Neale Family of Aldenham

[ScouseRicey]

I am looking for information etc. regarding Thomas Neale, who was First Master of Aldenham School. I'm trying to find out where he was born and his ancestors etc.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Colin

[KGarrad]

Thomas Neale, appointed 1599 until 1623  according to this Wikipedia page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldenham_School

[Vance Mead]

He is in Venn's Alumni Cantabrigienses:

https://archive.org/stream/p1alumnicantabri03univuoft#page/236/mode/2up

Neale, Thomas, Matric. sizar from St Catherine’s, Easter, 1584. Probably b. at Higham Ferrers. Ord. deacon (Peterb.) Sept 21: priest (London) Dec. 21, 1588, age 24; B.A. of King’s College. V. of Ridge, Herts. Perhaps Master of Aldenham School, Herts, 1600-23, when he was dismissed.

[Vance Mead]

Also, there's a will of Thomas Neale, of Ridge, gentleman, in 1644. At Hertford.

[Vance Mead]

Also this from Exchequer: King's Remembrancer

216 r. Herts 1635, June 11
Griffith Roberts, clerk, vicar of Ridge, versus Sir Thomas Pope Blunt, knight; William Nichols; Thomas Neale, and others. Concerning a barn, 8 acres of arable land called Priestfield in the parish of Ridge, and tithes of hay, wool, lambs and all other tithes in kind except only the tithe of corn in Tittenhanger, Colney and Apsabury within the said parish.

http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT2/C1/E126no4/aE126no4recto/IMG_0233.htm

[KGarrad]

The Parish Registers of Aldenham are available here:
https://archive.org/stream/parishregisterso00aldeuoft/parishregisterso00aldeuoft_djvu.txt

Quotes:
The Headmaster was Mr. Thomas Neale, who had eight children christened in Aldenham, six of whom died as infants and were buried here. Three of the six who died were named Thomas. Mr. Neale was "presented" in 1610 for baptizing a child privately in his house and not sending for the Minister to do it. In answer he pleaded necessity as the child died two or three hours after.

July 1616 Master & some of the Wardens to visit Audenham and conferr with the pshers ther concerning Mr. Neale the Schoolmaster how he doth applie his Schollers as he ought GO doe by the founder's order and whose the faulte is that the schole is no better furnished with schollers.

August 1623 Mr. Neale the Master of Audenham Schole dismissed
after several warnings for great neglect and carelessness " wherbyethe
Schole is much decayed."

Oct 1623 Ordered that the Master & some of the Company with
the Clerk should " ride to Audeuham on Wednesday next to avoide*
Mr. Neale the late Scholemr from the Schole ther."

* This is rather a late use of ' avoid ' in the sense of dismiss.

[ScouseRicey]

Thanks 'K' and Vance. I'll look into that. Much appreciated.

Colin