Vavasour Family Genealogy & History

Anne Vavasour (c. 1560 – c. 1650) was a notable figure in Elizabethan England, serving as a maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth I and becoming the mistress of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, and Sir Henry Lee of Ditchley. Her affair with de Vere resulted in an illegitimate son and imprisonment in the Tower of London. Despite the scandals, Anne's literary contributions, including the poem "Anne Vavasour's Echo," highlight her influence. Her later life was marked by legal battles, including charges of bigamy, but she managed to avoid public penance and lived until the age of 90.

Born to Henry Vavasour and Margaret Knyvet of Yorkshire, Anne hailed from a family with strong court connections. Her maternal uncle, Sir Thomas Knyvet, played a significant role in securing her position at court. Anne's siblings, Frances and Thomas, also held positions at court, with Frances marrying Sir Thomas Shirley and Thomas involved in duels linked to Anne's scandals.

Sir William Vavasour (1514–1566) was a prominent English politician from Hazlewood, Yorkshire. Notably, he served as a Justice of the Peace for both the West and East Ridings of Yorkshire and held the position of High Sheriff of Yorkshire twice. His political influence extended as a member of the Council of the North from 1553 until his death. Vavasour's parliamentary career included being elected as a Member of Parliament for Yorkshire in 1553. He was knighted in 1544, recognizing his significant contributions to his region and country.

William Vavasour was the son of John Vavasour of Hazlewood Castle and Brianna, daughter of Henry Scrope, 6th Baron Scrope of Bolton. He married Elizabeth Calverley, with whom he fathered six sons and five daughters, further extending the Vavasour lineage. Their daughter, Lady Eleanor Slingsby, married Arthur Ingraham, linking the family to the customs authority of the Port of London.

Thomas Vavasour was an English Roman Catholic physician born around 1536–7, noted for his staunch support of Transubstantiation and the Sacrifice of the Mass. A pensioner at St John's College, Cambridge, Vavasour later earned an M.D. in Venice. He was licensed by the College of Physicians of London in 1556. Despite facing accusations of entertaining Edmund Campion and being imprisoned multiple times for his religious beliefs, he remained a significant figure in the Catholic community, with Mass said at his residence in York. His life was marked by his involvement in theological disputations and his resistance to the Anglican Church, leading to repeated incarcerations until his death in 1585.

Sir John Vavasour KS (c. 1440 – 1506) was a distinguished English judge, renowned for his significant contributions to the judiciary. Originating from a minor regional knightly family, he pursued legal studies at Inner Temple. His illustrious career began with his appointment as a Serjeant-at-Law in 1478, eventually advancing to King's Serjeant in 1483, and later becoming the Second Justice of Lancaster in 1485. Vavasour's notable roles included serving as the Recorder of York, Fourth Justice, and eventually the Third Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. Knighted in 1501, his judicial career culminated in an esteemed discharge in 1506, shortly before his passing.