My interest in the Drury (or Drewry) family is with Etheldred (or Elizabeth) Drury, who married Robert Corbett of Longnor, Shropshire, c. 1625. Parish registers record her name as Etheldred, although she also appears in the Morris Pedigrees as Elizabeth. The name is spelt Drewry in some contemporary records. They had at least seven children: Jane (1625, died 1625), Francis (1636), Catharine (1637), Thomas (1639/40), Anne (1641), Hannah (1643) and Margaret (1645), Hannah Corbett was my 7xgreat grandmother. While the family appeared to live in Shropshire, Robert was described in 1625 as a Goldsmith of London, and in a Drury pedigree as a "citizen and goldsmith of London".
Etheldred was the daughter of Richard Drury of London and Catherine Beswick, who were married at St. Dionis, Backchurch, on 26th April 1601. Etheldred had four siblings: William Drury of Earith, co. Huntingdon, Rachel (b. 1607, m. Richard Tulle of co. Kent, gentleman), Catherine (b. 1611) and Richard (b. 1614).
Richard Drury is recorded in 1594 as a citizen and haberdasher of London. His Will (PCC 2 Meade) is dated 24th December 1617. He was buried on 30th December 1617 at St. Michael's, Crooked Lane, London (though conflicting records say he died in 1606, aged 45). He was the elder son of William Drury and Etheldred Smith, who in addition to Richard, had three other children: John (b. 1567) of Kings Lynn (1581) , who married twice and had issue; Margery, wife of Leonard Stout (1617); and Mary.
Richard's father, William Drury, was the third son of Thomas Drury. William was a yeoman of Elsworth, co. Cambridge. He married Etheldred, sister and coheiress of Henry Smith, M.D., and of William Smith, citizen and Salter of London, and Lord of the Manor of Colne, co. Huntingdon. Etheldred married secondly ... Burges. William's Will was proved at PCC on 1st November 1570 (Will dated 14th September 1567). He had siblings: Thomas Drury of Fincham, Lord of Talbots Hall Manor 1553, whose Will was proved at PCC in 1559; Richard Drury of Reach, co. Cambridge, and Exning, Suffolk, whose Will was proved at PCC in 1583, and was buried at Swaffham Church; Margaret, who married firstly ... King, and secondly Thomas Reynolds on 9th October 1543 at St. Martin's, Fincham, and had a son, Henry Reynolds; and Henry.
William's father, Thomas Drury, was of Fincham, co. Norfolk (Harleian Manuscripts, 1534). He was named in the Subsidy Roll, 20th January 1524-5, and was buried at St. Martin's Churchyard, 22nd July 1545.
Thomas was probably descended from the Drury family of Thurston, Suffolk, who can be traced back to Drury, a nobleman of Normandy who is believed to have come to England with William the Conqueror. Further details can be found in 'Suffolk Manorial Families' by Muskett, 1900.
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