Thomas Chandler

Thomas Chandler, son of Thomas Chandler and Agnes (…), was born about 1528.¹ He died before 4 June 1611,¹ when he was buried at Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, England.²

Thomas married Joan Page, daughter of John Page and Katherine (…), say 1550.¹

As for the children of Thomas, and his brothers John and Robert, Richardson noted in 1998, "The evidence presented regarding the degree of kinship was, however, inconclusive and, and, in my judgment, less than persuasive." The Moriarty article was originally compiled by J. Gardner Bartlett. Both are fine, reputable genealogists, but their rationale for how they sorted out the children of the three Chandler brothers (John, Thomas, and Robert) all having children in the same parish at roughly the same time, is not fully explained. There are separate notes for each of them:

John: "As he left no will, and as the parish registers of Bishops-Stortford do not give the names of the parents of children baptized before 1580, the names of his children are not known with certainty, but are probably as here given."

Thomas: "He left no will and, as the parish registers do not give the names of the parents of infants baptized prior to 1580, the names of all his children cannot be given with certainty; but there is proof that he had at least three children, Barbara, Henry, and Edward."

Robert: "He left no will; and, as the parish registers do not give the names of the parents of infants baptized prior to 1580, the list of his children that follows, while probably correct, should not be considered as positively proved."

The phrase ". . . not. . . positively proved." probably should apply to all three men. The notes emphasize that the registers do not have parent's names, but do not address how the authors identified the children said to be born before the registers start (1561). The article indicates there are 19 children of the three men, John, 4; Thomas, 9; and Robert, 6. Of these, the article gives baptisms for none of John's children; 3 of Thomas'; and 5 of Robert's. That Anne was daughter of John, and that Barbara was daughter of Thomas is shown by the will of the daughter's grandfather, Thomas Chandler.

Richardson pointed out that William Dennison and his father-in-law, Tobias Chandler both were witnesses to the will of Henry Chandler, suggesting a closer relationship than proposed in the Moriarty/Bartlett article. A chance discovery of the will of John Page shows that Tobias was a son of Thomas, confirms that Barbara was a daughter, and adds a previously unknown son, Raphael. The remaining children given by Moriarty, Richardson notes as "possible."^3,4

Thomas Chandler is first seen in the records of a subsidy of 4 Edward VI (1549/50-1550/1), when as "Thomas Chaundler jun." he was assessed at Stortford 10s. on goods. He was taxed in subsequent subidies as follows:⁵
In 1556, Henry Hoye was querent v. Thomas Chaundeler and his wife Joane, deforciants, for a messuage and lands in Stortford.⁵ Also in 1556, Roger Apryce, gentleman, and Lucy his wife, conveyed lands in Thorley, Hertford, by fine to Thomas Chandler. The same year, Thomas Chaundeler and Joan, his wife, conveyed a messuage in Bishop's Stortford, Hertford by fine to Henry Hoye. In 1561, Thomas Chandler and Joan his wife conveyed lands in Thorley by fine to John Wylley. Also in 1561, Thomas Chandler, Joan his wife and Katherine Page, widow, conveyed messuages and lands in Puckeriedge, Standon, and Braughing, by fine to John Warde.² In 1578, Richard Comfrey was ordered to open a right of way for Thomas Chanundler "to go and come to and from Southmill field."⁶

At sessions of 13 Apr and 27 Sep 1577 he served as a juror at the court of the manor of Bishop's Stortford and at courts held 5 Apr 1578, 12 Apr 1580, 4 Apr 1581, 24 Sep 1583, and 30 Mar 1585, he was one of the chief pledges. In 1606, Tobias Chaundeler Sr., appeared as essoin (for essoiner, one who offers an excuse for the non-appearance of another) for Thomas at a court of the manor of Pigotts in Bishop's Stortford.⁶

Thomas was churchwarden at Bishop's Stortford in 1562, 1563, and 1574. He also appears many times in the churchwardens account books:⁵
The churchwarden's rental accounts provide evidence for the relationship between Thomas and two of his sons, Henry and Edward. In 1592 Philologus Bush and Robert Smith held a double tenement in South Street, formerly Bowyers, hwere they resided, each paying 6d. per year. The next year the said double tenement was held by Philolgus Bush and Thomas Chandler, the latter evidently having secured Smith's moiety. Philologus Bush and Thomas Chandler reside there yearly until 1600 when Thomas is succeeded by Henry Chandler. Philologus Bush and Henry Chandler appear there yearly until 1619 when the latter is succeeded by his widow. This shows that Henry received from his father that half tenement.⁵

After Thomas died in 1611, the rent rolls record that Edward Chandeler held Lowemeade, late Thomas Chandler's and formerly Mr. Thompson's, showing that Edward was also a son of Thomas.⁷