Family and Education

Yr. s. of Marlyon Rithe of Totford, Hants, and bro. or half-bro. of George. educ. L. Inn 1556, called 1563. m. Catherine, da. of John Gedney of Bag Enderby, Lincs., 3s. inc. Marlyon 2da.

Offices Held

J.p. Mdx. from 1569, q. by 1574; pensioner, L. Inn 1570.

Biography

Though Christopher Rithe and his brother George married sisters, there must have been a considerable difference in their ages, for Christopher was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn no less than 19 years after George. He was admitted ‘specially’, and described as ‘the brother of George Rithe’. After his brother’s death in 1561 Rithe sat once more, for Haslemere, probably through the influence of Anthony Browne^†, 1st Viscount Montagu.

In his will, dated 3 Sept. 1605, Rithe asked to be buried at Twickenham. He left his house at Chiswick to his wife for life, with remainder to his daughter, Sophronia, and apparel to his younger sons, Mysack and Theophilus. He made a number of small bequests to his numerous grandchildren, and appointed as executors his wife and eldest son, Marlyon. He bequeathed an annuity of £5. 2s. that he received from lands at Liss to one John Randoll, and made his ‘kinsman’, George Rithe of Liss, one of the overseers of the will. He added a codicil on 18 Aug. 1606 and was buried at Twickenham 6 Nov. The will was proved 12 Dec. His widow died three months later.

Mdx. Peds. (Harl. Soc. lxv), 28; Vis. Surr. (Harl. Soc. xliii), 197; Lincs. Peds. (Harl. Soc. li), 396; E315/309; VCH Surr. iii. 47; see also HASLEMERE; PCC 92 Stafforde, 34 Huddleston. Information from A. Colin Cole Esq., Windsor Herald, on this and other members of the family, is gratefully acknowledged.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: Alan Harding

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