Research Notes:
1433 Richard Rowe granted his property to a Richard Drax and others. [1]
Richard Rowe citizen and vintner of London to Sir John Brykhede clerk, Guy Sholdeham, John Kyllyng vintner, citizens of London, and Richard Drax, their heirs, executors and assigns. Gift with warranty of all his goods and chattels moveable and immovable, quick and dead, his property, merchandise and wares present and future within the realm and without on either side the sea. Dated 20 March 11 Henry VI.
Memorandum of acknowledgment, 25 October this year.
1442 A Richard Drax of Thames Ditton was a witness to a deed in Surrey. [2]
John Broker chaplain to William Skerne and Edward Lustcyll. their heirs and assigns. Gift and confirmation of all lands, rents and services in Hamme, Petrysham (Petryssham) and Kyngeston co. Surrey which, with other lands in Middlesex, by charter dated Hamme, the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle 13 Henry VI, Robert Thurbarne gave to the said William and Edward and to Roger Goos, their heirs and assigns; and quitclaim of the said lands, by name of all lands there which he, with Thomas Pynnore, John Pynnore and others all now deceased, had by feoffment of Robert Thurbarne. Witnesses: Richard Drax, Richard Pygot, John Smyth, John Alayn, William Wodhale, Roger Mychill, William Stedman. Dated Hamme, 3 October 21 Henry VI.
Memorandum of acknowledgment of the foregoing writing and charter at Weston in the parish of Thamysditton co. Surrey 24 October this year before John Cotyngham and Richard Drax, by virtue of a dedimus potestatem which is on the chancery file for this year.
1442/43 Simon Adam appointed a Richard Drax. [3]
Simon Adam clerk to Richard Drax of Surrey and Sir John Smyth of London chaplain, their executors and assigns. Gift with warranty of all his goods and chattels moveable and immovable, quick and dead in London and elsewhere within the realm, and all debts to him due. Dated 2 January 21 Henry VI.
Memorandum of acknowledgment, 18 February.
1442 A Richard Drax was a witness to a deed in Surrey. [4]
Richard Fremantyll, son and heir of John Fremantyll, to William Skerne and Robert Hewlotte, their heirs and assigns. Quitclaim with warranty of the manor and advowson of Wyndelesham, and all the lands, rents and services, commons, woods, reliefs, heriots, reversions etc. in Bagshot and Wyndelesham co. Surrey late of John his father and of Richard Fremantyll his grandfather which Robert Skerne and John Hewlotte had by feoffment of William Loxley, son and heir of Robert Loxley. Witnesses: Richard Drax, John Lake and John Hooke bailiffs of Kyngeston, John Saundre, Thomas Broker, Richard Syvestre, William Rotour, William Pynder, Robert Chippes, John Rotour. Dated 17 August 18 Henry VI.
Memorandum of acknowledgment, 15 February this year.
1457 A Richard Drax wrote his will on December 15. Richard bequeathed to his "wife Maud all his movable goods pertaining to the hall, chamber, buttery and kitchen with all the plough chattels and others belonging to husbandry for the aid and maintenance of my boys (puerorum meum)." Other people named in his bequests include his sister Joan (Johanne) and a John Wakfeld (Johanni Wakfeld). Richard requested to be buried in the church of St Nicholas in Thames Ditton in the diocese of Winchester and made a bequest to every household having need in the parish of Thames Ditton. The will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on March 14, 1457/58. [5] [6]
Might John Wakfeld, named in Richard's will be related to Thomas Wakfeld [7], father of Isabel Wakefield? The bequest is to Johanni Wakfeld, not to Thomas. Richard requested to be buried in the church of St Nicholas in Thames Ditton in the diocese of Winchester and made a bequest to every household having need in the parish of Thames Ditton. Thames Ditton, in Surrey, is a long way from Yorkshire, where the Drax/Drakes family in the pedigree lived. Perhaps this Richard Drax is not the Richard who was a brother of Robert, father of Katherine, in the Drakes pedigree.
[1] A. E. Stamp, ed., Calendar of the Close Rolls, Henry VI, Vol. 2, 1429-1435 (London: HMSO, 1933, reprinted 1971), 285, [HathiTrust].
[2] A. E. Stamp, ed., Calendar of the Close Rolls, Henry VI, Vol. 4, 1441-1447 (London: HMSO, 1937), 116, [HathiTrust].
[3] A. E. Stamp, ed., Calendar of the Close Rolls, Henry VI, Vol. 4, 1441-1447 (London: HMSO, 1937), 127, [HathiTrust].
[4] A. E. Stamp, ed., Calendar of the Close Rolls, Henry VI, Vol. 4, 1441-1447 (London: HMSO, 1937), 131, [HathiTrust].
[5] Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, Prob 11, Piece 4, Stokton (1454-1458), [AncestryImage].
[6] The National Archives of the United Kingdom Catalog, PROB 11/4/139, [UKNationalArchives].
[7] Janet and Robert Wolfe, Genealogy Page for Thomas Wakefield, father of Isabel Wakefield, [JRWolfeGenealogy].