Nicholas Voute was born around 1547 in Norfolk, England. He was the son of Robert Voute 1523-1561 and Marjory, a fisherman of Thorpe. His baptism has not been found.
Nicholas’ occupation was a cordwainer (shoemaker). His apprenticeship indenture was noted in the book Freeman of Norwich.
His Apprenticeship indenture details – Nicholas Vowte as the son of Robert Vowte, late of Thorpp (sic) in the county of Norfolk, fisherman, deceased. He was indentured to Richard Cooke of Norwich, cordwainer, for 7 years.
It was usual for boys to be apprenticed around the age of 14 years, so his birthdate has been calculated from this date.
Nicholas was admitted as a Freeman Cordwainer 21 September 1573 by virtue of having served an apprenticeship with Richard Cooke.
Nicholas married Ellen, surname unknown around 1575 and had at least one child –
- Robert b 1576 Norfolk. d 1652 Norwich. Married Ann Gyles in 1601 at St Michael at Plea, Norwich. Ten children. Freeman Cordwainer.
After the death of his father, Robert Voute, fisherman, it seems his mother, Margery Voute, remarried Nicholas’s apprentice master Richard Cooke, cordwainer of Norwich. Richard Cookes’s will in 1593 mentions his wife Margery, and her son Nicholas and wife Ellen.
Nicholas is also mentioned as the beneficiary of Richard Cooke’s extensive possessions in his 1593 probate inventory. Richard Cooke was buried at St Peter Mancroft, Norwich on 7 Mar 1593.
Nicholas is mentioned as the step-son of Richard Cooke in this Costume and Textile Association Newsletter about 16th and 17th century Norwich Cordwainers in 2008. Click on the image below to read it.
Norwich Cordwainers, Costume and Textile Association for Norfolk Musuem newsletter 2008
St Peter Mancroft, Norwich
Nicholas’s mother Margery Cooke, died in 1606 and was buried at St Peter Mancroft, Norwich on 13 July 1606.
Nicholas Voute died in 1624 in Norwich and was buried on 30 January 1624 at St Mancroft, Norwich, Norfolk.
A grant of probate administration of the estate of Nicholas Vought (sic) was made in 1624 by the Consistory Court of Norwich to his widow Helen Vought.
Nicholas’ wife Ellen/Helen Voute died in May 1629 and was buried at St Peter, Mancroft on 14 May 1629.
A grant of administration on the estate of Ellen Voute was made in the Norwich Consistory Court in 1629.
