Thomas Seckford or Thomas Sakford Esquire (1515–1587) was a senior lawyer, a "man of business"For the meaning of this term, see 'Puritans, Men of Business and Parliaments' in P. Collinson, Elizabethan Essays (Hambledon, London and Rio Grande 1994), pp. 59–86, at p. 65. at the court of Queen Elizabeth I, a landowner of the armigerous Suffolk gentry, Member of Parliament,M.K. Dale, 'Seckford (Sakford), Thomas (1515/16-87), of Gray's Inn, London', in S.T. Bindoff (ed.), The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509–1558 (from Boydell and Brewer 1982), History of Parliament Online.Anon, 'Seckford, Thomas I (1515 or 1516–87), of Woodbridge and Ipswich, Suff. and Clerkenwell, London', in P.W. Hasler (ed.), The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558–1603 (from Boydell and Brewer 1981), History of Parliament Online. and public benefactor of the town of Woodbridge.A.D. Briscoe, A Tudor Worthy: Thomas Seckford of Woodbridge (East Anglian Magazine Limited, 1979). He was one of the Masters in Ordinary of the Court of Requests to Queen Elizabeth, 1569–1587, and was Surveyor of the Court of Wards and Liveries 1581–1587.J.H. Baker, 'Seckford, Thomas (1515/16–1587)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004), superseding He built mansions in Woodbridge, Ipswich and Clerkenwell, and was at different times Steward of the Liberty of Ely (St Etheldreda) in Suffolk, Bailiff for the Crown of the former possessions of Clerkenwell Priory in the City of London and County of Middlesex, and deputy Steward for the northern parts of the Duchy of Lancaster (to which he owed his early patronage). He was the patron of Christopher Saxton in the making of the first surveyed County Atlas of England and Wales.
The received portrait of Thomas Seckford, as it appears on Loder's 1796 token, as frontispiece to Loder's 1792 printing of Seckford's original Statutes for the Almshouses which he founded in Woodbridge,R. Loder, The Statutes, and Ordinances, for the Government of the Almshouses in Woodbridge, in the County of Suffolk, Founded by Thomas Seckford, Esquire (R. Loder, Woodbridge/J. Nichols, London/G. Jermyn, Ipswich/T. Miller, Halesworth, 1792), full page views at Google. and in other recensions, was derived by the Woodbridge artist Isaac Johnson (c. 1754–1835)J.M. Blatchly, Isaac Johnson of Woodbridge: Georgian Surveyor and Artist (D.K. and M.N. Sanford, Ipswich 2014).'Thomas Seckford and his Almshouses', in E. Griffith, A Jacobean Company and its Playhouse: The Queen's Servants at the Red Bull Theatre (c. 1605–1619) (Cambridge University Press, 2013), pp. 32–40, at p. 33, Fig. 3 (Google). from a 16th-century paintingThe original is in the collections of His Grace the Duke of Richmond at Goodwood House, West Sussex. depicting William Cecil presiding over the Court of Wards and Liveries. The figure identified as Seckford wears a tall patterned hat and sits at the table on the mid-left of the early painting. The possible identification as Seckford was made in the caption to an engraving by George Vertue after the original painting,Then in the possession of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond. The caption refers to the "right" side, in the heraldic sense of "dexter". published by the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1747 for the Vetusta Monumenta, noting that the figure is likely to be the Surveyor because he wears his tall hat in the presence of the Master.A copy of the engraving, "A View of the Court of Wards and Liveries", with caption, is held at The British Museum, Prints online Museum no. Y,5.121. (The British Museum). View another copy at a Digital Vetusta Monumenta (Vol. 1 Plate 70), at missouri education.
He is not to be confused with his younger brother, Thomas Seckford of Ludlow, also a member of parliament,J.J.C., 'Seckford, Thomas II (d.c.1579), of Ludlow, Salop', in P.W. Hasler (ed.), The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558–1603 (from Boydell and Brewer 1981), History of Parliament online. nor with his father, also Thomas Seckford (of Great Bealings), nor with his nephew Thomas Seckford, buried at Trinity College, Cambridge.
Sekford of Great Bealings and Woodbridge
The Seckford family was associated with a place named Sekford in the parish of Great Bealings from early times. A Sekford Hall manor, the second manor, is listed in Domesday Book, and it was held in 1185 by Bartholomew de Sekford, son of William de Sekford, when it passed to Bartholomew's son John de Sekford. From this period the tenure of the Seckford Hall manor came down to the family of Thomas Seckford.'Great Bealings', in W.A. Copinger, The Manors of Suffolk: Notes on their History and Devolution, 7 vols, III: Hundreds of Carlford and Colneis, Cosford and Hartismere (Taylor, Garnett, Evans, & Co., Ltd., Manchester 1909), pp. 5–6 (HathiTrust). The Seckford family had also been substantial landowners in Woodbridge since the time of Edward III at least, when (in 1335) a grant (of special grace) of free warren was made to John de Sekford and his heirs in his demesne lands in Great and Little Bealings, Martlesham, Woodbridge, Hasketon, Burgh and Boulge: John was also holding a manor of Clopton from John, Earl of Cornwall.Calendar of Charter Rolls, IV: 1–14 Edward III, A.D. 1327–1341 (HMSO 1912), p. 305 and pp. 426–27 (HathiTrust). Lands were released by Sir John de Sekford, Kt., in 1359.Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III, Vol. X: A.D. 1354–1360 (HMSO 1908), pp. 641–42 (Internet Archive).
At the time of his death in 1505, the benefactor's grandfather Thomas Seckford held Seckford Hall manor and the advowson of Little Bealings from Sir John Wingfield, Kt., and lands and estates in the parishes mentioned above, principally from Sir William Willoughby, Lord de Willoughby and from John Blenerhassett of Loudham, Suffolk (an historic estate in PettistreeSee W.A. Copinger, The Manors of Suffolk Vol. 7: Hundreds of Thingoe, Thredling, Wangford and Wilford (Taylor, Garnett, Evans & Co. Ltd., Manchester 1911), p. 255-57 (Internet Archive).). He and his wife Margaret (Purrye) were buried at Great Bealings, where a monument was recorded by John Weever."Thomas Sackford Esquire, Elizabeth and Margaret his wives, which Thomas dyed xxiii. of Novemb. in an. M.D.v". J. Weever, Ancient Funerall Monuments within the United Monarchie of Great Britain (Thomas Harper for Laurence Sadler, London 1631), p. 781 (Google). It was perhaps the grandfather Thomas who built the brick porch of Great Bealings church, as recorded by a carved inscription.Given as "Orate pro Animabus Thomas Seckeford Armi: et Margareta uxs;" in A. Page, A Supplement to the Suffolk Traveller, Or, Topographical and Genealogical Collections concerning that County (Joshua Page, Ipswich/J.B. Nichols and Son, London 1844), p. 43 (Google). By his will, his lands were to be held by his widow, making an allowance to his son Thomas (the benefactor's father), then aged nearly ten, until he should reach the age of 21. He also held manors in Norfolk which were to be administered for Thomas until that time.'361. Thomas Sekford (Suffolk)', in Calendar of Inquisitions post mortem and other analogous documents, Henry VII, Vol. III (HMSO 1955), pp. 220–21; '446. Thomas Sekford, Esquire (Norfolk)', p. 270 (Internet Archive). Will of Thomas Sekford (P.C.C. 1506, Adean quire). The Woodbridge manor and market were anciently granted to Woodbridge Priory, but at the time of the dissolution came into the hands of the Wingfield family.'Woodbridge', in W.A. Copinger, The Manors of Suffolk: Notes on their History and Devolution, 7 vols, IV: Hundreds of Hoxne, Lackford and Loes (Taylor, Garnett, Evans, & Co., Ltd., Manchester 1909), p. 325 (HathiTrust).
Early life Thomas Seckford the benefactor was born near Woodbridge, Suffolk, England, the second son of Thomas Seckford of Great Bealings (c. 1495–1575)The National Archives (UK), Inquisition post mortem (Middlesex): Thomas Seckford, 1575–1576 (refs. C 142/175/69; WARD 7/16/22; E 150/664/4). and his wife Margaret (c. 1482–1557), daughter of Sir John Wingfield (died 1509) of Letheringham, Suffolk and his wife Anne Tuchet, daughter of the 6th Baron Audley. His mother was a sister of Sir Anthony Wingfield's. His elder brother's name was Francis, and there were younger brothers John, Anthony, Humfrey, Henry and Thomas and sisters Mary and Elizabeth.'Sekford of Sekford', in W.C. Metcalfe (ed.), The Visitations of Suffolk made by Hervey, 1561, Cooke, 1577, and Raven, 1612 (Editor, Exeter 1882), p. 64 (Internet Archive).
Thomas is believed to have been educated at the University of Cambridge (where he presumably studied law):C.H. Cooper and T. Cooper (eds), Athenae Cantabrigienses (Deighton, Bell, & Co., Cambridge/Macmillan & Co., London 1861), II: 1586–1609, pp. 18–19 (Internet Archive). if so, he was in the university at the time of the flourishing of reformed classical learning under the influence of Thomas Smith and John Cheke and their circle. In 1540 he entered Gray's Inn: his name in the register of admissions appears alongside that of Cheke's most eminent pupil William Cecil,J. Foster (ed.), The Register of Admissions to Gray's Inn, 1521–1889 (Hansard, London 1889), col. 14 (Internet Archive). the future Lord Burghley, with whom he worked at various times during his life.'Thomas Sekford the Elder', Trinity College Chapel website (Cambridge). He was called to the bar in 1542, and Gray's Inn admitted him to the grand company of AncientsR.J. Fletcher (ed.), The Pension Book of Gray's Inn (Records of the Honourable Society) I: 1559–1659 (Masters of the Bench/Stevens & Haynes, London 1901), p. xxxiii (Internet Archive). in 1547.
It has been presumed that Seckford's religious sympathies were with the reforming party. In 1539 Seckford's uncle Sir Anthony Wingfield, then newly admitted to the Privy Council of Henry VIII, had a lease of the former priory manor of Woodbridge from the Augmentions Office, and the reversion and rent of the manor was granted to his eldest son, John Wingfield of Hasketon and his wife Dorothy, in 1541. In 1542 John Wingfield demolished the priory church and added the land to the parish churchyard. However John Wingfield died without an heir, and the priory manor remained to his widow for term of her life, with reversion to the Crown.
Seckford's near relationship to Anthony Wingfield no doubt favoured him, and despite his uncle's death in 1552 that advantage persisted through Sir Anthony's son, Seckford's cousin Robert Wingfield, Captain of the Guard to Edward VI. In 1549 Robert Wingfield was active in persuading the king to remove Protector Somerset, and to place him under guard. Wingfield married Cecily, sister of Thomas Wentworth, 2nd Baron Wentworth (whom Queen Mary appointed Lord Deputy of Calais in 1553), and received knighthood from Mary.'L. Sir Robert (VI) Wingfeld of Lethringham', in P. and M. Bickerton (2020), "The Wingfield Heraldry and Crests", Letheringham Lodge website, citing J. Lodge, The Peerage of Ireland: or, A Genealogical History of the Present Nobility of that Kingdom, Vol. V (James Moore, Dublin 1789), p. 263 (Google).
At the start of Mary's reign, early in 1554, Seckford obtained a minor post in the Duchy of Lancaster, and this is taken to account for his entry into parliament for the duchy seat of Ripon in November 1554; similarly, the patronage of William Willoughby, 1st Baron Willoughby of Parham, is supposed to underlie Seckford's return to parliament as MP for Orford in 1555 and 1558. His distinction as a lawyer was thoroughly recognized by his appointment as Lent Reader at Gray's Inn in 1556.