Thomas Tichborne facts for kids
Thomas Tichborne (born around 1567 – died April 20, 1602) was an English Roman Catholic priest. He is remembered as a Catholic martyr, someone who died for their beliefs.
Quick facts for kids VenerableThomas Tichborne |
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Detail from a stained glass window in St Peter's Catholic Church, Winchester. Thomas is on the right.
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| Martyr | |
| Born | c. 1567 Hartley Mauditt, Hampshire, England |
| Died | 20 April 1602 (aged 34 - 35) Tyburn, London, England |
Contents
The Life of Thomas Tichborne
Thomas Tichborne was born in 1567 in Hartley Mauditt, a village in Hampshire, England. He was one of the younger sons of Nicholas Tichborne and Mary Myll. His father, Nicholas, passed away in Winchester Prison around 1588 or 1589. Thomas's family was well-known, and they were related to the Tichborne baronets.
His Education and Priesthood
Thomas studied to become a priest at colleges in Reims (from 1584 to 1587) and then in Rome. He became a priest on May 17, 1592. After his studies, he returned to England on March 10, 1594. He began his work as a priest in Hampshire.
Challenges and Capture
For a few years, Thomas managed to avoid being caught by the authorities. However, in early 1597, he was arrested. He was sent to a prison in London called the Gatehouse.
In the autumn of 1598, Thomas managed to escape from prison. His brother, Nicholas Tichborne, and a man named Thomas Hackshott helped him. Sadly, both Nicholas and Thomas Hackshott were executed shortly after helping him.
Final Arrest and Trial
Later, Thomas was betrayed by a former priest named Atkinson. He was arrested again. On April 17, 1602, he was brought to trial. Two other men were tried with him: Robert Watkinson, who was also a young priest, and James Duckett, a bookseller from London.
Thomas Tichborne was very ill at this time, suffering from a serious lung illness. On April 20, 1602, he lost his life at Tyburn in London. Robert Watkinson and another priest named Francis Page also died there on the same day. Francis Page had become a priest in 1600 and joined the Society of Jesus while in prison.
