The family of John “of Essex” Golding
- Catherine Gauldin
- 51 minutes ago
- 10 min read
1.2 Origins in England: Golding of Essex
The family of John “of Essex” Golding
JOHN "OF ESSEX" GOLDING was born about 1470 to 1475 in Belchamp St Paul, Essex, England. His exact birthdate is not known but he is referred to as the youngest child of his father Thomas “of Grey’s Cavendish” Golding and Agnes Letton and his brother Roger was born in 1468, so John must have been born shortly after that. If John was born about 1470 and then he would have been about 50 years old when he assumed the position of Exchequer, and that is a reasonable age to hold such a high office.
John Golding was Exchequer in 1520
It has been said that “He who controls the purse strings controls the government.” This highlights the power of managing finances and resources in shaping political authority and decision-making. Historically, this notion aligns with the role of financial oversight in governance. For example, in constitutional systems like Britain's, the control of finances by Parliament-the power of the "purse"-was key in limiting the monarchy's authority and ensuring accountability. John Golding was given the responsibility that very few men ever achieved in 1520. (1) The Monarch of that period was King Henry VIII, who ascended the throne in 1509 and ruled until 1547. The volatile personality of that King made the office of Exchequer not only a powerful position but also one potentially perilous. John Golding had to be careful with his accounting if he wanted to survive.
What did the Exchequer do?
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the Auditor of the Exchequer held significant responsibilities within the English financial system. The role primarily involved:
a. Filing and Entering Records: The Auditor was responsible for filing and entering the Teller's Bills, which were records from the Tellers of the Exchequer.
b. Certifying Monies Received: They certified the amounts of money received to the Lord Treasurer, ensuring accurate financial reporting.
c. Auditing Financial Books: The Auditor reviewed and audited the books of the Tellers to maintain accountability and transparency.
d. Issuing Receipts: The role also included issuing wooden tallies as receipts for payments made to the Exchequer.
The title of "Auditor" was officially attached to this post during Elizabeth I's reign, combining it with the duties of the Tally Writer. It was a critical position in managing the kingdom's finances and ensuring proper oversight of revenue and expenditures.
The following is from The Ancient Exchequer of England; the Treasury and origin of the present management of the ... by Francis Sheppard Thomas, from p 1, available on googlebooks: (2)
"The Ancient Exchequer of England was similar to that of the Normans and is supposed to have been introduced into England by the Conqueror, as not mention is made of an Exchequer in times preceding the Conquest, but soon after that event it is frequently mentioned by Historians and in Records...The Court was held in the King's Palace...When the Exchequer was held at Westminster there were two principal rooms for the Barons to sit in; one was called 'Scaccarium..the other was called Thalamus.. a sort of Council Chamber.... It is said to have been called the Exchequer, from the chequered cloth resembling a Chess-board, which covered the table, and on which the accounts were made up, the sums were marked and scored with counters."
It is now known through DNA analysis that the Golding Family of Essex has no genetic relationship to the family of John “of New Kent” Gaulding, but their story is eventually an intricately linked genealogy that united some of the leading families of the time with the organizers of the Virginia Company makes their story very interesting so their line is included in Gaulding Origins. John Golding died in on 28 November 1547 (1) and was buried at in the Temple Church in London. (3)
John Golding’s first wife was Elizabeth Towe, whom he married about 1520, the same time he became the Exchequer. She was born about 1480 in West Malling, Kent, England and she died 27 November 1527 in England. She was the co-heiress of her father Thomas Towe of West Malling, Kent, England and she died November 27, 1527. John Golding married relatively late in life and would have been about 45 to 50 by the time he began to have children. He must have spent a considerable period of time during his youth and early middle age rising in the social levels of Medieval England, which in the late 1400’s was limited but not completely impossible. European societies were mostly hierarchical, with monarchs and nobles possessing most of the wealth and power, while peasants formed the majority at the bottom. Artisans and merchants had opportunities for upward mobility through economic activities that allowed them to accumulate wealth, which could lead to a higher social status. Additionally, exceptional circumstances such as military achievements, royal favor, or land acquisition could enable individuals to rise in rank.
During John Golding's birth, European society was typically divided into distinct social classes, often referred to as the "Three Estates":
The Clergy: This group comprised members of the Church, such as priests, bishops, and monks. They provided spiritual guidance and held significant influence over both the people and the ruling class.
The Nobility: This class consisted of kings, queens, lords, and knights. They were landowners with political and military power, usually inherited.
The Commoners: This was the largest group, including peasants, artisans, and merchants. Peasants worked the land, often under feudal obligations, while artisans and merchants were part of the growing middle class in urban areas.
The Golding family originated in Glemsford and accumulated substantial wealth due to the flourishing wool industry. Their fortune was derived from the cloth trade, categorizing them as merchants, consequently, individuals of such a class were typically not accepted into the higher ranks of nobility. The expansion of trade and commerce during this era gradually facilitated more opportunities for cross-class relationships, particularly in urban areas like London. John Golding's remarkable intellect and strategic acumen enabled him to significantly elevate his status beyond his initial social standing. In order to achieve his ambition, it was necessary that he marry well.
With Elizabeth Towe he had four children:
Sir Thomas Golding, was born about 1522 in Belchamp St. Paul, Essex, England and died in 1573 in Belchamp St. Paul. He married Elizabeth Royden of the powerful Royden family. She was born about 1520 in Roydon Hall in Kent, England and she died on 19 August 1595 in Belchamp St. Paul, Essex, England.
Louis Thorne Golding, the authoritative biographer of the Golding Family of Essex wrote about Thomas Golding in An Elizabethan Puritan, p 14-15: (5)
“Thomas, the eldest son of John Golding and Ursula Marston, achieved considerable wealth and position. He was knighted and as Sir Thomas Golding was Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire in 1563 and again in Essex alone in 1569. He maintained the matrimonial policy of the family by marrying Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of Thomas Roydon of Peckham, Kent. She was the widow of William Twisden, Esq.”
William Golding was born about 1523 in Belchamp St. Paul, Essex, England and died on 8 February 1587 in Belchamp Otten in Essex, England. He married Elizabeth West, the daughter of Edmond West of Cornard, Suffolk, England. She was the widow of John Bukenham, Esq.
This is from An Elizabethan Puritan, by Louis Thorn Golding, p 14: (5)
“William, the second son (of John Golding and Ursula Marsden) contented himself with the quiet activities of a country gentleman. He also married a co-heiress, Elizabeth, daughter of Edmond West of Cornard, Suffolk. She was the widow of John Bukenham, Esq. After his brother Thomas died in 1571 he succeeded to the lordship of the Manor of Belchamp.”
John Golding's ambition came to fruition in the orchestrated marriage between his daughter Margaret "Marjory" Golding and Edward, the 16th Earl of Oxford, de Vere. Margaret was the second wife of Edward de Vere, his first wife being Lady Dorothy Neville of the influential Neville family. Margery was born about 1524 in Belchamp St. Paul, Essex, England and she died sometime after 1562 in Castle Hedingham, Essex, England. She and Edward de Vere were married on 5 August 1548 at Castle Hedingham in Essex, much to the chagrin of Edward's daughter from his first marriage who was against the union of her father, a member of the highest ranks of nobility with a commoner. De Vere died on 3 August 1562 at Castle Hedingham and it is not known what happened to Margery after the death of her husband. They had one son named Edward who inherited his father’s title to become the 17th Earl along with an almost unfathomable fortune which he spent a good portion of his life squandering away on frivolous and immoral pursuits.
The De Vere family were connected by marriage to the Wingfields, the Gosnold Family and Sir William Cornwallis. They were among other prominent people played an instrumental role in creating the Virginia Company. Edward de Vere, the son of Edward the 16th Earl and Margaret “Marjory” Golding was of a different line of the de Vere family than his cousins but they were nevertheless connected. Elizabeth de Vere married Sir Anthony Wingfield and Dorothy de Vere married John “3rd Baron Latimer” Neville. Lucy Neville, the granddaughter of Dorothy de Vere married Sir William Cornwallis and he is the man who named Richard Nykke and Thomas Golding, Clerk as the co-executors of his will. Lucy’s sister Dorothy married Thomas Cecil, the Earl of Exeter and that is how Arthur Golding became involved with the Cecil family.
For a more extensive analysis of the decline of the House of De Vere and their influence on Margaret’s half-brother, Arthur Golding, see 5:1 - The Golding Family of Bermuda: The De Vere Family of Essex
Elizabeth Golding, who was born about 1526 in Belchamp St. Paul, Essex, England and died in an unknown year. She married Roger Wingfield. He was born about 1530 in Dunham Magna, Norfolk, England.
Golding and Wingfield connection to Jamestown
Elizabeth, the daughter of John Golding and Elizabeth Towe married Roger Wingfield, the Great Grandson of Sir John Wingfield and a contemporary of one of the primary funders of the Jamestown Society, Edward-Maria Wingfield. The line of descent from Sir John Wingfield was:
1 Sir John WINGFIELD b: 1426 in Letheringham, Suffolk, England, d: 11 May 1481 in Letheringham, Suffolk, England + Elizabeth FitzLewis
...2 Sir John "Golding link" Dunham Wingfield b: 1464 in Letheringham, Suffolk, England, d: 1509 in Letheringham, Suffolk, England + Anne Touchet
+ Margaret Dorward m: Abt. 1500 in Letheringham, Suffolk, England
......3 Sir Thomas Wingfield b: Abt. 1510 in Dunham Magna, Norfolk, England, d: 1609 in Leatheringham, Suffolk, England + Elizabeth WOODHOUSE b: Abt. 1510
.........4 Roger Wingfield b: Abt. 1530 in Dunham Magna, Norfolk, England + Elizabeth Golding b: Abt. 1526 in Belchamp St Paul, Essex, England
...2 Sir Richard "Jamestown Descent" Wingfield + Katherine WOODVILLE
......3 Thomas Maria Wingfield b: 1516, d: 1557 + [unknown spouse]
.........4 Edward-Maria "Jamestown" Wingfield b: 1550 in Stonely, Huntingdonshire, England, d: 1621 in Manchester, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, USA
The Wingfield and Golding connection to Edward-Maria “Jamestown” Wingfield only proves how tightly linked the family connections were between the organizers of the expeditions to found the Virginia colonies, especially considering the family link that the Suffolk branch of the Golding family had with the Bacon’s and the Gosnold’s of Suffolk.
The second wife of John “of Essex” Golding was Ursula, (1) the daughter and co-heiress of William Marston of Horton, Surrey, England. She was of a noted and wealthy family and they had a number of children, the most notable of which was Arthur Golding, the translator whose descendants have been proved to have settled in New York where there are still descendants. The children of John Golding and Ursula Marston were Henry, Arthur, George, Edmund, Mary, Dorothy and Frances.
Frances Golding was born about 1525 in Belchamp St. Paul, Essex, England and she died in an unknown year. She married Matthew “of Shelfhanger Norfolk” Bacon. He was born about 1525 in England.
Henry “of Little Birch” Golding was born in 1528 in Belchamp St. Paul, Essex, England and he died in 1576 in Little Birch. He married Alice Clovel. She was born about 1530 and died in 1587. As the eldest son Henry Golding acquired considerable property from both his mother and his father but he died deeply in debt and without male heirs. As a consequence he named his brother Arthur his main beneficiary, which meant that Arthur also inherited his brother’s debts which led to his own financial decline. After the death of Henry, his widow Alice married George Foster.
Arthur “The Translator” Golding was born in 1536 in Belchamp St. Paul, Essex, England and he died on 13 May 1606 in Belchamp St. Paul, Essex, England. He married Ursula Royden in 1574. She was born in 1544 in Essex, England and died in 1610 in Belchamp St. Paul, Essex, England. Arthur Golding and Ursula Royden had eight children, four sons and four daughters. They were:
HENRY GOLDING was born in 1572 in Birch, Essex, England. He died. Henry son of Arthur is mentioned in the will of his father's brother Henry, March 20 1575
JANE GOLDING was born in 1574 in Belchamp St Paul, Essex, England.
ALICE GOLDING was born in 1575 in Belchamp St Paul, Essex, England. She died about 1576.
DOROTHY GOLDING was born in 1577 in Belchamp St Paul, Essex, England. She died in England. Dorothy was the youngest child. She outlived her mother and became her sole executor.
THOMAS GOLDING was born in 1578 in Belchamp St Paul, Essex, England.
PERCIVAL "OF LONDON" GOLDING was born on 09 Oct 1579 in Allhallows, London, England. He died in 1635 in Belchamp Otten, Essex, England. He married EMILY FARMER ?. She was born about 1580 in England. She died in 1672.
ELIZABETH GOLDING was born in 1581 in England.
GEORGE GOLDING was born in 1583 in England.
This comes from the Dictionary of National Biography, Volumes 1-22 p 75 (1)
"Golding, Arthur, translator, born probably in London about 1536 was younger son of JOHN GOLDING, Esq. of Belchamp St. Paul and Halsted, Essex by his second wife Ursula, daughter of William Merston of Horton, Surrey. His father was one of the auditors of the exchequer and died 28 Nov. 1547. Margaret, his half-sister, married John de Vere, sixteenth earl of Oxford..."
The village of Belchamp St. Paul is known for its picturesque countryside and historical significance. St. Andrew's Church, a notable landmark, is home to a memorial for Arthur Golding. The church also features a ring of six bells, adding to its historical charm. (8)
For a more extensive description of his life and his relationship with Edward De Vere and Edward Cecil, see Gaulding Origins 5:2 - The Golding Family of Bermuda: Arthur Golding the Translator and his descendants.
Works Cited
1. "Exchequer". Wikipedia. [Online] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditor_of_the_Receipt_of_the_Exchequer.
2. Thomas, Francis Sheppard. The Ancient Exchequer of England. archive.org. [Online] https://archive.org/details/ancientexcheque00thomgoog/page/n12/mode/2up?q=Golding.
3. Essex, England, Select Church of England Parish Registers, 1518-1960. Ancestry.com. [Online] https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9850/records/2682578?tid=120903483&pid=372.
4. John Golding. UK and Ireland, Find a Grave® Index, 1300s-Current. [Online] https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/182303501/john-golding.
5. An Elizabethan Puritan by Louis Thorn Golding. archive.org. [Online] https://archive.org/details/elizabethanpurit00gold/page/n7/mode/2up.
6. England, Select Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991. Ancestry.com. [Online] https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9840/records/11055079?tid=120903483&pid=372003940749&ssrc=pt.
7. Dictionary of National Biography. Ancestry.com. [Online] https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1981/records/10025158?tid=120903483&pid=372003940749&ssrc=pt.
8. Wikipedia, "Belchamp St. Paul", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belchamp_St_Paul
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