Thomas West, 8th Baron de La Warr

Thomas West, 8th Baron De La Warr and 5th Baron West, KB, KG (c. 1457 – 11 October 1525) was the oldest son of Richard West, 7th Baron De La Warr and 4th Baron of West and Catherine Hungerford.

Thomas succeeded to his titles at the age of 19. He had an active military career under both Henry VII and Henry VIII, and was multiply honored as a result.

• In 1478, in the reign of Henry VII, he was made a Knight of the Bath.
• In 1497, he commanded a retinue in the Battle of Deptford Bridge.
• In 1510, in the reign of Henry VIII, he was made a Knight of the Garter.
• In 1513, he commanded a retinue in the Battle of the Spurs.
• In 1520, he was part of Henry VIII's retinue at the Field of the Cloth of Gold.
• In 1524: he was appointed High Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex

He married three times and fathered eighteen children, including his heir, Thomas, and Sir Owen West, among whose heirs the Barony of West remains abeyant to this day.

1. Eleanor Percy (b. 1455), daughter of Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland and Lady Eleanor Poynings. This marriage was to remain childless.

2. Elizabeth Mortimer (d. 1502), daughter of Lord Hugh Mortimer of Mortimer's Hall, Southampton County, and Eleanor Cornwall. They had five sons and six daughters:

1. Elizabeth West (1487-1526), married Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester.

2. Thomas West, 9th Baron De La Warr and 6th Baron West (1479-1554), married Elizabeth Bonville.

3. Eleanor West (b. 1481), married Sir Edward Guildford of Kent. Through their daughter Jane, who married John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, she was the grandmother of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, favored friend and suitor of Queen Elizabeth I.

4. Dorothy West (1483-1542), married Sir Henry Owen.

5. Anne West (1489-1510), married John Clinton, 7th Lord Clinton.

6. Joan West.

7. Margaret West.

8. William West, died young.

9. Anthony West.

10. Richard West.

11. John West.

3. Eleanor Copley (b.1476), daughter of Sir Roger Copley of Sussex and Anne Hoo. They had three sons and four daughters:

1. Sir Owen West (1501-1551), married Mary Guildford, daughter of Sir George Guildford.

2. Barbara West (1504-1549), married John Gage and then Sir John Guildford.

3. Sir George West (1510-1538), married Elizabeth Morton. His children include William West, 1st Baron Delaware.

4. Sir Leonard West (1515-1578), married Barbara Gascoine.

5. Anne West, married Sir Anthony St. Amand.

6. Mary West.

7. Katherine West.

He is buried in Broadwater Church, in Broadwater (now a suburb of Worthing), Sussex.