DEVEROSE, Richard

A stainer by trade, hence his alias,5 Ibid. chamberlains’ roll, 1457-8, NCR 7d. Deverose is an obscure figure. He was active in Norwich by the spring of 1403, by which date he had married his first wife, who brought him a chief messuage and other properties in the city’s parish of St. George Tombland. It would appear that Joan’s family were from Norwich although her father had pursued a career in London.6 Dean and chapter of Norwich, deeds DCN 45/12/23, 28-29, 31-32; 45/36/1.

In spite of sitting in Parliament, Deverose was never prominent in the administration of Norwich, where his only known offices were those of treasurer and auditor. He did however attend a general assembly of February 1414 where the method of electing Norwich’s officials was an important item of business, and he helped to prepare the city for an anticipated visit by Thomas Beaufort, duke of Exeter, early in Henry VI’s reign.7 Norwich assembly roll, NCR 8d. Deverose’s time in the Commons, the high point of his public career, was short-lived. The Parliament of 1426, which sat at Leicester, lasted for two sessions but he died on 17 Mar., three days before the first of these sessions ended.8 Norwich treasurers’ acct, 1425-6, NCR 7d. It appears that the other MP for Norwich, Simon Cook*, sat alone for the remainder of the Parliament, since there is no evidence that the city elected a replacement for Deverose.

Details of Deverose’s private affairs are scanty. He probably had some sort of connexion, whether personal or commercial, with Roger Cornewayle of Thetford, with whose widow he was in dispute in Henry V’s reign.9 Norwich city recs., mayor’s ct. bk., 1400-1510, NCR 16a, p. 168. Deverose himself married at least twice. Margaret, his daughter and coheir by Joan Chircheman, became the wife of Thomas Harrowe of Norwich. In 1472, she and her husband made a release to Norwich priory of all the properties her parents and maternal grandparents had held in the parish of St. Gregory.10 Norwich ct. roll, NCR 1/19. Elizabeth, Deverose’s daughter and coheir by his second wife, Katherine, married John Mariot of Cromer and succeeded to her father’s properties in the Norwich parish of St. Cuthbert.11 Ibid. NCR 1/18; chamberlains’ roll, NCR 7d.