Family and Education

s. of Edward Blount of Kidderminster, prob. by Margaret, da. and h. of John Garneys. m. Margery, da. of William Poley of Badley, Suff., 2s. inc. Sir Christopher 3da. suc. fa. 1559.

Offices Held

Servant of John Dudley (cr. Duke of Northumberland 1551), comptroller of his household and keeper of Grove park, Warws. 1552; member, council in the marches of Wales by 1560; j.p. Worcs. from 1561.

Biography

Blount’s ancestors had long had a lease of lands in Kidderminster belonging to the priory of Maiden Bradley, Wiltshire, and this lease was renewed by Blount’s grandfather in 1522 for 97 years. Blount’s father claimed to be related to the Duchess of Northumberland, whose husband, Blount’s master, acquired the lands of the priory upon its dissolution. These reverted to the Crown on his attainder, and in 1560 Blount and his wife obtained a new patent for them. In the meantime Blount had become some sort of agent for Northumberland’s son Sir Robert Dudley, and was probably the servant whom Dudley addressed as ‘Cousin Blount’ and charged with discovering the truth about the death of Amy Robsart.

These connexions explain Blount’s return as knight of the shire in the first two Elizabethan Parliaments. Although his wife was a Catholic, Blount was described as a ‘favourer’ of religion in 1564. He died 28 Nov. 1568, and was buried at Kidderminster, where a monument was erected to his memory. His son Edward was knighted and died s.p. in 1630, having settled his property on his kinsman Charles, Lord Mountjoy.

Vis. Worcs. (Harl. Soc. xxvii), 23; PCC 19 Mellershe, 8 Sheffelde; Nash, Worcs. ii. 51; A. Croke, Croke Fam.ii. 168; Worcs. Arch. Soc. n.s. xix. 10 et seq.; P. H. Williams, Council in the Marches of Wales, 344-5; Vis. Salop (Harl. Soc. xxviii), 50-57; VCH Worcs. iii. 142, 169; APC, iv. 324, 342; CPR, 1553-4, p. 305; 1557-8, pp. 345, 440-1; 1558-60, pp. 288, 384; 1566-9, pp. 76, 304; Cam. Misc. ix(3), p. 5, C142/152/173.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: Patricia Hyde

Notes