WARD, Richard II (by 1517-70/71), of Derby.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558, ed. S.T. Bindoff, 1982
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1555

Family and Education

b. by 1517, prob. 2nd s. of Thomas Ward II of Derby by Joan. m. Margaret, 5s. 2da.1

Offices Held

1st bailiff, Derby 1547-8, 1555-6, 1563-4.2

Biography

The identity of Richard Ward as the son of Thomas Ward II is established by comparison of their wills. An ironmonger by trade, Ward claimed in a suit brought against him between 1553 and 1555 over the title to a shop, garden and barn in Derby that he was a mere tenant at will of the premises, which he had occupied for 17 years. He also held some of the property included in the royal grant to the town of May 1554 and he may have had land at Wilborne in the shire.3

Ward’s single spell in Parliament came during his second term as bailiff. It may be an indication of his attitude towards the Marian regime that, whereas both Members for the town in the previous Parliament were to be fined for quitting it before its dissolution, neither Ward nor his fellow-Member William Allestry is found on the list of those who followed Sir Anthony Kingston in opposing one of the government’s bills. Twelve months later it fell to Ward to attend the trial of the blind heretic Joan Waste and with William Bainbridge to execute the writ for her burning. Their share in her martyrdom seems to have provoked no hostility towards them after 1558, for although Ward, unlike Bainbridge, did not sit in an Elizabethan Parliament, he was elected bailiff again in 1563. The accusation made in June 1556 that he had instigated his servants to seize tithe hay in Derby perhaps reflected less on Ward than on his accuser, the notorious troublemaker John Sharpe who had once similarly attacked Ward’s father.4

Ward’s will, drawn up on 19 Nov. 1570, was proved on 20 Apr. in the following year. He asked to be buried near his father in St. Peter’s church, Derby, and bequeathed lands, tenements and mills in the town to each of his five sons. He named his wife Margaret and heir Thomas his executors, and his brother John Ward, parson of Blore, Staffordshire, one of his four overseers. In the inventory made after his death his goods were valued at £132 11s.8d.5

Ref Volumes: 1509-1558

Author: C. J. Black

Notes

  • 1. Date of birth estimated from his evidence in suit of 1553/55. Lichfield consist. ct. wills 48, 141.
  • 2. W. Hutton, Derby, 80-81.
  • 3. Lichfield consist. ct. wills 48, 141; St.Ch.4/4/23; C1/1385/43-44; CPR, 1549-51, p. 78; 1553-4, p. 245.
  • 4. Guildford mus. Loseley 1331/2; R. Simpson, Derby, 662-70; St.Ch.4/4/23.
  • 5. Lichfield consist. ct. will 141.