‘Mrs Marshall’: The Identity of the Mother of the Maidens in Anne Boleyn’s Household

Abstract

For centuries, the first name of the Mother of the Maidens during Anne Boleyn’s reign has been lost to history. Recorded in court documents simply as ‘Mrs Marshall’, her identity has hitherto been unknown, and therefore her biography has been impossible to recover. However, by using the extant will of William Marshall, her husband, it has been possible to uncover Mrs Marshall’s first name and reconstruct part of her family tree. By linking the Marshall and Boleyn families, both geographically and socially, this article proves, as far as it is possible, the first name and identity of Mrs Marshall. In doing so, this article explains what her role entailed, fills in her biographical details, explores how she may have got her position in the Queen’s entourage, and outlines her wider family. By restoring Mrs Marshall’s first name to her, this article recovers the identity of the Mother of the Maidens of Anne Boleyn’s household, and sheds light on the life and immediate family of a woman whose story has not extended beyond her court role, and whose full name was lost for hundreds of years.