Sir William FitzWilliam, of Windsor, Berkshire, was an Irish courtier and Member of Parliament in England.
Background
He was the second son of Thomas Fitzwilliam (1465-1517), of Baggotrath Castle, Company Dublin; Sheriff of Dublin City. His mother, Eleanor, was the daughter of Sir John Dowdall, of Newtown, Company
Kildare, and co-heir to her mother, Margaret, daughter of Sir Jenico d’Artois of Ardglass Castle and Strangford Castle, Company
Down. His mother was the step-daughter of Rowland FitzEustace, 1st Baron Portlester, father-in-law of Gearóid Mór Fitzgerald, 8th Earl of Kildare.
Career
He was Chief Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Edward VI of England. Deputy Chancellor of Ireland. Lieutenant of Windsor Castle.
Keeper of Windsor Great Park and Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire.
In 1532, he was Clerk of the Hanaper. William entered the service of his kinsman William FitzWilliam, 1st Earl of Southampton.
He was a Member (Member of Parliament) of the Parliament of England for Guildford in 1539 and 1542, for New Shoreham in 1547, and for Berkshire in March 1553 and 1559. By 1544, he was Chief Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Prince Edward.
He was Gentleman of the Privy Chamber from 1547 to 1553.
Knighted in 1551/2 by King Edward VI, he was made Lieutenant of Windsor Castle and Keeper of Windsor Great Park, through the influence of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland. He was Deputy Chancellor of Ireland from 1554 to 1556. In 1559, the year of his death, he was made Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire.
He was spoken of by Elizabeth I as a person who stood high in her esteem.
In 1539, FitzWilliam had married Jane (or Joan) Roberts (d1575), daughter and co-heiress of John Roberts (1474-1521), of Glassenbury, Cranbrook (Kent) and Mayfield, Sussex. Her mother was Mary Sackville, daughter of Richard Sackville (d1524), of Withyham, East Sussex.
Lady FitzWilliam was also a niece of Mildred Sackville who was married to William Fitzwilliam of Milton Hall, Sheriff of London. Grandfather of Sir William FitzWilliam, Lord Deputy of Ireland, whose daughters are sometimes confused with this William FitzWilliam"son
Mabel FitzWilliam (1540-1565), married Sir Thomas Browne (d1597), of Betchworth Castle, Surrey, son of Henry Browne of Betchworth and Katherine, daughter of Sir William Shelley, of Michaelgrove, Sussex.
With the help of Sir Thomas More, Browne"s father-in-law secured his election to Parliament for Surrey. Catherine FitzWilliam (1542-1583), married Christopher Preston (1546–1599), 4th Viscount Gormanston. Elizabeth FitzWilliam (b1544), married Francis Jermy (1535-1610), of Brightwell Hall, Suffolk, son of Sir John Jermy of Metfield Hall, Suffolk, and Margaret, whose two sisters were married to two of the sons of Richard Neville, 2nd Baron Latimer, daughters of Sir Thomas Teye of Marks Tey.
Sir William FitzWilliam died 3 October 1559.
He is buried with a monument in the Bray Chantry at Street George"s Chapel, Windsor Castle.