Career
He is best known for carrying the banner of Saint George at the battle of Agincourt. On 21 July 1403 he fought on the Royalist side at the Battle of Shrewsbury for Henry IV and was awarded by the King, a sum of £38 and two horses which had belonged to the rebel Henry Percy (Hotspur). He was also rewarded for his valiant efforts by being made Keeper of Inglewood royal forest in Cumberland.
He was appointed Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire for 1410 and for 1414.
He was elected one of the knights of the shire (to represent Westmorland in the Parliament of England) in 1404, 1429, and 1431. Battle of Agincourt As Thomas was a knight in training, or esquire, he fought dismounted with a sword, lieutenant was a question of honour that a man who carried the banner of Saint George did so without the protection of a shield, as he would be protected by his men at arms.
Thomas" son Walter Strickland (described in 1452 as an "esquire") was an indentured retainer of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and his 1452 indenture survives. He contracts to support the Earl of Salisbury with "bowmen horsed and harnessed, 69.
Billmen horsed and harnessed, 74.
Bowmen without horses, 71. Billmen without horses, 76". The term "harnessed" refers to armour, not horse harness.
During his father"s lifetime he carried his father"s banner of Sable (black) three escallops Argent (silver/white) but differenced by the overlay of a label of three points Or (yellow).
Succeeding his father as Sir Walter he is known to have fought for the Yorkists at 1st Street Alban"s in 1455 and Blore Heath in 1459. He also fought on the Yorkist side at Barnet (1471), where he was knighted by Edward IV, as well as fighting at Bosworth in 1485 for Richard III. He survived the battle and died in 1494.
