Family and Education

b. c.1556, o.s. of Edward Waldegrave of Lawford by Joan, da. of George Acworth. m. (1) Elizabeth, da. and coh. of Bartholomew Averell of Southminster, Essex, 1da.; (2) Sara, da. of John Heigham, wid. of Sir Richard Bingham, 1da. suc. fa. 1584.

Offices Held

J.p. Essex c.1584.

Biography

The Waldegraves had a long-standing connexion with Sudbury, for which Edward Waldegrave was returned soon after he succeeded his father. Lawford was less than 20 miles away, over the Essex border. The mayor’s accounts for 26-27 Elizabeth have an entry, ‘paid for the hire of a horse to ride to Mr. Edward Waldegrave to come to take his oath to be a free burgess of our town—8d.’

Scattered references in the State Papers and Privy Council documents show Waidegrave Waldegrave as an active country gentleman, carrying out the usual duties of his class. In May 1589 he was one of the commissioners appointed to interview the creditors of a Colchester merchant who was a prisoner in the Fleet. During the spring of the same year Lord Burghley instructed him to resume the captaincy of 50 so lances in Essex—a position which he had formerly held, but which the Earl of Leicester had given instead to Lord Rich. James I continued to employ him in local affairs, and in 1616 he was considering the quarrels between Colchester clothiers and the Dutch congregation there, many of whom specialized in the making of baize. He died on 12 Feb. 1622.

Vis. Essex (Harl. Soc. xiii), 120-1; Morant, Essex, i. 316, 437; C142/206/23; C. F. D. Sperling, Hist. Sudbury, 144-5; Sudbury corp. ct. bk. 1585-99, f. 11; APC, xvii. 157; 1615-16, pp. 422-3; CSP Dom. 1581-90, pp. 573, 602; PCC 32 Savile; Wards 7/67/85.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: N. M. Fuidge

Notes