Katherine de la Pole
1410/1411 – 1473
Katherine de la Pole was born around 1410 as the eldest daughter of Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, and Katherine de Stafford. She became the abbess of Barking Abbey in January 1433. During her tenure, she cared for Edmund and Jasper Tudor, sons of Catherine of Valois and Owen Tudor, between 1437 and 1440. Katherine persuaded King Henry VI to take an interest in the boys, leading to their ennoblement.
In 1453, a priest named Robert Colynson cheated her out of five pounds by falsely promising to go to Rome and pray for the nuns. In 1462, she dealt with a water supply issue when John Rigby of Cranbrook Manor demanded an annual fee after repairing the abbey's water conduit. She died at Barking Abbey in 1473 and is presumed to have been buried there. Her successor at the abbey is not mentioned in the sources.
Notable events
- 1410/1411Born as the eldest daughter of Michael de la Pole and Katherine de Stafford.
- January 1433Became abbess of Barking Abbey.
- 1437-1440Cared for Edmund and Jasper Tudor, sons of Catherine of Valois and Owen Tudor.
- 1453Cheated out of five pounds by a priest named Robert Colynson.
- 1462Faced a water supply issue when John Rigby ransomed the abbey's water conduit.
- 1462Instigated work to find an independent water supply for the abbey.
- 1473Died at Barking Abbey.
- 1433Persuaded King Henry VI to take an interest in the Tudor boys.
- 1433Witnessed the ennoblement of Edmund and Jasper Tudor by King Henry VI.
- 1433Her brother William de la Pole was steward of the royal household.
Other details
Death: Died in 1473 at Barking Abbey; presumed buried there.
Children: 0
Parents: Michael de la Pole, Katherine de Stafford