Privy Purse expenses of Henry VIII—August 1531
Lunn includes a brief mention of a branch of the Tyldesley family at Little Hulton [FN1]:
TYLDESLEY OF THE WICHEVESThere was a branch of the Tyldesleys located for over one and a half centuries at the Wicheves in Little Hulton. This hall, which later became known as the Peel, was in earlier times the property of the Hultons, but towards the close of the fourteenth century was acquired by the Tyldesleys. Thomas son of Henry Tyldesley appears in 1395 and later, James Tyldesley, whose son was Thomas. This James by contract made in 1437 was married to Alice, daughter of Roger Hulton, of the Park. Thomas Tyldesley of the Peel leased Fennyslack in Worsley to James, son of Thomas Mort. A Thomas Tyldesley appears in 1523 and in 1530 the wardship of Thomas, heir of James Tyldesley was claimed by Sir John Brereton. The widow of James, who had remarried and was Lora Browne, was assigned dower out of the lands of William Tyldesley in 1546.WILLIAM TYLDESLEY, 1539Of this member of the Wicheves branch, there is more to relate. He was appointed keeper of the beds and armoury in Windsor Castle in 1539; wages, 6d. a day. with 3d. for his groom. Tyldesley retained this office for many years and though Catholic, held many official posts. He was a justice of the peace for Buckinghamshire and one of the quorum for Bedfordshire in 1562. In the county of Cheshire he had an estate at Barnston. Queen Elizabeth included him in a general pardon, provided he petitioned before June 20, 1559 and paid a fee of 28s. 8d. He mortgaged his estate of Peel in 1550 to Robert Fleetwood and John Stokes. Edmund Fleetwood was later associated with Peel, which hall was acquired by the Morts of Damhouse, Astley.
It is now clear that William Tyldesley was working for Henry VIII before 1539. In 1827 a ledger containing an account of the Privy Purse expenses of Henry VIII from November 1529 to December 1532 came to light. Before it was sold it was transcribed and published. Amongst the entries for August 1531 is the following:
Itm the same day paied to Willm Tyldesley grome of the Chambre for lying oute to take hawkes by the Kings comaunde xs
As recorded in an earlier post, in 1546 Henry VIII gave William Tyldesley a licence to use a crossbow and handgun.
1. History of the Tyldesleys of Lancashire, John Lunn, 1966
2. King Henry VIIIth's Household Book, being an Account of the Privy Purse expenses of Henry VIII from November 1529 to December 1532, Ed. Nicholas Harris Nicolas, 1827
