Individual Details

Sir William was of Lutons, County Suffolk. He was born 1450 in Long Melford, County Suffolk, and buried Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford, and died February 20, 1529/30 in Long Melford, probably, and buried Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford in the upper end of the Chancel. He married (1) Joan Marrow, County Middlesex Abt. 1470 in County MIddlesex, possibly, daughter of William Marrow, Knt., Lord Mayor of London. She died in England and buried Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford in the upper end of the Chancel. He married (2) Katherine Hopton Abt. 1489. She died in England and buried Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford and buried in the upper end of the Chancel. He married (3) Thomasine Knyvet, of Great Stanway Abt. 1490 in Great Stanway, probably, daughter of Thomas Knyvet and Elizabeth Lunesford. She was born Abt. 1467 in Stanway, County Essex, probably, about 4 miles southwest of Colchester, and died 1536 in Long Melford, probably, and buried Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford in the upper end of the Chancel.

While Sir William Clopton was off to do battle with one Lambert Simnel, his wife, Thomasine Knyvet, added to her duties of maintaining the household and bearing children, the responsibility of guarding her husband's properties. Warfare defined the world of the Clopton and women from the ninth to the seventeenth century. A knight's lady acted on their behalf in their absence during war. The wives and daughters exercised authority, defended the family's lands and title. While women received no formal education, surviving documents show they could read and write. Noblewomen left records of their household accounts, instruction to administrators of the family's holdings, and letters to their husbands to keep them abreast of decisions made while they were at battle. Like the other women of the castles and manors, Lady Thomasine would be expected to serve food and drink to the warrior bands and tend the injured and sick.

Birth	1450	Long Melford, Suffolk, England
Marriage	Ca 1490	Thomasine Knyvet
Death	20 Feb 1529/30	Long Melford, Suffolk, England

Spouse	Thomasine Knyvet (1467 - 1536)
Child	Richard CLOPTON ( - 1556)

Father	John Clopton (1423 - 1497)
Mother	Alice Darcy ( - 1454)