Gregory, born about 1520, was the only son of Thomas and Elizabeth Cromwell. Gregory’s two legitimate sisters died along with his mother of sweating sickness when Gregory was nine.
Thomas Cromwell sought to ensure his son’s well-being and education in the aftermath of his bereavement by sending him to nuns to be cared for. Cromwell knew many abbesses having gained a reputation as a man of business, legal advisor and arbitrator: an irony probably not lost upon the nuns when they were unceremoniously booted out of their homes. After Gregory outgrew the nuns Cromwell sent his son, aged about fifteen, to be educated in Cambridge where he worked hard according to the letters that his tutors sent Cromwell but without the gifts that Cromwell himself demonstrated for language and learning. It must have been frustrating for Cromwell, a self-made and apparently self-taught man, to see his son provided with the best education that money could buy but apparently lacked the skills to make most use of the education which his father provided.
One of the letters that Gregory’s tutor sent to Cromwell reveals a narrowly averted tragedy. Gregory’s room-mate accidentally set fire to his bedding and caused much damage but, fortunately, no loss of life. Cromwell was called upon to compensate the tutor for the loss of his possessions. Other letters cover more mundane affairs such as the need to feed a clothe the growing boy.
In a bizzare twist of fate Cromwell arranged for Gregory to marry Elizabeth Seymour in 1537– sister of Jane Seymour so was the brother-in-law of the man who had his father executed in 1540– Henry VIII. So technically Henry VIII was the uncle of Gregory’s children. Gregory did not suffer from his father’s fall from favour instead he went on to become a baron owning extensive lands in Leicestershire and in Rutland. He was created a baron less than five months after his father’s execution and would eventually regain some of the lands that the king had confiscated when Cromwell was found guilty of treason.
Gregory died in 1551 of sweating sickness. His letters demonstrate the depth of his affection for his wife and his children. There is no picture of him that is known. It is odd given the number of pictures of Cromwell painted by Holbein that none was commissioned of Cromwell Junior. There is however a possible picture of Elizabeth Seymour who went on to marry for a third time after Gregory’s death.
Yes but Thomas Cromwell was the Devil Incarnate whom took down mighty abbeys like Tintern to decorate his won house after murdering monks to gain their impressive library. May he rot in hell for what he did for total greed. His son he hid as power brings enemies unto ones door and any weakness he knew must be untouchable as it could effect his stance and safety. He was too able to rob and thieve and had no real love of anyone save himself. I walked around Tintern often and the damage he did is clear to the eye even before the passage of time finished off with softer corners and nature clothed her naked frame in a web of moss and fern. His son amounted to nothing and died soon after his fathers sentenced death no more to be approved. Cromwell may well have been a self taught solicitor and able minister but greed and power made him rich. Give me an honest man who could not be touched by the hand of Kings or corrupted by greed and that might make a better story. Sir William Parr first Marquise of Northampton Baron Kendal and Earl of Surrey would be the subject for me to enjoy at least he was buried in Warwick by his Aunt Queen Elizabeth first after leaving his fortune to his nephews the Herberts he thus died in the arms of the monks in Saint Marys Church.His rich Tudor tomb was destroyed by Victorian builders to lay one of those red tiled floors. The one in Teweksbury covers over three famous graves and robs us of the burial of Prince Edward.
The extent to which TC it’s Henry transformed England from a RC country to a Protestant one is astounding. Mantel paints a much more nuanced portrait of the man.
I don’t know why I’m bothering, except to say that TC can’t defend himself.
what a sad, spiteful man you are, who does not know his history. Who required Thomas Cromwell to do all these things? henry VIII. I’d like to see you bring about the changes for good that TC actually did in those times. It was a brutal, tragic time in our history, but that is thanks to men who run rampant for the sake of avarice and brutality to women. Read Hilary Mantel if you want to understand your history.