Early life
A Gentleman of Nottinghamshire
Thomas Helwys was born around 1575 at Broxtowe Hall, near Nottingham, into a family of the landed gentry; some scholars place his birth earlier. His father, Edmund, published a book on the twelfth chapter of Revelation. In 1593 Thomas was admitted to Gray's Inn in London, one of the inns of court where young gentlemen studied law. In 1595 he married Joan Ashmore at Bilborough, and they had several children.
Broxtowe Hall became a refuge for Puritan preachers who wanted the Church of England purified. Around 1606 Helwys joined the Separatist congregation gathered by John Smyth at Gainsborough, and the two men became close friends. Helwys's wealth and standing made him a leader of the group.
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