Thomas Argall was a Notary Public in the Winchester Diocese. He was probably born in his parents house on the Archbishop of Canterbury's estate at Lambeth. He is first mentioned in Court records on 23 May 1529 in correspondence between the Bishop of Norwich and Cardinal Wolsey. He was later Secretary (Scryvenor/Clerk) to Thomas Cromwell, who in turn was Secretary to Cardinal Wolsey, Chancellor of all England; Thomas Cromwell later succeeded Wolsey.
Thomas Argall played an important part in the legal processes surrounding the annulment of the marriages of King Henry VIII. He is recorded as party to the annulment of the marriage to Anne of Cleeves, and to Katherine. He is mentioned in the Court papers starting in June 1533.
He is also discussed in the Letters And Papers Foreign And Domestic Vol. XVIII, Part I as purchasing The Rectory of Crewenne (Crowan), Cornwall on 29 October 1543, although the purchase was never sealed (Page 555, 38b Books Of The Court Of Augmentation).
Thomas received a Royal Pardon (what for?) on 22 January 1549. Thomas, together with his father-in-law, John Tallakarne, had custody of Halden Wood and of land in Rolvynden (Kent?) on 23 May 1554.
Thomas was appointed Keeper of the records of the Court of First Fruits and Tenths on 10 March 1542 and was appointed Registrar of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in February 1554. On 23 February 1560, he licensed various Manors in Sussex and Surrey to Sir Richard Sackvill, who likewise licensed the Manors of Tollepyddell in Dorset and Wydcombe to Thoma's sons Gabriel and Edmund (Edward), and the Manors of Byrncombe and Woodbourne to Thoma's sons John and Rowland.
He was born at Lambeth where his parents held a house and a close on the Archbishop of Canterbury's estate. He seemed to have lived in London mainly and is recorded as acquiring much property during his lifetime. He bought the estate at East Sutton in Kent in 1546 from Richard Covert, and was granted (acquired) the Manor of Walthamstow Bedyk (known as Low Hall), Essex, in 1553, and was an officer of the Royal Court in 1559. Argall Avenue in Walthamstow now commemorates the Argall connection. His Will reveals property in Ludgate (London), Essex, Buckinghamshire, Dorset, Southants (sic), Bedfordshire and Kent.
In the Harlean Record of PCC Wills, he is described of "St Michaells in the Querne, St Faythes, St Martins within Ludgate, London. Believed to be buried in the Church of St Faith in the Virgin, Bermondsey. His burial date is assumed as 2 days after his death. The Appendix to the 9th Report on the Manuscripts of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's (A Box 9) refers to the demise by St Paul's to Thomas of their "great messuage in Ivy Lane", which is where he had house in the shadow of St Paul's, and where he almost certainly died.
Thomas was married twice, and Margaret Tallakarne was his second wife. Date of birth taken from article by James Alsop in the Catholic Recusant. Date of death taken from from PRO List of PCC Will information, but Ian O'Brian had the date as 1575.
He was granted the right to use the ARGALL Coat of Arms in about 1554. His son Richard succeeded to the property of East Sutton in 1563.
Thomas Argall 
