He was not entitled to succeed his half-brother as Earl of Essex in 1227, the earldom having devolved from his father's first wife.
Justiciar of Ireland. "John Fitz Geoffrey" was appointed justiciary of Ireland by King Henry III by charter dated 4 Nov 1245. 1
------------------------------------
12 Apr 1234, Westminster
Restitution to John son of Geoffrey and Isabel his wife, of the castle and honour of Ewyas Lascy, which were assigned to her in dower of the lands late of Gilbert de Lascy, sometime her husband; and mandate to Drogo de Barentin to deliver the same to him...
30 May 1234, Gloucester
Appointment, during pleasure, of John son of Geoffrey to the custody of the county of York.
The like of John son of Geoffrey to the custody of the forests of Gautrys, Scardeburg and Pikering.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 3, pp. 42, 52
25 May 1234, Gloucester
Pro Johanne filio Gaufridi.Mandatum est justiciario Hibernie quod sine dilatione plenam seisinam habere faciat Johanni filio Galfridi et Isabelle uxori ejus de manerio de Conhal' eum pertinentiis, quod est maritagium ipsius Isabelle, et unde disseisiti fuerunt occasione gwerre quam .R. comes Penbr' movit in partibus Hibernie...
8 Aug 1234, Sanderford
Pro Johanne filio Galfridi et Isabella uxore ejus.Mandatum est Walramo Teutonico, constabulario de Grosso Monte, quod talem seisinam habere faciat Johanni filio Galfridi et Isabella uxori ejus de terra sua de Penbedel cum pertinentiis suis, qualem ipsa Isabella inde habuit ante guerram quam Ricardus Marescallus, quondam comes Penbr', movit domino regi, et unde disseisita fuit occasione predicte guerre, ut dicitur, nisi alia occasione inde fuisset disseisita...
Calendar of Close Rolls, vol. 2, 18 Hen. III, pp. 430, 492
------------------------------------
16 Nov 1240, Westminster
Grant to John son of Geoffrey, because the king is certified that Savary de Boun, who married his sister, is non compos mentis, that if through the madness of the said Savary any misfortune happen to himself or any other by him, the heirs of the said Savary shall not be disinherited on that account.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 3, p. 238
------------------------------------
21 Oct 1241, Westminster
Appointment, during pleasure, of John son of Geoffrey as justice of the forest for all counties in which the king has forest, chace or parks on this side Trent.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 3, p. 261
------------------------------------
1 Sep 1242, Bordeaux
Grant to John son of Geoffrey of the marriage of the sons and heirs of John de Veteri Ponte, for a fine of 200 marks made with the king, on the condition that in case of the death of the first begotten son, he shall have the marriage of the surviving heirs.
14 Nov 1242, La Réole
Charter, granting to John son of Geoffrey the manor of Waddon, which H. earl of Arundel surrendered to the king of the lands of Normans, to hold to him and his heirs as freely and wholly as William de Humeth held it in homages and services of free men, chaces, and other liberties and free customs belonging thereto until the land of England and the land of Normandy are one, and doing the service due to the same.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 3, pp. 319, 346
------------------------------------
4 Nov 1245, Cumbermere
Appointment, during pleasure, of John son of Geoffrey as justiciary of Ireland.
6 Nov 1245, Lilleshall
Grant to...John son of Geoffrey of 500l. a year at the Exchequer of Dublin for his maintenance in time of peace in the king's service so long as he is justiciary of Ireland...
3 Dec 1245, Windsor
Mandate to Robert de Turbervill, steward of the lands late of W. Marshal, earl of Pembroke, in Ireland, to deliver to John son of Geoffrey, justiciary of Ireland, all the lands and castles late of the said earl in Ireland; as the king ought to have primer seisin of the lands of barons dying, who hold in chief, so that they may do what they ought in homage and relief; to hold the same until Anselm Marshal, brother of the earl, come to the king to do what he ought.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 3, pp. 465, 466, 468
------------------------------------
25 Mar 1246, Westminster
Appointment, during pleasure, of John son of Geoffrey, justiciary of Ireland, to the custody of the castle of Trum; with mandate to Walter de Godarvill to deliver the castle to him.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 3, p. 476
------------------------------------
7 Aug 1247, Northampton
Mandate to the treasurer and barons of the Exchequer, Dublin, to let John son of Geoffrey, justiciary of Ireland, have out of the king's treasure 500 marks of the king's gift, and to deliver to him likewise 100l. for his expenses in coming to the king in England...; and from henceforth to deliver to him on every passage he shall make in coming to England to the king 100l. and on returning 100l. for his expenses...
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 3, p. 506
------------------------------------
28 May 1250, Windsor
Protection with clause volumus for one year from Midsummer next for Gilbert de Gloucestre, gone with John son of Geoffrey, justiciary of Ireland, to Ireland on the king's service.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 4, p. 67
------------------------------------
25 Jul 1251
The king wishes that all issues which arose from the king’s barton of Bristol (Barton Regis) and from the prise of ale in the same vill from the time when John fitz Geoffrey first received custody of the aforesaid castle and barton, and which are extended per annum at £75, are to be allowed to the same John for the custody of the aforesaid castle until St. James in the thirty-fifth year, so that he keeps the said castle henceforth at his costs and shall pay £40 to the king per annum at the Exchequer for as long as he shall have custody of the aforesaid castle and barton and prise of ale for the same, namely £20 at the Exchequer of Easter in the thirty-sixth year and £20 at the Michaelmas next following, and £40 thus from this time at the same terms for as long as he will have the said custody.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 35 Hen. III, 892
------------------------------------
24 Jul 1253, Portsmouth
Grant to John son of Geoffrey that if the manor of Kyrtlinton come into the king's hand, the king will let it to none but him.
26 Jul 1253, Portsmouth
Acknowledgement of the right of Geoffrey de Geynvill and Maud his wife touching the wardship of the lands and fees which Theobald le Butiler (Pincerna) held of Walter de Lacy, grandfather of the said Maud, which wardship the said Geoffrey has, at the instance of the king, granted to John son of Geoffrey, justiciary of Ireland, during the minority of the heirs of the said Theobald.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 4, pp. 216, 217
------------------------------------
7 Sep 1254, Bordeaux
Charter, granting to John son of Geoffrey, to whom the king gave by charter in inheritance the cantred of the Isles of Thomond, power to recall by law and the custom of the land of Ireland and judgement of the king's court all the possessions, rights and rents pertaining thereto or alienated therefrom as though the king were acting personally in the matter...
3 Nov 1254, Bordeaux
Quitclaim to John son of Geoffrey and his heirs of all receipts, disbursements, reckonings, accounts, plaints, prises and demands, by reason of the keeping or justiciaryship of Ireland for the time that he was justiciary, until Easter 38 Henry III. And also of the keeping of the castle of Bristol to that date.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 4, pp. 328-9, 360
------------------------------------
10 Jan 1258, Merton
Grant, for life, to John son of Geoffrey that he shall have every year 120 tuns of wine of reck or of vintage wines, as he pleases, quit of all prise except the due and right prise of one tun before and one tun behind the mast in whatever port or ports the same be landed...
27 Nov 1258, Royston
Appointment of Henry de Farley and Richard le Rus to keep the lands late of John son of Geoffrey, deceased, and to extend the same and enquire how much land he held of the king in chief, and how much of others...
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 4, pp. 612, 666
------------------------------------
18 Feb 1259, Westminster
By the fine of £300 which John, son and heir of John fitz Geoffrey, made with him, the king has granted and demised to him the custody of all lands and tenements, with all their appurtenances, formerly of the said John fitz Geoffrey, his father, the custody of which came into the king’s hand by reason of the minority of John son of John, together also with his marriage if Margery, daughter of Phillip Basset, his wife, dies before the same John reaches lawful age, to have and hold by the same John son of John or his assigns until he comes of lawful age, with the wardships, escheats, issues and all other things which might arise therefrom or fall in in the meantime as fully as if the king were to retain the same custody. Order to Henry de Farnelegh’ and Richard le Rus, keepers of the lands formerly of John fitz Geoffrey, to cause John son of John to have full seisin of the aforesaid custody without delay.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 43 Hen. III, 178
22 Jul 1259, Westminster
Ratification of the appointment by Edward, the king's son, of Robert Walerand to keep his castle of Bristol, during the pleasure of the king and the said Edward, which said castle has been delivered to him by special mandate of the king by Richard de Rupella and John son of John, in whose keeping it was after the death of of John son of Geoffrey father of the said John; and discharge of the said Richard and John and their heirs from the said keeping from the time in which the said castle was in the keeping of the said John son of Geoffrey and them.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 5, p. 32
Research Notes: