Kent Ashford
1591 Sir Thomas "Customer" Smythe and wife Alice daughter of Andrew Judde / Judd 1558 and Mary Mirfyn 1542 www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/4259137846/Children -
1. Andrew Smythe (died young) lies at his parents feet
2. Katherine Smythe www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/1160273484/ = Sir Rowland Hayward, Lord Mayor of London = (2) Sir John son of Sir Thomas Scott & Elizabeth Baker of Sissinghurst) = (3) Sir Richard Sandys
3. Mary Smythe = Robert Davis (Davy) of London, Receiver for Wales
4. Ursula Smythe = Simon Harding of London = (2) William Boteler (Butler) - of Bedford
5. Joan (aka Johanna) Smythe = Sir Thomas Fanshawe (d 1601) Esquire of Ware Park.
6. Elizabeth Smythe = Sir Henry son of Thomas Fanshaw who married wife's sister.
7. Symon Smythe (d. 1596), killed at Cadiz, Spain
8 . Robert Smythe of Highgate = Ann daughter of William Lynford
9 . Henry Smythe of Corsham (Died before 1591) = Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Owen, JP
10. Sir John Smythe (eldest son) of Ostenhanger = Elizabeth (m 1576) daughter of Sir John Fineaux, Chief Justice of the King's Bench www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/2040030634/in/photostr...
11. Sir Richard Smythe of Leeds Castle = Elizabeth daughter of Sir Thomas Scott, widow of John Knatchbull (m 1589) = (2) Jane daughter of John White of London, widow of Samuel Thornhill
www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/2039212441/
12. Sir Thomas Smythe of Bidborough, Governor of East India Company, Treasurer of Virginia Company (1558-1624/5) = Judith daughter of Richard Culverwell = (2) Jone daughter of William Hobbs = (3) Sarah daughter of William Blount) www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/4394074341/
13. Alyce Smythe = Sir William Harris of Crixes, Woodham, Essex.
Customer Smythe was a younger son of John Smythe (d. 1538), a substantial yeoman and clothier, who married a daughter of Thomas Brounker. To Thomas, his younger son, born in 1522, he left a farm in the Hundred of Amesbury, Wilts, of the value of £20 per annum. Thomas, who must have been about 16 at the time of his father's death, came up to London with the intention of seeking his fortune.
Thomas took up his freedom in his father's guild, the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, and subsequently in the Worshipful Company of Skinners, which may account for his intimate connection with Sir Andrew Judde, Lord Mayor of London in 1550, whose daughter Alice he married c1554.
In the reign of Mary I of England Smythe purchased the Office of the Customs from a Mr. Cocker, for the sum of £2500. He was confirmed in his appointment at the Customs on the accession of Elizabeth I in 1558, and continued in the office for a period of eleven years. In 1567 he appears to have incurred her Majesty's severe displeasure, having been accused of issuing privy warrants whereby a loss of revenue was sustained, to the extent of some £6000; and it was only through the kind intervention of his friend William Cecil, Lord Burghley that he escaped imprisonment. Cecil persuaded the Queen to be lenient, as if time were allowed he would doubtless pay up, but if he were imprisoned her Majesty would be the loser.
The increasing wealth of the Customer only tends to shew that his gains were large; and Elizabeth, ever on the watch to replenish her exchequer, did not fail to require larger and larger fines for a renewal of the leases; with these demands he at length found himself unable to comply, and in consequence he again fell under her Majesty's severe displeasure. His October 1589 counteroffer of a more modest payment was rejected. His increasing infirmities and the weight of his Royal Mistress's displeasure combined to shorten his life. He died 7 June 1591 1625 In his Will he founded a charitiy which still provides pensions for elderly people in the Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells area (wikpedia)
Kent Ashford
1591 Sir Thomas "Customer" Smythe and wife Alice daughter of Andrew Judde / Judd 1558 and Mary Mirfyn 1542 www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/4259137846/Children -
1. Andrew Smythe (died young) lies at his parents feet
2. Katherine Smythe www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/1160273484/ = Sir Rowland Hayward, Lord Mayor of London = (2) Sir John son of Sir Thomas Scott & Elizabeth Baker of Sissinghurst) = (3) Sir Richard Sandys
3. Mary Smythe = Robert Davis (Davy) of London, Receiver for Wales
4. Ursula Smythe = Simon Harding of London = (2) William Boteler (Butler) - of Bedford
5. Joan (aka Johanna) Smythe = Sir Thomas Fanshawe (d 1601) Esquire of Ware Park.
6. Elizabeth Smythe = Sir Henry son of Thomas Fanshaw who married wife's sister.
7. Symon Smythe (d. 1596), killed at Cadiz, Spain
8 . Robert Smythe of Highgate = Ann daughter of William Lynford
9 . Henry Smythe of Corsham (Died before 1591) = Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Owen, JP
10. Sir John Smythe (eldest son) of Ostenhanger = Elizabeth (m 1576) daughter of Sir John Fineaux, Chief Justice of the King's Bench www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/2040030634/in/photostr...
11. Sir Richard Smythe of Leeds Castle = Elizabeth daughter of Sir Thomas Scott, widow of John Knatchbull (m 1589) = (2) Jane daughter of John White of London, widow of Samuel Thornhill
www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/2039212441/
12. Sir Thomas Smythe of Bidborough, Governor of East India Company, Treasurer of Virginia Company (1558-1624/5) = Judith daughter of Richard Culverwell = (2) Jone daughter of William Hobbs = (3) Sarah daughter of William Blount) www.flickr.com/photos/52219527@N00/4394074341/
13. Alyce Smythe = Sir William Harris of Crixes, Woodham, Essex.
Customer Smythe was a younger son of John Smythe (d. 1538), a substantial yeoman and clothier, who married a daughter of Thomas Brounker. To Thomas, his younger son, born in 1522, he left a farm in the Hundred of Amesbury, Wilts, of the value of £20 per annum. Thomas, who must have been about 16 at the time of his father's death, came up to London with the intention of seeking his fortune.
Thomas took up his freedom in his father's guild, the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, and subsequently in the Worshipful Company of Skinners, which may account for his intimate connection with Sir Andrew Judde, Lord Mayor of London in 1550, whose daughter Alice he married c1554.
In the reign of Mary I of England Smythe purchased the Office of the Customs from a Mr. Cocker, for the sum of £2500. He was confirmed in his appointment at the Customs on the accession of Elizabeth I in 1558, and continued in the office for a period of eleven years. In 1567 he appears to have incurred her Majesty's severe displeasure, having been accused of issuing privy warrants whereby a loss of revenue was sustained, to the extent of some £6000; and it was only through the kind intervention of his friend William Cecil, Lord Burghley that he escaped imprisonment. Cecil persuaded the Queen to be lenient, as if time were allowed he would doubtless pay up, but if he were imprisoned her Majesty would be the loser.
The increasing wealth of the Customer only tends to shew that his gains were large; and Elizabeth, ever on the watch to replenish her exchequer, did not fail to require larger and larger fines for a renewal of the leases; with these demands he at length found himself unable to comply, and in consequence he again fell under her Majesty's severe displeasure. His October 1589 counteroffer of a more modest payment was rejected. His increasing infirmities and the weight of his Royal Mistress's displeasure combined to shorten his life. He died 7 June 1591 1625 In his Will he founded a charitiy which still provides pensions for elderly people in the Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells area (wikpedia)