BALAM, Robert (d.1572), of Walsoken, Norf.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

s. of William Balam by his w., a da. of one Chornnill. educ. ?M. Temple, adm. bef. 1551. m. Elizabeth, da. of Sir John Cressener of Morely, Norf., s.p.

Offices Held

Commr. sewers, Norf. and Cambs. 1547; j.p. Isle of Ely from 1564, commr. piracy 1565; j.p. Norf. 1568-70.

Biography

Balam was presumably returned for Bramber by the Duke of Norfolk, to whose chamberlain Sir Nicholas Lestrange his wife was related. Such fragments of information about him as survive link him with East Anglia, where by 1549 he had acquired some of the property of the dissolved hospital of the Holy Trinity, Walsoken, with its dependent acres in Walsoken, West Walton, Wisbech, Leverington, Elm and Emneth.

He died intestate, 2 Sept. 1572. A few days earlier he had settled his lands to the use, after his own death, of his widow Elizabeth, with remainder to Charles Balam, the younger son of John Balam of Barton Mills, Suffolk, Robert’s kinsman and heir, who was then over 50 years old. Administration of the property was granted to the widow 4 Sept. 1572.

Vis. Norf. i. 50; CPR, 1547-8, p. 79; 1548-9, p. 339; 1560-3, pp.564 seq; 1563-6, p. 29; APC, vii. 284; E372/413-15; C. Parker, Norf. ix. 131; C142/165/144; PCC admon. act bk. 1572, f. 14.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: J.E.M.

Notes