TURPIN, George (1529-83), of Knaptoft, Leics. and London.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Nov. 1554

Family and Education

b. 1529, posth. s. of John Turpin of Knaptoft (d. 13 Jan. 1529) by Rose, da. of Richard Ruthall of Moulsoe, Bucks. m. Frances, da. of Sir Robert Lane of Horton, Northants., 1s. William 1da. suc. bro. 1551. Kntd. 21 Aug. 1566.

Offices Held

J.p. Leics. from c.1559, steward, crown lands 1561-9; sheriff, Warws. and Leics. 1565-6, Leics. 1574-5; commr. eccles. causes, dioceses of Lincoln and Peterborough 1571, Lincoln 1575; commr. musters, Leicester 1577, 1580.

Biography

The Turpins migrated from Northumberland to Leicestershire during the fifteenth century when they acquired Knaptoft through marriage into the Paynell family. Turpin engaged in a number of land transactions, selling the rectory of Norton in 1559, and acquiring Thornton, Warwickshire from Thomas Nevill in 1562. Two years later he bought the manor of Withybrook, Warwickshire, from Thomas Broome, and sold it to John Grey in 1574. In 1562, together with Nicholas Beaumont, he leased the manor of Stoughton from Thomas Farnham, over the supervision of whose will they later quarrelled. Turpin accused Beaumont of breaking the trust reposed in him as overseer, and the matter reached a head in 1570 with a dispute as to which of them might occupy Stoughton.

As it happened Turpin and Beaumont were both in the 1563 and 1572 Parliaments as knights of their shires. Turpin sat on the succession committee, 31 Oct. 1566, and was one of 30 MPs summoned from the Commons on 5 Nov. 1566 to hear the Queen’s message on the succession. He also sat on committees concerning private interests (22 May, 2 June 1572), the subsidy (10 Feb. 1576), wool (23 Feb. 1581) and the Queen’s safety (14 Mar. 1581). He was put in charge of the Leicester civic lottery in 1570 and undertook a number of duties in the county. He died intestate in 1583.

Vis. Leics. (Harl. Soc. ii), 31; Nichols, Leics. iii. 775; iv. 218, 225; CPR, 1553, p. 377; 1558-60, pp. 141-2, 278-9; 1563-6, p. 138; VCH Warws. v. 80; vi. 265; Somerville, Duchy, i. 573; CSP Dom. Add. 1566-79, p. 338; G. F. Farnham, Quorndon Recs. 225, 238, 353-5; D’Ewes, 127, 213, 221, 247, 300, 306; Camb. Univ. Lib. Gg.iii. 34, p. 209; Leicester Recs. iii. 115, 125, 131, 133, 137, 140, 152, 160; Lansd. 8, ff. 77-8; PCC admon. act bk. 1583, f. 76.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: W.J.J.

Notes