Sir Geoffrey Boleyn (1406–1463; also Jeffray Bulleyn, Bullen, etc) was an English merchant and politician who served as

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional pow ...

from 1457 to 1458. He purchased the manor of

Blickling Blickling is a village and civil parish in the Broadland district of Norfolk, England, about north-west of Aylsham. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 136 and covers , falling to 113 at the 2011 Census. Since the 17th century t ...

, near

Aylsham Aylsham ( or ) is a historic market town and civil parish on the River Bure in north Norfolk, England, nearly north of Norwich. The river rises near Melton Constable, upstream from Aylsham and continues to Great Yarmouth and the North Sea, ...

, in Norfolk from Sir

John Fastolf Sir John Fastolf (6 November 1380 – 5 November 1459) was a late medieval English landowner and knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He has enjoyed a more lasting reputation as the prototype, in some part, of Shakespeare's charact ...

in 1452, and

Hever Castle Hever Castle ( ) is located in the village of Hever, Kent, near Edenbridge, south-east of London, England. It began as a country house, built in the 13th century. From 1462 to 1539, it was the seat of the Boleyn (originally 'Bullen') family. ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

in 1462.A. Weir, ''The Six Wives of Henry VIII'' (Grove Weidenfeld, New York 1991), p. 145. He was the great-grandfather of Queen

Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and of her execution by beheading for treason and other charges made her a key ...

, the mother of

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

. Sir Geoffrey built the domestic, mercantile and civic fortunes of the Boleyn family, and raised its status from the provincial gentry, as his brother Thomas Boleyn made a career of distinction in church and university, together building the family's wealth, influence and reputation.

Family

Geoffrey Boleyn's father was an elder Geoffrey Boleyn (died 1440),

yeoman Yeoman is a noun originally referring either to one who owns and cultivates land or to the middle ranks of servants in an English royal or noble household. The term was first documented in mid-14th-century England. The 14th century also witn ...

of Salle in Norfolk, son of Thomas Boleyn (died 1411) of Salle and his wife Agnes. His mother Alice, ''née'' Bracton, whose arms he quartered with those of Boleyn, was daughter and heiress of Sir John Bracton of Norfolk. Geoffrey and Alice Boleyn of Salle are commemorated by a monumental brass in Salle Church, which shows the two figures frontally, standing, set side by side, with a memorial inscription beneath (referring also to their children) and a scroll flying between them with a Latin prayer, "God be merciful to us sinners". Around 1730,

Thomas Martin of Palgrave Thomas Martin (8 March 1696/7 – 7 March 1771), known as "Honest Tom Martin of Palgrave", was an antiquarian and lawyer. Early life Martin was born at Thetford in the school house of St. Mary's parish, which is the only parish of that town si ...

saw two subsidiary brass groups in the slab showing their five sons and their four daughters: these have long been missing.F. Blomefield, ''An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk'' VIII (William Miller, London 1808)
p. 275
Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, the son of Geoffrey and Alice, therefore had four brothers and four sisters, some of whom may not have reached majority. The following, at least some of whom were buried elsewhere, are known from other sources: * William Boleyn (died 1427),W. Rye (ed.), ''The Visitacion of Norffolk'', Harleian Society XXXII (London 1891), pp. 51-53 (Brampton)
at p. 52
who settled in

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a Counties of England, county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-we ...

where he is said to have founded the Lincolnshire branch of the family.F. Blomefield, ''An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk'' (William Miller, London 1807), VI
pp. 386-89
(British History Online). * John Boleyn * Thomas Boleyn (died 1472), Prebendary of St. Stephen's, Westminster, Precentor and Sub-Dean of

Wells Cathedral Wells Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England, dedicated to St Andrew the Apostle. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, whose cathedra it holds as mother church of the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Built as a ...

Master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...

of Gonville Hall, Cambridge (1454-1472), and Master of the College of All Saints, Maidstone, Kent. This Thomas, a notable figure, was executor to his brother Geoffrey's will. Thomas was buried at

. * Cecily Boleyn (1408–26 June 1458), sister of Geoffrey, to whom the manor of Stiffkey was granted in chief in 1455, and who (according to her own monumental brass at Blickling) died unmarried ("in her maidenhood") at the age of 50.

Career

Boleyn went to the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...

where he was apprenticed as a hatter and gained the freedom of the City through the Company of Hatters in 1428. However he devoted his efforts to the art of Mercery rather than that of the Hatter, and transferred to the senior livery company: in 1435/36 he appeared before the Court of Aldermen and prayed to be admitted as a

Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (car), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a large human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or trader, ...

, a petition which was granted. Having served as a

Sheriff of London Two sheriffs are elected annually for the City of London by the Liverymen of the City livery companies. Today's sheriffs have only nominal duties, but the historical officeholders had important judicial responsibilities. They have attended the ju ...

in 1446–47 (in succession to fellow Mercers Hugh Wyche and Geoffrey Feilding), as a

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

for the City of London in February 1449, and as an

alderman An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members t ...

from 1452 ( Castle Baynard Ward, 1452–57), the year of Feilding's mayoralty, he became Master of the Mercers' Company for the year 1454. In the meantime he purchased the manor of Blickling in Norfolk from Sir

in 1452, over which there followed a Chancery suit concerning the terms of sale. This was before the present mansion built by Hobart arose: John Leland noted, "Syr Geffrey buildid a fair house of brike at ... in Northfolke."L. Toulmin Smith, ''The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543'', 2 vols (George Bell & Sons, London 1908), II (Part IV)
pp. 9-10
(Internet Archive). Transferring to the Bassishaw Ward (which he represented from 1457 to 1463), he became

in 1457–58 and was knighted by King Henry VI. During a gathering in the City of the leaders of the Yorkist and Lancastrian factions at a Great Council in November 1457, Sir Geoffrey Boleyn raised a strong force of citizens to ensure that there was no breach of the peace. In the first year of Edward IV the manor of

Abbotsley Abbotsley is a village and civil parish within the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England.'...... Galfrida Boleyn quondam Domini istius Ville, et Anne Consortis sue, qui istam Capellam una cum Fenestra fieri 'fecerunt'' quorum animabus propicietur Deus.' "
(''.... of Geoffrey Boleyn sometime Lord of this Manor, and of Anne his Consort, who had this Chapel made along with the Window, whose souls may God prosper.'') That was in Blomefield's time, but the church was almost entirely rebuilt in the 19th century.

Death & burial

Geoffrey died in 1463 and was buried in the Church of

St Lawrence Jewry St Lawrence Jewry next Guildhall is a Church of England guild church in the City of London on Gresham Street, next to Guildhall. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666, and rebuilt to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren. It is the ...

in the City of London: his will was proved in July 1463.Will of Geffray Boleyn, Mercer and Alderman of Saint Lawrence Jewry, City of London (P.C.C. 1463, Godyn quire). He left £100 to make a new rood-loft for St Lawrence church, and 1000 marks to each of his three unmarried daughters. By his '' inquisition post mortem'', held in that year, it was shown that in Kent he held the manors of

Kemsing Kemsing is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks district of Kent, England. The parish lies on the scarp face of the North Downs, 20 miles south east of Central London, north east of Sevenoaks. Also in the parish are the hamlets of Hea ...

Seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to imp ...

, Hever Cobham and Hever Brocays, and Chiddyngton; in Sussex, Pashley Manor in

Ticehurst Ticehurst is both a village and a large civil parish in the Rother district of East Sussex, England. The parish lies in the upper reaches of both the Bewl stream before it enters Bewl Water and in the upper reaches of the River Rother flowi ...

(as of the Rape of Hastings); in London, various properties in the area of

St Mary Aldermary The Guild Church of St Mary Aldermary a contraction of St Mary Aldermanbury (or St Mary Elder Mary) is an Anglican church located in Watling Street at the junction with Bow Lane, in the City of London. Of medieval origin, it was rebuilt from 15 ...

church, Wood Street, Milk Street and Westcheap; and in Norfolk,

, Mulbarton,

Horsford Horsford is a village six miles north of Norwich, England which is surrounded by the Horsford Forest and is named after the dried up section of the River Hor. Its population has seen a steady increase since the Second World War, growing from 750 ...

Holkham Holkham is a small village and civil parish in north Norfolk, England, which includes a stately home and estate, Holkham Hall, and a beach, Holkham Gap, at the centre of Holkham National Nature Reserve. Geography The parish has an area of and ...

(as of

Buckenham Castle Old Buckenham Castle and Buckenham Castle are two castles adjacent respectively to the villages of Old Buckenham and New Buckenham, Norfolk, England. Old Buckenham Castle All that remains today of what was a Norman castle are the remnants of t ...

), Stiffkey,

Filby Filby is a village and civil parish in the English of Norfolk. The village is located north-west of Great Yarmouth and east of Norwich, between Filby and Ormesby Little Broads. History Filby's name is of mixed Anglo-Saxon and Viking origin ...

, Postwick,

Carbrooke Carbrooke is a village and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England. It is from the centre of Watton and from Thetford. In the 2011 Census, Carbrooke had a population of 2,073 people in 835 households. History Carbrooke's n ...

and

West Lexham West Lexham is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Lexham, in the Breckland district, in the county of Norfolk, England. It is north of the town of Swaffham, west north west of Norwich and north east of London. In 1931 th ...

. Of these his widow Anna Boleyn (née Hoo) was holding only Mulbarton manor and advowson in her own right, at her death and inquisition in 2 Richard III. The church of St Lawrence Jewry was destroyed in the Great Fire of London, but the memorial inscription was recorded by

John Weever John Weever (1576–1632) was an English antiquary and poet. He is best known for his ''Epigrammes in the Oldest Cut, and Newest Fashion'' (1599), containing epigrams on Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, and other poets of his day, and for his ''Ancient ...

"Hic incineratur corpus quondam Gaulfridi Bulleyn, civis, merceri et majoris London, qui ab hac luce migravit 1463, cuius anime pax sit perpetua."W.L.E. Parsons, 'Some notes on the Boleyn family', ''Norfolk Archaeology'', XXV Part 3 (1934)
pp. 386-407
(archaeology data service pdf), at pp. 396-97.
(''Here lies in ashes the body sometime of Geoffrey Boleyn, citizen, mercer and mayor of London, who went from this light in 1463, upon whose soul be perpetual peace.'')

Marriage and issue

Geoffrey Boleyn married twice. His first wife, mentioned in his will, was named Dionisia. His second wife was Anne Hoo (1424–1484), the only child and heiress of

Thomas Hoo, Baron Hoo and Hastings Thomas Hoo, Baron Hoo and Hastings KG (c. 1396 – 13 February 1455) was an English courtier. William Camden called him ''vir egregius'', literally an "outstanding man". The Barony created in his name had no successors, and he had no male issu ...

(c.1396–1455), a

Knight of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George ...

, by his first wife Elizabeth Wychingham, a daughter of Sir Nicholas Wychingham. (Anne had three half-sisters by her father's second marriage). By Anne Hoo he had issue two sons and three daughters, as given by most sources (although the Norfolk historian Blomefield (1807) gives three sons and four daughters, perhaps inaccurately): * Thomas Boleyn (died 30 April 1471), of the City of London, eldest son, buried in the Church of St Lawrence Old Jewry, beside his father. * Sir

William Boleyn Sir William Boleyn, KB (1451 – 10 October 1505) of Blickling Hall in Norfolk and Hever Castle in Kent, was a wealthy and powerful landowner who served as Sheriff of Kent in 1489 and as Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1500. He was the father ...

(1451–1505), a member of the

Worshipful Company of Mercers The Worshipful Company of Mercers is the premier Livery Company of the City of London and ranks first in the order of precedence of the Companies. It is the first of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies. Although of even older origin, the c ...

, who married Margaret Butler, a daughter and co-heiress of

Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond PC (1426 – 3 August 1515) was the youngest son of James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond. He was attainted, but restored by Henry VII's first Parliament in November 1485, and the statutes made at Westminster, by ...

, by whom he had issue including

Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire Thomas Bolina, Earl of Wiltshire, 1st Earl of Ormond, 1st Viscount Rochford KG KB (c. 1477 – 12 March 1539), of Hever Castle in Kent, was an English diplomat and politician who was the father of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry V ...

, the father of Queen

, second wife of King Henry VIII. * Isabel Boleyn (died 1485), who at some time after 1463 married William Cheyney (1444-1487), son and heir of Sir John Cheyney of Shurland Hall, Sheppey, Kent.Fortescue, T., Lord Clermont, ''A History of the Family of Fortescue in all its Branches'' (Private, London 1869)
p. 156
(Internet Archive). This author is not alone in (mistakenly) omitting the generation of William Boleyn, son of Geoffrey and father of Thomas. Her monumental brass survives in Blickling Church. * Alice Boleyn (died c.1480), who at some time after 1463 married Sir John Fortescue (d.1500) of Ponsborne Park, Newgate Street, Hertfordshire, by whom she had issue including the martyr

Adrian Fortescue Adrian Henry Timothy Knottesford Fortescue (14 January 1874 – 11 February 1923) was an English Catholic priest and polymath. An influential liturgist, artist, calligrapher, composer, polyglot, amateur photographer, Byzantine scholar, an ...

(1476-1539). * Anne Boleyn (died c.1509), who at some time after 1463 married Sir

Henry Heydon Sir Henry Heydon (died 1504) was the son of John Heydon of Baconsthorpe, Norfolk, 'the well-known opponent of the Paston family'. He married Anne Boleyn, the daughter of Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, great-grandfather of Henry VIII's queen Anne Boleyn ...

(1425-1504) of Baconsthorpe, Norfolk , by whom she had eight children.

Minor relatives

* Simon Boleyn, parochial chaplain of Salle, Norfolk died 3 August 1482. * James Boleyn of

Gunthorpe, Norfolk Gunthorpe is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is 8.6 miles east north east of the town of Fakenham, 14.9 miles west south west of Cromer and 122 miles north north east of London. The nearest railway stati ...

, died 1493 (executor to Simon's will). * Thomas Boleyn of Gunthorpe, Norfolk (executor to Simon's will). * Joan (Boleyn), named in her brother Simon's will. She married (1) Alan Roos of Salle (died 1463): he was receiver of rents for the Salle properties of Margaret Paston (née Mauteby, d. 1484). Alan was son of Thomas Roos (who died 12 October 1440), a prosperous merchant who built the north

transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building wi ...

chapel and who, like the Boleyns of Salle, was a member of the

Guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...

of the Holy Trinity of

Coventry Coventry ( or ) is a city in the West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its city status until the Middle Ages. The city is governed b ...

. She married (2) Robert Aldrych, who died in 1474. Historian Elizabeth Norton describes the Geoffrey Boleyn who died in 1440 as their great-uncle.E. Norton, ''The Boleyn Women'' (Amberley Publishing 2013), chapter 1.

Arms

The original ("ancient") arms of the Boleyn family are

blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vi ...

ed ''Argent, a chevron gules between three bull's heads afrontée sable''. Sir Geoffrey Boleyn quartered the arms of Bracton (''Azure, three mullets and a chief dauncettée or'')'Coat of arms of Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, Lord Mayor of London, 1457', in B. Burke, ''The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales; comprising a registry of armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time'' (London: Harrison and Sons, 1884)
p.96

References

Sources

* * *

External links

*Memorial brasses to Sir Geoffrey's mother and father (1440)
Jmc4-Church Explorer (flickr)
*http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/BoleynTree.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Boleyn, Geoffrey 1406 births 1463 deaths People from Broadland (district) Sheriffs of the City of London 15th-century lord mayors of London Members of the Parliament of England for the City of London English MPs February 1449 Place of birth unknown Geoffrey Knights Bachelor People from Blickling Politicians awarded knighthoods Mercers 15th-century English businesspeople People from Hever, Kent