Robert de Lathom

• Preferred Name: Robert de Lathom^{[1] [2] [3]}
  
• Gender: M
  
• FSID: LLWL-YWN
  
• Fact: with note: Description: https://www.geni.com/people/Sir-Robert-de-Lathom-Lord-of-Latham/6000000003200696622?through=6000000002023285498
  
• LdsSealingToParents: 28 MAY 1952 with note: GEDCOM data
  
• Death: 1 SEP 1286
  
• LdsEndowment: 4 MAY 1951 with note: GEDCOM data
  
• Birth: ABT 1198 in Of, Lancaster, Lancashire, England at LATI: N4.0474 LONG: E2.8016 with note: GEDCOM data
  
• LdsBaptism: 8 NOV 1947 with note: GEDCOM data
  
• Burial: in New Chaplery of Latham, Lancaster, England at LATI: N3.8185 LONG: E2.6257 with note: See documents in the Memories section and Note in the Collaborate section
  
• Notes:

  === Life Sketch ===
  [Richard de Lathom d. ~1232] was succeeded by his brother Robert, a man of note in the affairs of the county. He confirmed the charter of Burscough and added the land of Adam de Birkes, which his brother Richard had bequeathed with his body, as well as two other plats. (fn. 20) By his marriage with Joan, (fn. 21) sister and coheir of Thomas son of Robert de Alfreton, he became possessed of a moiety of her father's estates in Alfreton, Norton, and Marnham, held of the honour of Tickhill. (fn. 22) She probably died without issue, as these manors did not remain with the Lathom family. Robert was made a knight in 1243 in consequence of the king's writ to enforce knighthood on all who had an estate of fifteen librates of land. (fn. 23) In 1249 the county and castle of Lancaster were committed to Sir Robert, during the king's pleasure. (fn. 24) By this appointment he held the office of sheriff from Easter, 1249, to Michaelmas, 1254; he held it again from Easter, 1264, to Michaelmas, 1265. (fn. 25) His second wife was Joan, daughter of Adam de Millom, (fn. 26) by whom he had several children. From 1277 until his death about 1290, he was engaged in the wars. (fn. 27)
  
  Biography of Sir Robert the Elder Latham 1198 - after 1290.
  He was known historically as Sir Robert Latham, The Elder. In 1249, he had grant of the custody of the honor and castle of Lancaster, an office of dignity almost commensurate with that of an Earl Pala
  
  === Notes and sources for Robert... ===
  Sir Robert de Lathom, son of Richard de Lathom, was sheriff of Lancashire in 1236, and again 1249, and seven years further, and married Amicia, sister and coheiress of Thomas de Alfreton, and by her had two sons, Thomas de Lathom of Mosborough, and Sir Robert, son and heir.
  
  ~The Courcher Book, Or Chartulary, of Whalley Abbey, Vol. II, p. 551
  
  • Background Information. 863
  Sir Robert de Lathom, heir to his older brother Richard, succeeded Richard sometime before 1230, which can be fixed at a probable date of his charter of confirmation to Stanlaw Abbey of lands once belonging to his grandfather Robert Fitz Henry [Coucher Book of Whalley, pp. 550, 551]. In 1250, he had a grant of the custody of the Honor and Castle of Lancaster, an office of dignity almost commensurate with that of an Earl Palatine, and had grant again of the custody of this Honor in 1254. He occurs as Sheriff of Lancashire in 1236, from 1248 to 1256 and again in 1263, in Military Summonses against Llewellyn, 1277 and again in 1282, twice and in Summons to Earl of Cormwall's Military Council at Gloucester in 1287.
  
  Sir Robert's wife was Amicia, daughter and coheir of Robert de Alfreton. Their son and heir was Sir Robert de Lathom.
  
  ~Parentalia, Genealogical Memoirs, p. 66-67
  
  • Background Information. 920
  Robert Lathom confirmed the charter of Burscough and added the land of Adam de Birkes, which his brother Richard had bequeathed with his body, as well as two other plats [Burscough Reg. fol. 3, 3b]. By his marriage with Joan [Otherwise Amicia; Mon. Angl. vi, 8], sister and coheir of Thomas son of Robert de Alfreton, he became possessed of a moiety of her father's estates in Alfreton, Norton, and Marnham, held of the honour of Tickhill [Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 148, 154]. She probably died without issue, as these manors did not remain with the Lathom family. Robert was made a knight in 1243 in consequence of the king's writ to enforce knighthood on all who had an estate of fifteen librates of land [Close R. 56, m. 4 d]. In 1249 the county and castle of Lancaster were committed to Sir Robert, during the king's pleasure [Fine R. 33 Hen. III, pt. i, m. 7]. By this appointment he held the office of sheriff from Easter, 1249, to Michaelmas, 1254; he held it again from Easter, 1264, to Michaelmas, 1265 [P.R.O. List of Sheriffs, 72]. His second wife was Joan, daughter ofAdam de Millom [Chartul. of Beauchief Abbey. In 126]. From 1277 until his death about 1290, he was engaged in the wars [Palgrave, Parl. Writs, i, 698.].
  
  ~VCH A History of the County of Lancaster, Vol. III, 247-258
  
  === Some background information concerning the family of Amicia de Alfreton and her ancestors ===
  Robert de Lathom (also called Robert Fitz-Henry) died in 1199. This is confirmed by a lawsuit filed on 29 October 1199 by Amabel, the wife of Robert, against Richard de Lathom the son of Robert [See document in the Memories section]. British History Online in a footnote notes that Amabel was probably the second wife of Robert, because she is referred to as "dau. of Simon" and Robert’s first wife “was the daughter and heiress of Orm, son of Ailward, and his wife Emma, dau. of Albert Grelley”. It is interesting to note that British History Online calls Emma’s father “Orm, son of Ailward” rather than Orme Fitz-Siward (Orme son of Siward) as he is referred to in The History of the County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster. But, clearly, Orm, son of Ailward, and Orme Fitz-Siward are the same person, spouse of Emma de Gresely (Grelley). Emma must have died quite some time before 1199 for Robert to have remarried, perhaps by 1190. Lending further credence to the fact that Amabel was the second wife is the fact that she felt it necessary to file suit against Robert’s son and heir Richard de Lathom for a dowry. If she had been the mother of Richard, certainly he would have provided for his mother as a caring son. However, he may have been reluctant to provide for a step-mother that he may have considered something of a “gold-digger”, trying to get his father’s wealth. The name of the wife of Richard de Lathom is not given in the historical records.
  
  As stated above, Robert de Lathom was succeeded by his son Richard de Lathom (also called Richard Fitz-Robert) in 1199. Clearly Richard was an adult by 1199 to have succeeded his father Robert and to have been the subject of a lawsuit over his father’s estate, suggesting Richard must have been born in or before 1178 and not as early some records suggest in 1145. The Lathom pedigree in The History of the County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster reports that Richard de Lathom was living in the time of King John and King Henry III. John was king from May 1199 to October 1216 and Henry III was king from October 1216 to November 1272, suggesting that Robert could not have died until sometime well into Henry III’s reign. Richard de Lathom’s wife is not named in the historical records, but he is reported as having two sons: Sir Robert de Lathom “son of Richard and grandson of Robert Fitz-Henry” and Richard de Lathom “son of Richard Fitz-Robert”.
  
  Robert de Lathom, son and heir of Richard de Lathom (Richard Fitz-Robert) was the Sheriff of Lancashire from 1249-1255 and again from 1264-1265. He was married to Amicia de Alfreton “mar. before 1252”, daughter of Robert of Alfreton. The marriage “before 1252” could have occurred between about 1245-1251, give or take a couple of years, suggesting that Robert and Amicia were likely born no earlier than 1220-1225. Some private records suggest Amicia was born as early as 1200, but that doesn’t work with a marriage dated “before 1252”. She would have been nearly 50 years of age at the time of her marriage. Some private records also report she was called Joan, but most historical records name her Amicia. [See document about the Alftreton family in British History Online in the Memories section.]
  
  According to the Lathom pedigree in The History of the County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster, Amicia was the daughter of Robert de Alfreton, “Lord and Baron of Alfreton, Normanton and Farnham”. Some private records suggest that this Robert de Alfreton, father of Amicia and also called Robert Fitz-Ranulph, was the son of Ranulph de Alfreton, but there is far too much time between that Robert de Alfreton and Amicia for them to be father and daughter. British History Online reports that Robert de Alfreton (Robert Fitz-Ranulph) has a son named William, Lord of Alfreton, who has a son named Robert de Alfreton who would be much closer to the right age to be the father of Amicia.
  
  The Robert de Alfreton, called Robert Fitz-Ranulph, is well documented as the son Ranulph (Randulph) de Alfreton. The first Robert de Alfreton’s father, Ranulph de Alfreton, was reportedly the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire under King Henry II in 1156 (in the second year of the reign of Henry II). If Amicia was the daughter of that first Robert de Alfreton (Robert Fitz-Ranulph), there would be almost 100 years between the time Robert’s father, Ranulph (Amicia’s grandfather?), was sheriff and the time Amicia got married. It seems quite clear that there must be at least one or two missing generations in that ancestry of Amicia, because her marriage “before 1252” is too far removed from known dates of events in Ranulph de Alfreton and Robert Fitz-Ranulph’s lives. It appears, therefore, almost certain that Amicia is the daughter of the second Robert de Alfreton, son of William, son of the first Robert, son of Ranulph, son of Engelram de Alfreton, placing Amicia into the sixth generation of the Alfreton family rather than the fourth generation. And that would fit with a marriage “before 1252”.
  
  However, there is an Alfreton pedigree in The Reliqury, Quarterly Archeological Journal and Review which shows the wife of Robert de Lathom, named previously, as Johanna, daughter of William de Alfreton and does not show a Robert as the son of William. Countering the claim that William does not have a son named Robert are a number of entries in British History Online [See documents in the Memories section of the above-named Alfreton family members] that clearly state Robert is the son of William. That second Robert is also probably the father of Thomas de Alfreton, the next Alfreton generation, rather than William who is so listed in the Alfreton pedigree.
  
  That raises the question: What is the name of Robert de Lathom’s wife, Amicia or Johanna (Joan)? One entry in British History Online states, Robert “had to wife Joane (whom other authors call Amicia)” and continues speaking of Robert de Lathom that he “gave a great fine for the custody (or wardship) of Thomas de Chauris, nephew, and one of the heirs of Thomas, son of Robert (de Alserton) [sic=Alfreton] until he should come of age.” That appears to indicate that Robert de Lathom’s wife is referred to in various records as both Amicia and Joan (Johanna) and that Thomas is the son of Robert rather than William and Thomas is the brother of Amicia (Joan). Another entry in British History Online reports the Alfreton lordship went extinct in 1269, suggesting after 1269 the lordship was in the possession of other individuals not named Alfreton (i.e., in the hands of Lathom and Chaworth).
  
  Robert de Lathom and Amicia de Alfreton were the parents of at least two sons: Sir Robert de Lathom, “son and heir” and Thomas de Lathom, who “had a grant of Mosborough from his brother Robert de Lathom, 20 Ed. I. (1292)”. Those two sons were certainly born after the marriage of their parents “before 1252”, so likely born about 1248-1252. This second Robert de Lathom apparently died in 1324-1325 according to an inquisition postmortem “inq. p.m. 18 Edward II”. This second Robert de Lathom was married to Katherine de Knowesley (also spelled Knowesleigh and Knoweslegh), daughter of Thomas de Knowesley. Katherine de Knowesley survived her husband.

• m. 1253 in Lathom House, Lancashire, England

• m. BEF 1220 in Lathom House, Lancashire, England

1. Robert de Lathom II, b. 1240 in Yorkshire, England     d. 2 MAR 1325 in Huyton, Lancashire, England
2. Cecelia de Lathom, b. ABT 1220 in Lathom St James, Lancashire, England     d. DEC 1275 in Lancashire, England

1. Title: Robert Lathom in entry for Robert Lathom, "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975"
   Author: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J9DN-F49 : 5 February 2023), Robert Lathom in entry for Robert Lathom, 1799.
   Publication: Name: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J9DN-F49;
   Page: England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
   
2. Title: Miscellanea Palatina: consisting of genealogical essays illustrative of Cheshire Domesday roll
   Author: page 63
   Publication: Name: http://archive.org/stream/miscellaneapalat00orme#page/n153/mode/1up;
   
3. Title: The History of the County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster, Volume 4 By Edward Baines, William Robert Whatton, Brooke Herford, James Croston
   Author: page 199
   Publication: Name: https://books.google.ca/books?id=oE0MAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA199&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false;
   Note: Gives Ancient pedigree chart of Lathom