ICKHAM, William (d.1424), of Canterbury, Kent.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Oct. 1416

Family and Education

s. of Thomas Ickham*. m. Margaret, wid. of Hugh, s. of William Holyngbroke* of New Romney, Kent, s.p.

Offices Held

Jurat, Canterbury Mich. 1415-17, 1420-2, 1423-d.; bailiff 1419-20, 1422-3.1

Biography

In the will of John Haute*, enrolled at Canterbury in 1410, William Ickham was named as an executor and a feoffee of the property to be settled on the testator’s widow. In 1411-12, perhaps on the occasion of his first visit to Westminster to attend Parliament, he obtained the renewal of Canterbury’s charters, subsequently receiving 35s. for his expenses and 20s. as a personal reward for his endeavour; and thereafter he continued to be active on the city’s behalf, most notably as a jurat and bailiff, until his death. At an unknown date between 1413 and 1417, Ickham and his wife Margaret sued the trustees of lands belonging to her former husband’s parents in Romney, Lydd and elsewhere, alleging that they had neglected to make a settlement of her jointure. Like his father before him, William had links with the archbishop of Canterbury. In his case, he acted as a feoffee between 1417 and 1419 of properties in Newchurch and other places in Kent which afterwards were to become part of the endowment of All Souls college, Oxford, of Archbishop Chichele’s foundation. In July 1419 a Kentish clerk was pardoned for failing to appear in court when sued by Ickham for a debt of 20s. and damages of the same amount. Three years later Ickham witnessed deeds at Boughton Aluph, where he himself owned land, on behalf of Elizabeth, Lady Trivet (the widow of Sir Thomas Swinburne*).2

Ickham died in July 1424 and was buried in St. Peter’s church, Canterbury, of which his father had been a benefactor. His failure to leave issue gave rise to a considerable amount of litigation in Chancery, for the most part in suits directed against trustees of the Ickhams’ estate as appointed by himself and his late mother, Joan. Various claims had to be met, including those of William’s half-brother, Stephen Buckland, while the land at Eastwell, Westwell and Boughton Aluph which his widow held as jointure was said to be the inheritance of a kinswoman named Cecily, who herself died before the matter was settled, leaving several coheirs. Ickham’s widow was apparently still living in June 1440 when suits against the surviving feoffees, William Benet* and William Chilton† were yet in progress.3

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Author: L. S. Woodger

Notes

  • 1. Canterbury Cathedral City and Diocesan RO, accts. FA1, ff. 115d, 122, 144d, 149d, 160; List of Canterbury Officials, comp. Urry and Bunce, 49.
  • 2. Canterbury burghmote reg. O/A1, f. 27d; FA1, f. 102d; C1/6/57; Cat. Archs. All Souls Coll. ed. Martin, 48; CPR, 1416-22, p. 225; CCR, 1419-22, pp. 225, 234.
  • 3. W. Somner, Antiqs. Canterbury, i. app. 69; C1/6/154, 7/225, 320, 9/444-5; CP25(1)114/302/212.