Mother of the Maids (English royal court)
Mother of the Maids was a position at the English royal court. The Mother of the Maids was responsible for the well-being and decorum of maids of honour, young gentlewomen in the household of a queen regnant or queen consort.
Anne Poyntz was given a "billiment" head dress to wear at the coronation of Mary I of England, and took part in the Royal Entry. At the coronation of Elizabeth I in 1559 there were six maids of honour under the Mother of the Maids.
Mothers of the maids
- Elizabeth Chamber of Stonor, to the consorts of Henry VIII.
- Anne Poyntz (died 1554), household of Mary I of England.
- Elizabeth Hutton, household of Mary I.
- Dorothy Broughton, household of Mary I in 1557, may have been Dorothy, the wife of Sir Robert Broughton and the sister of Margery Wentworth, and through her the aunt of Jane Seymour.
- Mistress Morris, household of Elizabeth I in 1558.
- Kat Ashley or Katherine Ashley, household of Elizabeth I
- Anne Aglionby, household of Elizabeth I
- Elizabeth Jones, household of Elizabeth I, with Blanche Parry in 1571.
- Katherine Bridges, household of Anne of Denmark.
- Elizabeth Beaumont, household of Henrietta Maria.
- Bridget Sanderson, wife of William Sanderson of the king's privy chamber, a daughter of Edward Tyrrell, household of Catherine of Braganza.