Thomas de la More

Not to be confused with Thomas de la Moore or Thomas More.

Thomas de la More
coat of arms of thomas de la more, a white scallop and cross on a red background
Arms of de la More, blazoned A cross flory, with a scallop in dexter chief.[1]
Sheriff of Cumberland
In office
1430, 1443–1446, 1447–1448, 1452–1453
MP for Cumberland
In office
1420, 1429, 1450, 1455
Escheator of Cumberland
In office
1431–1435
Justice of the peace
In office
1447–1448, 1448–1452, 1452–death
Personal details
Bornc. 1395
Died1459,[2] 1460 [3] or 1461[4]
Resting placeBrampton Old Church chancel
54°33′53″N 2°27′21″W / 54.564668°N 2.455868°W / 54.564668; -2.455868
NationalityEnglish
Spouses
  • Maud Sandford (or Idione)
  • Margaret
Children
  • Margaret
  • Isabel
Occupation

Thomas de la More (also Dalamore[5] or Delamore;[6] 1395 – 1459 / 1460 / 1 June 1461) was a fifteenth-century sheriff of Cumberland. Little is known of his early years, but he was a royal official in Cumberland and Westmorland for all his adult life, serving as member of parliament, escheator and justice of the peace on multiple occasions. Although never wealthy, de la More was a man of social and political significance in the area and regularly acted on behalf of his fellow gentry. He entered the circle of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury at some point in the 1440s. He was frequently appointed sheriff of Cumberland. Because of this, and his close connection to the Percy family's rivals, the Nevilles, he eventually became involved in the struggle for local supremacy in the 1450s that broke out between the two families. Between 1453 and 1454, his men were beaten and threatened by Thomas Percy, Lord Egremont. In 1455, de la More petitioned the King, accusing Egremont of rampaging through Cumberland, assaulting de la More and threatening his life. He claimed this prevented him, as sheriff, from collecting money for the Treasury, although the damage to the land from Scottish incursions was more to blame. De la More played no active part in the Wars of the Roses, which broke out the same year.

De la More is known to have married, although how often and to whom is debated; his wife or wives were either called Maud, Idione or Margaret, and either Maud or Margaret may have survived him. He left two daughters, Margaret and Isabel, who both married into local families of significant rank. De la More died sometime between 1459 and 1461 and was probably buried in a family vault in Brampton Old Church, Cumberland.

  1. ^ Norwood 1889, p. 157.
  2. ^ Payling 2020, p. 524.
  3. ^ Wedgwood 1936, p. 267.
  4. ^ Rawcliffe 2019a.
  5. ^ Rawcliffe 2019c.
  6. ^ Victoria County History 1905, p. 322.