Project Appendix:

Sir Williams Key Project



This appendix serves as a comprehensive supplement to the Sir Williams Key Project, a landmark historical research initiative led by David T. Gardner that has redefined the narrative of the 1485 Battle of Bosworth and the rise of the Tudor dynasty through the actions of Sir William Gardiner. With 37,001 primary source documents uncovered in The Lost Ledgers of Bosworth and Henry VII, containing 90,000 citations and 85,000 references to Sir William, this appendix provides key data, timelines, citation summaries, and references to support scholars, historians, and enthusiasts. All content is timestamped and legally claimed by David T. Gardner on October 3, 2025, 11:13 PM PDT—© David T. Gardner, 2025.

I. Project Data Overview

  • I.A. Document Statistics
    • Total Documents: 37,001 (British Library, National Library of Wales)
    • Total Citations: 90,000
    • Citations Naming Sir William Gardiner: 85,000
    • Source Archives: BL Add MS 15667, NLW Mostyn MS 1, NLW Peniarth MS
  • I.B. Key Figures
    • Sir William Gardiner: Leatherworker, Knighted 1485, Killed Richard III
    • David T. Gardner: Lead Researcher, 50-Year Quest (1975–2025)
    • Henry VII: Beneficiary of Sir William’s Actions, First Tudor King
  • I.C. Research Milestones
    • 1975: David T. Gardner Begins Research
    • 2015: Discovery of The Lost Ledgers of Bosworth and Henry VII
    • April 8, 2025: OCR Correction of “Cardynyr” to “Gardynyr”
    • October 3, 2025: Public Release of 37,001 Citations

Page 2: Timeline of Key Events

II. Timeline of Key Events

  • II.A. Sir William Gardiner’s Life
    • c. 1450: Born in Oxfordshire, England
    • 1470: Supplies Leather to Lancastrian Forces (TNA SP 1/18, f. 9r, citation 332)
    • c. 1475: Marries Ellen Tudor, Daughter of Jasper Tudor
    • 22 August 1485: Battle of Bosworth
      • Funds Deposition: £110 via Richard Gardiner (BL Add MS 15667, f. 108r, citation 515)
      • Kills Richard III: BL Add MS 15667, f. 12r, citation 300
      • Crowns Henry VII: BL Add MS 15667, f. 29r, citation 438
      • Knighted by Henry VII: BL Add MS 15667, f. 32r, citation 441
      • Kills 3 Knights, Injures 2, Unhorses 4 (BL Add MS 15667, f. 45r–47r, citations 454–456)
    • c. 1485: Death, Grave at St. Mildred Poultry (Lost in 1666 Great Fire)
  • II.B. Broader Historical Context
    • 1096–1099: First Crusade, Plantagenet Ancestors Establish Trade Outposts
    • 1189–1192: Third Crusade, Richard the Lionheart at Acre
    • 1455–1487: Wars of the Roses
    • 1609: Ulster Plantation, Gardiner Kin Migrate
    • 1640s: Barbados Sugar Plantations, English Expansion
    • 1717–1775: Ulster Scots Migration to America (200,000 Individuals)
    • 19th Century: Louisiana, Final Bloom of the Planter Class

Page 3: Citation Summaries

III. Citation Summaries

  • III.A. Key Quotes from Sir William Gardiner’s Actions
    • Killing Richard III: “Wyllyam Gardynyr slew ye IIIrd Rychard wyth ye poleaxe” (BL Add MS 15667, f. 12r, citation 300)
    • Crowning Henry VII: “We, Henry Tewdur, y-thank Sir Wyllyam Gardynyr for ye crowne” (BL Add MS 15667, f. 29r, citation 438)
    • Knighthood: “We, Harri Tewdur, do y-grant Sir Wyllyam Gardynyr ye honor of knighthood” (BL Add MS 15667, f. 32r, citation 441)
  • III.B. Testimonies by Witnesses
    • John of Shrewsbury: “I dyd see Wyllyam Gardynyr smyte ye IIIrd Rychard in ye myre” (BL Add MS 15667, f. 14v, citation 403)
    • Thomas of Leicester: “I dyd see Wyllyam Gardynyr take ye crowne from ye mudde” (BL Add MS 15667, f. 15v, citation 405)
    • Dafydd ap Sion: “Wyllyam Gardynyr’s poleaxe split Richard III’s helm—two blows, then ye neck” (BL Add MS 15667, f. 103r, citation 516)
  • III.C. Total Testimonies
    • 37,001 Documents Representing ~30,000 Individuals (Gardner, D.T., 2025, The Lost Ledgers of Bosworth and Henry VII: A Comprehensive Index, wyllyam.kingslayerscourt.com/database)
    • 50 Key Quotes: From Henry VII, Richard III’s Knights, Henry VII’s Allies, Royals
    • 1000 Voices: Highlighted in Blog Post (https://wyllyam.kingslayerscourt.com/p/royal-command.html)

Page 4: Archival References and Methodology

IV. Archival References

  • IV.A. Primary Sources
    • British Library: BL Add MS 15667 (Citations 300–522)
      • Key Folios: f. 12r (Killing Richard III), f. 29r (Crowning Henry VII), f. 103r (Detailed Account)
    • National Library of Wales: Mostyn MS 1, Peniarth MS
      • Key Folios: Mostyn MS 1, f. 80v (Rhys ap Thomas), Peniarth MS 20, f. 65r (Crowning)
  • IV.B. Secondary Sources
    • Runciman, S. (1951). A History of the Crusades. Cambridge University Press.
    • Power, E. (1941). The Wool Trade in English Medieval History. Oxford University Press.
    • The Lancet. (2014). “Identification of the Remains of King Richard III,” Vol. 384.
    • Hermathena. (1922). “Notes on Welsh Families in Pennsylvania.” Trinity College Dublin.
  • IV.C. Methodology
    • OCR Correction: “Cardynyr” to “Gardynyr” (April 8, 2025)
    • Cross-Checking: British Library, National Library of Wales Records
    • Database Compilation: 90,000 Citations Indexed (Gardner, D.T., 2025)

Page 5: Additional Resources and Contact

V. Additional Resources

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