“Henricus de Ferrariis” founded a church “apud castellum meum Tuttesbury”, for the souls of “…uxoris mee Berte et filiorum meorum Engenulphi W, Roberti ac filiarum mearum…”.
He succeeded his father in 1101 in the greater part of his English possessions. “Robertus comes de Ferrariis” donated property to Tutbury Priory by undated charter after succeeding “in hereditatem bonæ memoriæ Henrici patris mei”. The 1130 Pipe Roll records "Robt de Ferrar" in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire in respect of "Werchesworda" and in Staffordshire.
He was created Earl of Derby by King Stephen: Richard Prior of Hexham’s De Gestis Regis Stephani et de Bello Standardii records that King Stephen created "Robertum de Ferrers" as "in Derbiensi-scyra [comes]" after the battle of the Standard in Aug 1138.
The Complete Peerage identifies Robert's wife as Hawise de Vitré, daughter of André [I] Seigneur de Vitré & his wife Agnès de Mortain, but cites no supporting evidence. Europäische Stammtafeln identifies her as Hawise de Laval, daughter of Guy [II] Seigneur de Laval & his second wife Cecilia ---, although the primary source on which this is based has not yet been identified. According to Domesday Descendants, "there is no convincing evidence as to her identity". 2
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