
Starkey John, of Aughton, 1527, Vol. 33
Starkey Hugo, of Olton, 1526, Vol. 33
Starkey Margaret, pr. 1526, widow of Hugo, Vol. 33
Starkey Richard, of Stretton, pr. 1527-8, Vol. 33
Starkie Thomas, of Stretton, 1547, Vol. 33
Starkey Hugh, of Oulton, pr. 1577, Vol. 51
Starkie Henry, of Aughton, 1593, Vol. 54
Starkey James, of Alton Lowe (inventory) 1557, Vol. 3 New Series
Starkey Peter, of Hough, Wilmslow, 1753, Vol. 37 New Series
Check county record office for photocopies.
Hugh Sterky was a Serjeant of arms of the King's Chamber at the
coronation of Henry VIII. (Letters & Papers Henry VIII)
--
Mike.
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Mike Gallafent - 57, Western Elms Ave, Reading, Berks, RG30 2AL England
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