- Francis Rodes
Infobox Person
name = Francis Rodes
image_size =
caption = Arms from Magnus Brittanica [ [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=50705 General history: Baronets', Magna Britannia: volume 5: Derbyshire (1817), pp. LXIII-LXXV] Date accessed:22 October 2007]
birth_date = c. 1530
birth_place =Staveley Woodthorpe ,Derbyshire ,England
death_date = 1588
death_place =Staveley Woodthorpe
education =St. John's College, Cambridge
occupation = Judge
spouse = Elizabeth Sandford and Mary Charlton
parents =John Rodes
children = yesSir Francis Rodes (c. 1530 – 1588) was an English judge, the son of
John Rodes ofStaveley, Derbyshire , by his first wife,Attelina Hewett of the West Riding ofYorkshire . He took part in the trial ofMary, Queen of Scots , builtBarlborough Hall , and he was one of the founders ofNetherthorpe School .Biography
The family traced its descent from
Gerard de Rodes , a prominent baron in the reign of Henry II. Francis was educated atSt. John's College, Cambridge , but did not graduate. In 1549, he was entered atGray's Inn [http://books.google.com/books?id=CXgDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA536&lpg=PA536&dq=%22francis+rodes%22&source=web&ots=DpHCmcC19n&sig=Z0gYNQ9yAJNUz0HcYDJ8xVKnvSU#PPA536,M1 The Judges of England: With Sketches of Their Lives.. by Edward Foss] , p.536, 1857, accessed23 October 2007 ] , and in 1552, he was called to the bar. He was Lent reader at his inn in 1566, and double reader in 1576, and seems to have derived a considerable fortune from this practice. In 1577, Rodes had bought the manor of Hanley (in Steveley) from Edmund West.Whites 1857 Directory of Derbyshire p. 770-780]In 1578, he was raised to the degree of the coif, and on
21 August 1582 he was made queen's Serjeant. On29 June 1585 , he was raised to the bench as justice of the common pleas, and in October 1586, he took part in the trial ofMary Queen of Scots at Fotheringay, thought not as one of the main judges. He died towards the end of 1588 atStaveley Woodthorpe . His will, dated7 June 1587 , was proved on28 April 1591 ; among numerous other benefactions he made bequests to St. John's College, Cambridge, and the newly founded the grammar schoolNetherthorpe School . His 'Reports' were among the manuscript collections of Sir John Maynard (1602–1690), and are now in theLincoln's Inn library [Humter, Cat. of Lincoln's Inn Manuscrpts.] His principal seat was atBarlborough , Derbyshire, where he builtBarlborough Hall , which is still standing; he also purchased extensive estates atBillingsley , Darfield, Great and Little Houghton, all inYorkshire .Dictionary of National Biography now in the public domain]Family
Rodes married, first, Elizabeth Sandford of
Thorpe Salvine ,Yorkshire ; and, secondly, Mary Charlton ofAppley inShropshire . Her sister Elizabeth marriedJohn Manners, 4th Earl of Rutland , who appointed Rodes one of his executors. [ [http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Bios/JohnManners(4ERutland).htm The 4th Earl of Rutland at Tudorplace.com] accessed22 October 2007 ]Legacy
A quote from an 1857 directory:
Netherthorpe School .—Francis Rodes, by will, 29th of Elizabeth, left a yearly rent charge of £20 per annum, to be taken forth of his manor ofElmton ; £8 thereof to the Grammar school, at Staveley Netherthorpe, £8 for two scholarships inSt John's College, Cambridge , and £4 for the relief of soldiers who should be sent to the wars out of Staveley,Barlborough , and Elmton.Francis' gifts when combined with others from the
Duke of Devonshire , Robert Sitwell and a local minister enabled the school to have an annual income of £29.Rodes was succeeded in the Barlborough estates by his eldest son, Sir John Rodes (1562–1639), whose son Francis (died 1645) was created a
baronet on14 August 1641 . The title became extinct on the death of Sir John Rodes, fourth baronet, in 1743. SeeRodes Baronets .Darfield and Great Houghton passed to the
judge 's eldest son by his second wife, Sir Godfrey Rodes (died 1634), whose son,Sir Edward Rodes (1599–1666), served asHigh Sheriff of Yorkshire and colonel of horse underOliver Cromwell ; he was also a member of Cromwell's privy council,High Sheriff of Perthshire , and represented Perth in the parliaments of 1656–1658 and 1659–1660. Sir Edward's sister Elizabeth was third wife ofThomas Wentworth ,earl of Strafford .References
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