Overview
Sir John Norreys or Norris (c. 1481 – 21 October 1564) was a gentleman usher daily waiter at the English court during the reign of the House of Tudor. He is thought to be the author of a treatise describing the roles of servants of the chamber.
Family
Probably born at Yattendon Castle, John was the eldest son of Sir Edward Norreys (d. 1487) and Lady Frideswide Lovell, sister and heiress of Lord Lovell. He was named after his great grandfather Sir John Norreys, who had established this branch of the Norreys family as extensive landowners in the county of Berkshire. The Norreys family members often held positions of importantance at the English court.
John's father Edward, the eldest son and heir of Sir William Norreys, had taken part in the Battle of Stoke Field in 1487, dying shortly afterwards. John was then his grandfather's heir, and succeeded to the Norreys family estates upon the old man's death in 1507. The estates included major residences such as Yattendon Castle and Ockwells and minor lands like Norreys Manor in Wokingham.
Murderer
In 1517, John murdered one John Enhold of Nettlebed in unknown circumstances. He was fined 1,000 marks and had to surrender Ockwells in return for a pardon obtained on his behalf by his brother Henry. His uncle, Sir Thomas Fettiplace, took possession of Ockwells.
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).