Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre facts for kids

Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre (born around 1527 – died 1 July 1566) was an important English Member of Parliament (a person elected to represent an area in the government). After his father passed away, Thomas became a peer (a noble person) and owned a lot of land in areas like Cumberland, Yorkshire, and Northumberland.

Early Life and Family

Who Was Thomas Dacre?

Thomas Dacre was born around 1527. He was the oldest of five sons of William Dacre, 3rd Baron Dacre (who lived from about 1493 to 1563). His mother was Elizabeth Talbot. Thomas's father, William Dacre, held many important jobs. He was the Captain of Norham Castle, and he was in charge of protecting the western border of England as the Warden of the West Marches. He also served as the Governor of Carlisle. Thomas had a brother named Leonard Dacre.

Becoming a Knight

In 1547, when Thomas was about 20 years old, he was made a knight. This was a special honor given by the king or queen.

First Marriage

Thomas Dacre first married Lady Elizabeth Neville. They did not have any children together.

Serving in Parliament

In 1553, Thomas was chosen by the people of Cumberland to be one of their two representatives in the House of Commons of England. This was a part of the English government where laws were made.

Later Life and Family

Second Marriage and Children

Thomas Dacre later married Elizabeth Leyburne (who lived from 1536 to 1567). They had several children. Their sons were Francis, who sadly passed away when he was a baby, and George (born around 1561 – died 1569). They also had three daughters: Anne (born 1557 – died 1630), Mary (born 1563 – died 1578), and Elizabeth (born 1564).

Becoming Baron Dacre

On 18 November 1563, Thomas Dacre's father passed away. This meant Thomas inherited his father's title and became the 4th Baron Dacre. However, Thomas himself lived for less than three more years after this.

The Dacre Family's Future

Thomas Dacre passed away on 1 July 1566. After his death, his wife, Elizabeth Leyburn, married Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk. Sadly, Elizabeth died in 1567 while giving birth. This meant Thomas Dacre's young children became orphans and lived with their stepfather, the Duke of Norfolk.

Thomas's only surviving son, George, died in 1569. This left his three daughters as the only heirs to the Dacre family's lands and titles. The Duke of Norfolk arranged for each of Thomas's daughters to marry one of his own sons (their stepbrothers).

• In 1571, Anne Dacre married Philip Howard.
• Before 1577, Mary Dacre married Thomas Howard.
• In 1577, Elizabeth Dacre married Lord William Howard.

Mary Dacre passed away in 1578 when she was only fourteen years old. However, her older sister, Anne, lived until 1630. Elizabeth, the middle daughter, became known as "Bess of the Broad Apron" because she inherited a very large amount of land.]