John Pakington (MP and Sheriff) facts for kids

Sir John Pakington (born around 1477 – died 21 August 1551) was an important lawyer and politician in England. He held several key positions, including a special clerk in the Court of Common Pleas, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Gloucester, and Sheriff of both Herefordshire and Worcestershire. In 1529, Henry VIII gave him a very unusual permission: he was allowed to wear his hat even when the King was present!

Sir John Pakington's Life

Early Life and Family

The Pakington family was very old and had been around for a long time. However, it was Sir John Pakington, during the time of Henry VIII, who truly helped his family become wealthy and important.

John Pakington was born around 1477. He was the oldest son of John Pakington from Stanford-on-Teme, Worcestershire. His mother was Elizabeth Washbourne. He had three brothers, Humphrey, Robert, and Augustine, and three sisters: Joyce, Eleanor, and Margery.

Starting His Legal Career

Sir John Pakington started his legal career around 1498. He worked as a lawyer in the Court of Common Pleas, which was a major court in England. He joined the Inner Temple, one of the famous legal societies, before 1505. By 1507, he was already giving legal advice in another court called the Court of Requests.

In 1508, he became the Chirographer of the Court of Common Pleas. This was an important job given by the King. In 1512, he became the lawyer for the Mercers' Company, a powerful group of merchants. The next year, he was made a justice of the peace in Gloucestershire, helping to keep law and order. In 1515, he was chosen to represent Gloucester in Parliament. He continued to rise in the legal world, becoming a senior member of the Inner Temple in 1517.

Special Privileges and Roles

On October 12, 1525, Sir John Pakington's important role at the Common Pleas court was re-granted to him and his brother Augustine. A very special thing happened on April 5, 1529. Henry VIII gave him a unique permission:

to wear his hat in [the King's] presence, and his successors, or of any other persons whatsoever, and not to be uncovered on any occasion or cause whatsoever against his will and good liking; also that he shall not be appointed, called or compelled to take the order of knighthood, or degree, state or order of a Baron of the Exchequer, Serjeant-at-law, or any office or encumbrance thereto relating.

This meant he could keep his hat on even when meeting the King, which was a huge honor and a sign of great trust. It also meant he couldn't be forced to become a knight or take other high legal jobs if he didn't want to. In fact, in 1531, he was offered the job of a serjeant-at-law (a very senior lawyer), but he turned it down.

Sir John Pakington was very respected at the Inner Temple. In 1534, new buildings there were named "Pakington's Rents" to honor his contributions.

Important Work and Later Years

Sir John Pakington took on many important roles. In 1532, he became a judge in North Wales. By 1539, he was the recorder of Worcester, which meant he was the chief legal officer for the city. In 1541, he became a judge on the Brecon circuit in Wales.

In 1535, he was appointed to collect money owed to King Henry VIII and his father, Henry VII. He served as Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1538 and Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1540. In 1539, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire. He also became the Custos Rotulorum for Worcestershire in 1540, which meant he was the chief keeper of the county's records. That same year, he helped investigate jewels that had gone missing from a holy place called St. David's. For the rest of his life, he continued to work in Wales, but he mostly lived at Hampton Lovett in Worcestershire.

King Henry VIII gave Sir John Pakington many valuable gifts and lands. The King also knighted him in 1545, making him "Sir John." He was often part of groups that helped keep the peace in different counties. Under King Edward VI, he was made a member of the council for the Welsh Marches in 1551.

It is said that Sir John Pakington owned many estates, perhaps as many as thirty-one, by the time he died. He had received lands from Henry VIII, including Westwood in Worcestershire. While he did buy some lands that used to belong to monasteries, the idea that he owned so many estates might have been an exaggeration.

Sir John Pakington wrote his last will on August 16, 1551, and passed away five days later. He was buried at Hampton Lovett in the church's chapel of St Anne. Since he did not have any sons, his nephew, Sir Thomas Pakington (who died in 1571), inherited his estates. Sir Thomas was the oldest son of Sir John's brother, Robert Pakington (who died in 1536).

His Family

Marriage and Children

Sir John Pakington married Anne Dacres by 1530. Anne (who died on August 22, 1563) was the daughter of Henry Dacres, an important London merchant. Anne had been married before to Robert Fairthwaite, who died in 1521. From her first marriage, she had a daughter named Elizabeth and two sons, Martin and Geoffrey, who passed away without having children.

Sir John Pakington and Anne had two daughters together:

• Ursula (died 1558), who married William Scudamore. They had a son named Sir John Scudamore (1542–1623).
• Bridget, who married Sir John Littleton of Frankley, Worcestershire. After his death, she married three other husbands.

A Lasting Memorial

There is a memorial for Sir John Pakington's wife, Anne, in the church of St Botolph, Aldersgate in London. It shows Anne, a knight in armor (likely Sir John), and a daughter. The words on the memorial say:

Here under this tombe lyeth ye bodye of Dame Anne Packington, Widdow, late wife Sr John Packington, Kt: late Chirographer in the court of ye comon Please wch. Dame Anne deceassed the 22nd. day of August in the yeare of our Lord God 1563.