Thomas Legatt

M, b. 1404, d. before 1432
FatherHelmingius Legatt b. c 1376, d. c 1412
MotherLady Alicia de Mandeville b. c 1382, d. 1420
     Thomas was born in 1404 in Havering, County Essex, England. Thomas married Elizabeth (?) circa 1428 in County Essex, England. After the death of his mother in 1420, Thomas was placed in the guardianship of Johann Daniel Talbott, until he reached his age of majority in 1426. It has wrongly been assumed that Thomas inherited the Mandeville Manors. If he inherited any property from his parents, it would have been properties in London. There are Feets and Fines entries that indicate that Thomas was a gold smith. There is also evidence that he likely purchased his way into the a guild, and once in took up the trade. This was a common occurrence among young men of wealthy families who did not receive family estates from their inheritance. Later Thomas made purchases of land near where the Leggett Family was seated years later. During the Easter session of 1457, Thomas and his wife Joan sold land in Brentewode, now Brentwood. All evidence is consistent that Thomas went to London as a young man, not having an inheritance of the family estates, he bought his way into the goldsmith guild and spent at least most of his adult life in London. Another piece of evidence further supporting and confirming the descendancy of Thomas is that Elmund, the son of Helming and Margaret Malawyn, at his death in 1427, gave Thomas property that had been inherited from Elmund's mother's father, a house called Mockyng and property at Tottenham. Elmund was his half brother.1,2,3,4,5 Thomas departed this life before 1432 in County Essex, England. In 1432, his wife Elizabeth is noted in the Feet of Fines as the widow of Thomas Leget, son of Helmingius transfering her holdings in the manor of Mokkiynges.6

Family

Elizabeth (?)
Child

Citations

  1. [S763] Harleian Society, Harliean MS, 1398, page 592 - Tho. Legatt cujus custodia durante minori etate comissa fuit Johi D'no Talbott 4 H. 6. Child - Thomas.
  2. [S364] Dorothy Wertz, Notes Compiled in County Essex, England on the Leggett Family, Thomas Leget - According to the pedigree of 1635, Thomas was 18 years old at his mother's death in 1420, and his guardianship was committed to John, Lord Talbott, in the fourth year of Henry VI [1426].
    The Feet of Fines for Essex contain the following:
    ...1423 Hilary and Easter. Thomas Leget, citizen and goldsmith of London, John Bodeman of London, clerk, John Emond goldsmith, John Walsh the elder, goldsmith of London, Westowe, cutler, Thomas Robeland, armourer, John Samptont, sporyer (spurrier, one who makes spurs), William Wodeford, chandler (maker of candles), plaintiffs. Thomas Tresley of London and Katherine his wife, deforciants. One messuage (house), 18 acres of land 14 acres of meadow, four acres of pasture and ½ acre of wood in Stratford Langhorne and Westham (eastern suburbs of London). Def. quitclaimed whatever they had for the life of Katherine to pl. and the heirs of Thomas Leget. Consideration (lawyer's fee) 20 lire.
    ...1423 Michaelmas. Thomas Leget, citizen and goldsmith of London, pl. Thomas Bassett of the county of Essex and Joan his wife def. 3 ½ acres of meadow in Stratford Langhorne to Thomas Leget. Consideration 10 marks.
    The records of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths (once a merchant guild and still a prosperous society with an impressive stone building near the Guildhall In London) show that Thomas Leget bought his way into the guild in 1414 (or someone else bought his way in, for he would have been a minor if he were Helmingius' son). He was never an apprentice or journeyman, though he later took at least two apprentices. His sons, if any, did not follow him in the trade. At this time it was possible for those who had some wealth to buy their way into the great merchant companies without actually practicing a trade, though they would probably become merchants once inside the guild. It would have been quite possible for a son who did not inherit his family's property to buy his way into a guild, and then to use his earnings to buy land in the general area of his family's former holdings. The lands purchased by Thomas Leget are in the neighborhood of Dagnams, the Legets' mansion a century later.
    After a break of 34 years (1423 to 1457), the Feet of Fines contain another reference to the goldsmith (presumably the same Thomas Leget, for the Goldsmiths have records of only one person by that name:
    ...1457 Easter. George Irland of London, grocer, pl. Thomas Legate of London, goldsmyth and Joan his wife, def. One messuage and 5 acres of land in Brendewode (modern Brentwood). Def.
    Quitclaimed to pl. and his heirs. Consideration 100 lire.
  3. [S640] W. J. Hardy, Calendar of Feet & Fines For London and Middlesex - Richard I to Elizabeth I, page 187 -.
  4. [S766] W R Powell, A History of the County of Essex, Volume 7: pages 64-72 - Romford: Manors and other estates; Peter Christmas died in 1517. (fn. 63) The Grocers' Company duly succeeded to the manor, and held courts there until 1544 or later. (fn. 64) Dagenhams and Cockerels was subsequently acquired by Thomas Legatt, who died holding it in 1556. (fn. 65) The manor descended in the Legatt family until 1633, when the representatives of Thomas Posthumous Legatt, great-grandson of the last-named Thomas Legatt, sold it to Dr. Thomas Wright, later physician to Cromwell.
  5. [S766] W R Powell, A History of the County of Essex, Volume 7: pages 31-39 - Hornchurch: Manors; The tenement or manor of GOBYONS or GUBBINS lay south of the Romford-Brentwood road, in and around Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood. It must be distinguished from Gobions or Uphavering (fn. 90) and from a house called Gobions on the east side of Collier Row common, though it probably took its name from the same family, Gobion. In 1507 the tenement of Gobyons was conveyed by Richard Fisher to Robert Matthew, and then by Matthew to William Fisher. (fn. 91) In 1517 Richard Fisher conveyed to Robert Matthew an unnamed tenement of some 200 a., including 10 a. marsh. (fn. 92) Robert Matthew, whose will was proved in 1542, was holding the manor of Gobyons when he died. (fn. 93) The manor was later held by Thomas Legatt (d. 1549), and descended to his son Thomas (d. 1556), (fn. 94) who also held Dagenhams in Romford. (fn. 95) In c. 1618 Gubbins was held by John Legatt, a younger son of the same family.
  6. [S640] W. J. Hardy, Calendar of Feet & Fines For London and Middlesex - Richard I to Elizabeth I, page 187 - John Gedeney, citizen and alderman of London, John, Fray, Alexander, Anne, John Combe, & Elizabeth, widow of Thomas, son of Elmingus Leget, Esquire, deceased, and Edward Salle, citizen and draper of London. The manor of Mokkiynges. Anno 10. [10 Henry VI, 1432]