Individual Details
Lord William Hastings
( - 13 Jun 1483)
Collections for a History of Staffordshire (1917), p. 261-262, fn. 3
George Grazebrook, in his Henry, Earl of Richmond, p. 20, says —
" Sir Thomas Ferrers was then (17 August 1485), owner of Tamworth
and did not die till 22 August 1498. He had been on the Commission
of the Peace up to 1483, but in the Commission issued in December
in that year, four months after Richard had seized the crown, his name
disappears from that honour—that is he had fallen under suspicion.
Previous to that he had been a staunch Yorkist. He had married
Anna, daughter of Leonard Hastings of Kirby and sister of William,
Lord Hastings. He had inherited Tamworth from his mother Elizabeth,
daughter and heir of Sir Baldwin de Frevile. On 13 June 1483, ten
days before his usurpation, Richard III had beheaded William, Lord
Hastings. Sir Thomas was suspect. . . He could not " conspire,"
for he kept only a few retainers, and if Henry of Richmond failed (in
the Bosworth expedition) their fewness would show that he could not
defend his castle against so overwhelming a force. We do not know
whether Ferrers was still a Yorkist or not. Henry of Richmond knew
that these cannon (at Tamworth Castle) would be of value to them, and
he sent an overwhelming force accordingly, some miles out of their
way, to seize them, and went himself the next morning to be sure all
was right.
George Grazebrook, in his Henry, Earl of Richmond, p. 20, says —
" Sir Thomas Ferrers was then (17 August 1485), owner of Tamworth
and did not die till 22 August 1498. He had been on the Commission
of the Peace up to 1483, but in the Commission issued in December
in that year, four months after Richard had seized the crown, his name
disappears from that honour—that is he had fallen under suspicion.
Previous to that he had been a staunch Yorkist. He had married
Anna, daughter of Leonard Hastings of Kirby and sister of William,
Lord Hastings. He had inherited Tamworth from his mother Elizabeth,
daughter and heir of Sir Baldwin de Frevile. On 13 June 1483, ten
days before his usurpation, Richard III had beheaded William, Lord
Hastings. Sir Thomas was suspect. . . He could not " conspire,"
for he kept only a few retainers, and if Henry of Richmond failed (in
the Bosworth expedition) their fewness would show that he could not
defend his castle against so overwhelming a force. We do not know
whether Ferrers was still a Yorkist or not. Henry of Richmond knew
that these cannon (at Tamworth Castle) would be of value to them, and
he sent an overwhelming force accordingly, some miles out of their
way, to seize them, and went himself the next morning to be sure all
was right.
Events
| Occupation | 1461 - 83 | Lord Chamberlain | |||
| Death | 13 Jun 1483 | Beheaded by Richard III, 10 days before usurpation |
Families
| Father | Leonard Hastings (1397 - 1455) |
| Mother | Alice de Camoy (1407 - 1455) |
| Sibling | Anne Hastings (1438 - 1479) |