William Dormer
| Sir William Dormer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1503 |
| Died | 17 May 1575 |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Sidney Dorothy Catesby |
| Children | Thomas Dormer Robert Dormer Anne Dormer Jane Dormer Robert Dormer Mary Dormer Grissel Dormer Katherine Dormer Frances Dormer Amphyllis Dormer Margaret Dormer |
| Parent(s) | Sir Robert Dormer, Jane Newdigate |
Sir William Dormer (before 1514 – 17 May 1575) was a Tudor knight, captain and politician. He is best known for a broken engagement to Jane Seymour, who later became the third wife of Henry VIII.
William Dormer was born before 1514, the only child of Sir Robert Dormer (died 2 or 8 July 1552) of West Wycombe and Wing, Buckinghamshire, and London, and his wife Jane Newdigate (d.1568), daughter of John Newdigate (died 15 August 1528) of Harefield, Middlesex, by Amphyllis Neville (d. 15 July 1544).
From 1535 until 1559 the Dormer main residence was Eythrope in Buckinghamshire. A William Dormer was in the service of Thomas Cromwell, and considered for transfer to royal service in 1538. If the subject of this biography was that William Dormer then his marriage to Mary, daughter of Sir William Sidney may have been assisted by Cromwell.
Dormer was returned as the second member for Chipping Wycombe in the parliament of 1542, and served under his father's command in the war against France in 1544. He may well have been the "young Dormer" who for two years was captain of 100 men at a muster in Buckinghamshire. Two years later (in 1546) he accompanied his father to a reception at court for the French ambassador.
In 1553 he was returned as a knight of the shire for Buckinghamshire in the second parliament of Edward VI. It is not known what his position was in the succession crisis in 1553 when John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, attempted to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne, but in May 1554 Queen Mary confirmed him in his post as falconer in recognition of his support for her against Northumberland. He may have been made Sheriff for Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire due to his daughter, Jane Dormer's, friendship with Queen Mary, and his daughter's connection to the Queen may also have influenced his return to Mary's fifth parliament as knight of the shire for Buckinghamshire in 1558.
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