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Prebendary Thomas BECON, B.A.
1512 - 1567 (~ 56 years)
Has 2 ancestors and 1343 descendants in this family tree.
Set As Default Person 
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Name Thomas BECON Prefix Prebendary Suffix [ONS gp] B.A. Relationship 
with Teresa Ann GOATHAM Born Between 1511 and 1512 Brettenham, Norfolk, England 
- Date from events and age given later in his life, place assumed from the following.
Some suggest Suffolk as a possibility but Bailey believes this may be due to some confusing him with his contemporary, John Becon who was from Suffolk. A pedigree by Thomas's son Theodore shows this Thomas's father as 'of Bretenham', so it was probably where this Thomas was born.
Gender Male Ordained 25 May 1532 Exorcist and acolyte Ordained 13 Mar 1533 Sub-deacon - (1532 Old Style date i.e. after ordination as exorcist and acolyte)
Ordained 29 Mar 1533 Deacon - Only about 2 weeks after his ordination as a sub-deacon
Ordained 12 Apr 1533 Priest - Only 2 weeks after his ordination as a deacon (and 4 weeks after ordination as a sub-deacon)
Died 30 Jun 1567 Alt. Burial Jul 1567 Brenzett, Kent, England - It is said that in his will Becon said he wanted to be buried at Brenzett - though there is no mention of either Brenzett or his burial in his last will, of which I have a photocopy. That will was a nuncupative will (i.e. he dictated his wishes on his death bed, which were recorded formally after his death), and probably as a result are brief; maybe his wishes concerning his burial was in an earlier will which although it would have not had any force, may still have been taken to express his desire and been carried out.
It is also said that his name does not appear in the burial records, but a curious upright burial found under the steeple is said to be his.
I am inclined to think, though, that this is as false a rumour as that he was at one time incumbent of Brenzett, although if true it maybe what gave rise to the rumour, or perhaps he spent some time in the parish - when hiding in Kent? - which may have led both to the myth he was incumbent and to his wish to be buried there.
Heraldry Arms [1] Evidence for Arms
That the Becon family had a coat of arms is indicated by the memorial floor slab in memory of Thomas's son Basil, and by the will of his son Theodore. In addition, Harris's "History of Kent" (1719) describes the arms of "Beacon of Canterbury". I did enquire of the College of Arms (9 Aug 2011) what it would cost to learn about the arms described by Faussett as on Basil's memorial stone and who was granted them etc.; as I was quoted £750 I wouldn't be pursuing this! But I have also discovered since then that Thomas seems to have researched this as he noted that the College of Arms has no record of arms being granted or allowed to the family. Given that the arms were borne by both Basil and Theodore they would appear to have inherited them from their father.
How did Thomas become armigerous?
Whether Thomas had assumed them illegally or the necessary paperwork has not survived I know not, but think it must have been the latter.
In 1530 Henry VIII conferred on the College its duty of the heraldic visitation. The provincial Kings of Arms were commissioned under a royal warrant to enter all houses and churches and given authority to deface and destroy all arms unlawfully used by any knight, esquire, or gentleman. These visitations resulted in many individuals being charged and heavily fined for breaking the law of arms. Hundreds of these visitations were carried out well into the 17th century; the last being in 1686.
With Thomas frequently complaining of a lack of money it seems most improbable that he would have risked further penury and suffering to his family for such a vanity as displaying a coat of arms.
From the Wikipedia article about the College of Arms it is interesting to note that in 1805 it was written that the College "at no time since its establishment, was in higher estimation, nor in fuller employment, than in this reign." Henry VIII's fondness of pomp gave the heralds plenty to do, but that did not mean the King treated them well, and he having granted their chapter house to his mother they were forced to gather as a chapter in whichever palace the Royal Court was in at a given time, or any other convenient building - sometimes the home of one of them. Under such circumstances it is easy to imagine that the records of some grants could have gone missing. However, it seems highly improbable that Becon would have assumed arms at this time. However, it was not until the reign of Mary that the College were granted a new house, by a charter of 1555. Thomas's closest links to the Royal family were in the reign of Edward VI, when he was chaplain to Protector Somerset's household. I think it most likely that it was at this time that he was granted arms.
The granting of coat of arms within the United Kingdom is the sole prerogative of the British monarch. Although this is delegated to the College of Arms (in England), arms can also be gained by a grant from the Crown - my guess is that this is what happened in Thomas's case.
The Becon arms - appearance
Faussett records the arms on Basil's memorial as being "Arg[ent]. 2 pales sa[ble]. each charged with 3 pins or." - similar though not identical to the description provided by Harris "Argent two pales sable on each two palmer's staves or." Given that Faussett also noted that the inscription was "almost gone" it is easy to imagine that the palmer's staves had become sufficiently worn as to appear to be simple pins. The main question concerning the design of the arms then is whether there were 2 or 3 on each pale.
In addition a coat of arms consists of a shield with mantle, helmet, wreath and sometimes a crest and supporters.
All I believe we have for the Becon's is the description of the shield.
But to me a more interesting is to consider the meaning.
The Becon arms - meaning
The meaning in the arms is primarily in the design elements. In the case of the Becon's there are 2 main elements:
1. the pales (i.e. the two black vertical stripes)
Pales indicate military strength.
2. the palmer's (or pilgrim's) staves
The shepherd's watchfulness; Christian faith; pastoral authority; also, Episcopal jurisdiction and authority; often refers to early pilgrimages to Jerusalem.
But the colours used also have something to say. In the case of the Becon arms the background is argent (silver or white) - this indicates peace and sincerity; the pales are sable (black) - for constancy or grief and the staves or (gold) - for generosity and elevation of the mind.
The Becon arms
My interpretation of the arms that Thomas and his sons seem to have used; whether or not they were entitled to them I am not sure.Buried (possibly), The Cathedral, Canterbury, Kent, England - If not buried in the Cathedral, probably somewhere in Canterbury.
The Cathedral records only go back to 1570 which could explain the uncertainty.
Patriarch & Matriarch 
Notes - Thomas Becon has been studied by various people over the years. Some biographical notes have acquired errors which have then been perpetuated by others.
A biography by Derrick Sherwin Bailey in 1952 corrects some of these including:
1. Born Suffolk - see birth notes.
2. Vicar of Brenzett, Kent - not only no evidence, but the information about who was Vicar during the period Thomas was in Kent (1541-3) survives (see the CCED database), and does not include Thomas Becon.
3. S.T.P. (Professor of Theology) or D.D. (Doctor of Divinity) - not only is there no firm evidence of either, but late in his life (in 1561) when Thomas had to submit his qualifications he showed himself simply as having a B.A. In addition, he is only ever referred to as "Mr Becon" and not "Dr Becon". Two drawings of him have the words S T P beneath them; Bailey notes but does not explain this. I wonder if this is due to the alternative meaning of professor i.e. simply teacher, as opposed to holding a University professorship. Not an English use, but this could stem from Thomas's time on the continent (though one picture predates that - but I don't know if the words were there originally).
John Ayer in his biography at the start of the first of the 3 Parker Society volumes of Thomas's work published in the 1840s does show Thomas as S.T.P. but without evidence for this.
4. Ordained in 1538 - this appears to have been calculated from Thomas's comment that he had been in 26 years in ministry. However, it is clear from Norwich Diocese ordination records, seen by Bailey, that he was ordained to minor orders in 1532 and as sub-deacon, then deacon and finally priest in March - April 1533. Thomas's comment must either reflect a mis-calculation or he must have omitted some years when he considered he was not exercising his ministry.
Thomas presumably had an interest in the church father St. Basil, since he used the name in his pseudonym as well as giving it to one of his sons. The name continued to be used by his descendants into the C19th. [2]
Person ID I3455 All | Teresa's direct ancestors Last Modified 17 Feb 2021
Father Thomas BECON, b. Abt 1480, d. Yes, date unknown Mother [ - ? - ], d. Aft 1546
Other Partners: [ - ? - ]Family ID F2672 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family Elizabeth GODFREY, b. Est 1520, (probably), Winchester, Hampshire, England , d. Yes, date unknown Married Between 1549 and 1552 - What is the evidence that Thomas's wife was one Elizabeth Godfrey? -
Theodore Becon, son of Thomas, in a pedigree for submitting to the College of Arms showed his mother to be 'Elizabeth, daughter of William Godfrey of Winchester in Hampshire marchant'.
Thanks to Lucy Beacon for pointing out that Thomas's wife is named in the Oxford DNB; following up a reference from that article led me to D. Bailey, 'Thomas Becon: some additional biographical notes', N&Q, 227 (1982), 402— 4, which has the information about the pedigree submitted to the College of Arms.
Evidence for the children of Thomas Becon
"A New Catechism", 1560 - "The preface of the author unto his children, Theodore and Basil, his two sons, and Rachel, his only daughter: grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ our Lord and alone Saviour, through the mighty operation of the Holy Ghost, be with you, my dear children, both now and for ever. Amen.
After that it pleased the Lord my God to call me unto the holy state of honourable matrimony, and to bless me with the increase of you, not of you only, but also two more of your brethen, named Theodore and Christophile, which now rest in glory with our head Christ; ..."
(vol. 2 of the Parker Society 'Works of Thomas Becon', 1844, p.4)
Could Thomas have had more children after he wrote "A New Catechism"? The archivist of the King's School Canterbury has come across a Thomas who could be his son. I have been looking for more evidence of a son Thomas; whilst I haven't found any if he died young there quite likely wouldn't be any surviving.
With their first child probably born no later than 1552, Thomas and Elizabeth probably married between clerical marriage being sanctioned early in 1549 and 1552.
Children5 children Last Modified 14 Nov 2019 Family ID F2671 Family Group Page | Family Chart
- Date from events and age given later in his life, place assumed from the following.
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Event Map Click to hide 
Born - Between 1511 and 1512 - Brettenham, Norfolk, England 
Child - Theodore BECON - Abt 1555 - (probably), Marburg, Germany 
Child - Rachel BECON - Abt 1557 - Marburg, Germany 
Child - The Rev. Basil BECON - 14 Jan 1559 - St. Stephen’s Church, Walbrook, London, England 
Alt. Burial - Jul 1567 - Brenzett, Kent, England 
Buried - - (possibly), The Cathedral, Canterbury, Kent, England = Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install) Pin Legend 
Photos 
Wills (transcripts) 
The will of Thomas Becon (c1512 - 1567)
(a 10 x great grandfather of mine)
Sources - [S137] Archæologia Cantiana, Journal of the Kent Archæological Society, H. B. Thomas O.B.E., "Thomas Becon, Canon of Canterbury," LXIX ( 1955): p.159 - 170. (Reliability: 3), 3 Jul 2013.
- [S85] Bailey - Thomas Becon, Derrick Sherwin Bailey Ph.D., (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1952.) (Reliability: 3), 18 Jul 2013.