Thomas Blount of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, was the father of Sir Christopher Blount (c.1555-1601), the third husband of Lettice Knollys, Countess of Leicester, who was executed in Mar 1601, following his conviction for treason, due to his participation in his stepson Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex's attempted coup, known as 'Essex's Rebellion'.
Thomas Blount himself was the eldest son of Edward Blount, a member of the junior branch of the Worcestershire Blount family, and distant relation of Jane Guildford, Duchess of Northumberland. (See 'The Visitation of Worcestershire, 1569: Blount'). Edward's eldest brother, Sir John Blount of Kinlet, Shropshire, was the father of Elizabeth 'Bessie' Blount, who was known to be a mistress of King Henry VIII, and the mother of his only acknowledged illegitimate child - Henry FitzRoy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset (b.1519) - and younger daughter Elizabeth Tailboys (b.c.1522), who would later become the second wife of Ambrose Dudley.
In the early 1550s, Thomas Blount was in the service of John Dudley, and by 1552 was comptroller of his household. The beginning of Edward. VI's reign saw a significant rise in fortune for John Dudley, then Earl of Warwick; following the fall of his old friend Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset as Lord Protector in October 1549, Dudley took his place within the Regency Council of the young Edward VI, being appointed 'Lord President', with his promotion to the Dukedom of Northumberland in 1551 cementing him as one of the most powerful men in England. Following Northumberland's downfall and subsequent execution in August 1553, due to his role in attempting to place Lady Jane Grey on the English throne, Thomas Blount appears to have re-entered the service of the Dudley family following a rise in favour. In October 1556, Robert Dudley (following his own release from the Tower of London), made Thomas the chief steward of his recently-deceased mother's manor of Halesowen, following Blount's involvement, as an attorney, in the transfer from his brother Ambrose Dudley, and in 1558 provided him with the opportunity to jointly purchase lands in Worcestershire. (Norton, 2019).
Thomas Blount appears to have then remained in the service of Robert Dudley, until his death in 1568, acting as Robert's principal administrative officer, and eventually being appointed as Steward of Kenilworth Castle in 1563, when it was granted to Robert by Elizabeth I. He has been described by Chris Skidmore in his book 'Death and the Virgin' (2010) as being "assiduous and hardworking...faithful and trusted servant to Dudley" (p.46). Blount was an important figure in Robert Dudley's household, and performed various tasks, including auditing and budgeting. In February 1560, he was subsequently granted part of the manor of Kidderminster (the lands previously owned by Maiden Bradley Priory); his father and grandfather had previously taken out an extended lease on this manor from John Dudley, prior to the lands being confiscated by the Crown, following his conviction for treason and subsequent attainder in 1553 (Skidmore, 2010). Norton (2019) also identifies that Thomas Blount, in addition to other members of his family (including his sons), may likely have benefitted from 'patronage connections' to the Dudley family in the Midlands (Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire etc), including in their appointments as Members of Parliament in the area.
Since Elizabeth I's accession to the English throne in November 1558, and, Robert Dudley being appointed 'Master of the Horse', he and his wife Amy Robsart were increasingly separated, with Robert remaining at court with the Queen, and Amy staying with family and friends, as well as in various rented properties. In December 1559, the couple continued to spend Christmas and New Year apart; Robert remained at court at Westminster, whilst Amy was staying in Hertfordshire. Thomas Blount was sent to Amy to visit her at this time in his stead; he had previously accompanied her to London in June 1559 (Hartweg, 2017).
On 08 September 1560, Amy Robsart was found dead at the bottom of the stairs at Cumnor Place, Oxfordshire, a rented property that she had been residing at since December 1559; Robert Dudley was with the Queen and the rest of the Royal Court at Windsor.
After being informed of her death, Robert Dudley wrote to Thomas Blount the following day, whom he addresses as 'Cousin Blount', and requests him to travel to Cumnor to "use all the devises and means you can possible for learning of the truth", recording her death "by a fall from a fall from a pair of stairs". It was reported that Blount was already riding out from Windsor when he received this initial letter. He confirmed of his intent to summon the Coroner, and continued on his journey, arriving at Cumnor the following day. From there, he communicated with Robert regularly, keeping him updated on the investigations regarding Amy's death, as Robert repeatedly expressing concerns regarding gossip spreading about the manner of her death and his potential involvement this; Robert informed Blount of his sending for 'my brother Appleyard because he is her brother', in addition to 'other friends' of Amy's, with the intent to be transparent with his current actions and intent (Hartweg, 2017). Whilst Amy's death was ruled an accident following the Coroner's Inquest that took place at Cumnor on 01 Aug 1561, Blount was one of those who suspected that Amy may have taken her own life, writing to Robert about "the tales I do hear of her maketh me think that she had a strange mind in her" (Skidmore, 2010). However, when direct questions were asked of her maid in regards to any thoughts or intent of ending or endangering her life, this had been denied, despite her actions the day of her death, including sending all her servants to the nearby Abingdon fair (Hartweg, 2017). In 1567, Amy's half-brother John Appleyard began to express concerns about the decision from the Coroner's Inquest, again questioning Robert Dudley's involvement in her death. Robert again sent Thomas Blount to investigate this matter, speaking to witnesses, including Appleyard; it later became apparent that this was an attempt by Robert's rivals at court to seek prosecution for Amy's death. Appleyard was arrested and the Court of Star Chamber in June 1567 ruled against the "slanderous" reports. (Skidmore, 2010).
![Thomas Blount tomb, St Mary's Church, Kidderminster ©amthomson [Flikr]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ed9b82_3bf1a109fd1b4c208cd55c1f41befcec~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_1145,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/ed9b82_3bf1a109fd1b4c208cd55c1f41befcec~mv2.jpg)
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