Biographical
Master ListBiographical
Master List| The purpose of this page is to provide a central reference to the more substantive of the biographical sketches of medieval townspeople dispersed across various of the Medieval English Towns pages. Links to key external sites with biographical information are also included. The list comprises names, an indicator of the main claim(s) to fame, and the location with which principally associated. |
- A -Acton, Richard; wool merchant and mayor, NewcastleAlbeyn, John; tanner and bailiff, Nottingham Alestre, John; wool merchant and mayor, Nottingham Amyas, William; merchant and chantry founder, Nottingham Appleyard, William; mayor, Norwich Ashebourne, William; town clerk, Lynn Askham, William; fishmonger and mayor, London Aylward, Robert; merchant and mayor, Southampton - B -Baker, William; netter and constable, ReadingBamme, Adam; goldsmith and mayor, London Bannebury, Alan; hat-maker?, Reading Barentyn, Drew; goldsmith and alderman, London Baret, John; merchant, Bury St. Edmund's Barton, Henry; skinner and mayor, London Baxter, John; mayor, Reading Beauchamp,Thomas and Richard; borough lords and soldiers, Warwick Bedeham, John; chantry founder, London Bedingham, Ralph; merchant, Lynn Belleyetere, Edmund; merchant vintner, Lynn Betele, Henry; merchant and mayor, Lynn Bilney, John; merchant and reformer, Lynn Bitering, William; vintner and mayor, Lynn Bixley, John; mercer and mayor, Norwich Blakeney, William; sailor, Lynn Blakburn, Margaret; wife of Nicholas Blakburn, York Blakburn, Nicholas; merchant and mayor, York Blaunche, John; cooper, Lynn Bolt, John; merchant, Lynn Bolton, John; mercer and mayor, York Botkesham, Robert; merchant and mayor, Lynn Botkesham, Thomas; merchant and mayor, Lynn Bramptone, William; fishmonger and alderman, London Brandon, John; merchant and mayor, Lynn Braunch, Ancelm; merchant and jurat, Lynn Braunch, John; merchant and jurat, Lynn Braunch, Robert; merchant and mayor, Lynn Brembre, Nicholas; grocer and mayor, London Brewer, William; town founder, Axminster, Bridgwater, Chesterfield Brigge, Thomas; merchant and mayor, Lynn Brompton, John; merchant and keeper, Beverley Brunham, John; merchant, mayor, father of Margery Kempe, Lynn Brunham, Robert; vintner and mayor, Lynn Bruyn, John; bailiff, Bridgnorth Brycham, William; fishmonger and merchant, Lynn Bryghtzeve, John; merchant and jurat, Lynn Brynton, William; merchant and mayor, Lynn Bukerel, Andrew; merchant and mayor, London Bukworth, John; reformer, Lynn Burghard, John; merchant and mayor, Lynn Burley, William; bailiff, Shrewsbury Bury, William; gentleman, Colchester Bye, Thomas; fuller? and mayor, Reading - C -Caldwell, John; merchant and bailiff, IpswichCambridge, William; grocer, alderman, London Carleton, Thomas; embroiderer and alderman, London Carpenter, John; town clerk, London Carpenter, Thomas; mercer and mayor, Reading Causton, John; chantry founder, London Chichele, Robert; grocer and mayor, London Clech, Richard; draper and mayor, Reading Clopton, Robert; draper and mayor, London Cokesford, Hamon; jurat, Lynn Cokesford, John; merchant and mayor, Lynn Cokesford, Robert; lawyer/administrator, Lynn Cooke, Thomas; jurat, Lynn Couper, Robert; mason, York Couteshale, John; merchant and mayor, Lynn Costyn, Geoffrey; bailiff, Ipswich Coventre, John; mercer and mayor, London Craven, John; gentleman and ordnance master, York Crowmere, William; draper and mayor, London Croxton, Robert; mason, London - D -Danvers, Agnes; gentlewoman, widow of Fray, Wenlock and Say, LondonDavyson, Robert; mason, York Davyson, Thomas; gentleman and town clerk, York Denton, John; administrator and mayor, Newcastle Drayton, Thomas; merchant, administrator, Yarmouth Drewe, Geoffrey senior; jurat, Lynn Drewe, Geoffrey junior; merchant guild alderman, Lynn Drewe, John; merchant and jurat, Lynn Drewe, Thomas senior; mayor, Lynn Drewe, Thomas junior; merchant and mayor, Lynn Drye, Robert; bailiff, Ipswich - E -Egglesfeld, John; gentleman and sword-bearer, YorkEllingham, Hugh; mercer and vintner, Lynn Ellingham, William; mercer and jurat, Lynn Elys, Henry; jurat, Lynn Emeldon, Richard; wool merchant and bailiff, Newcastle Erl, William; vintner, Lynn Erpingham, Thomas; knight, soldier, arbitrator, Norwich Essex, William; draper and parliamentary representative, London Esyngton, William; wool merchant, Newcastle Eyton, Roger; bailiff, Shrewsbury - F -Falyate, John; merchant, LynnFastolf, Hugh; sailor, administrator, Yarmouth Fastolf, Hugh; grocer and alderman, London (same as Yarmouth man) Fauconer, Thomas; mercer and mayor, London Faukes, Thomas; merchant, Lynn Feld, John; fishmonger and alderman, London FitzThomas, Thomas; draper, mayor and Montfortian, London FitzWalter,Robert; knight and military commander, London Fleming,John; merchant and mayor, Southampton Fox, John; mayor, Lollard sympathiser, Northampton Frank, Philip; merchant and mayor, Lynn Frank, Richard; merchant and mayor, Lynn Fransham, Geoffrey; merchant, Lynn Fray, John; lawyer and administrator, London Frere, Richard; town clerk, Lynn Frost, William; mayor, York Fyncham, John; administrator, Lynn - G -Galt, Henry; goldsmith?, LynnGalyon, Roger; merchant and mayor, Lynn Gamel, John; bailiff, Shrewsbury Gaysele, Geoffrey; merchant, Lynn Gedney, John; draper and mayor, London Godestone, Thomas; administrator, Colchester Gosselyn, Richard; chantry founder, London Graper, Peter; bailiff, Newcastle Gunter, Willliam; merchant and mayor, Southampton Gunton, Simon; merchant and mayor, Lynn - H -Hadley, John; grocer and mayor, LondonHalleyate, William; reformer, Lynn Halteby, John; "king of Ipswich" Haukyn, Gilbert; bailiff, Newcastle Hervey, Walter; populist mayor, London Hibburn, Robert; merchant and mayor, Newcastle Hunderpound, William; merchant and mayor, Lynn Hunte, Thomas; merchant and mayor, Lynn - J -Juyn, John; lawyer, Bristol- K -Keep, John; merchant and administrator, LynnKelsale, Roger; king's yeoman and customs administrator, Southampton Kempe, John; merchant, father-in-law of Margery Kempe, Lynn Kempe, Margery; mystic, Lynn Kenynghale, John; merchant, Lynn Knolles, Robert; knight and military commander, London Knolles, Thomas; grocer and mayor, London - L -Lakinghithe, John; merchant and mayor, LynnLambert, John; merchant, Lynn Lathe, John; vintner?, Lynn Lech, Richard; mayor, Reading Lede, Jakemin; Flemish merchant's factor, Leicester Lendall, William; constable, Reading Linacre, William; mayor, Reading Lok, John; merchant, Lynn Louthe, William; goldsmith and alderman, London Lyndeseye, William; merchant and mayor, Lynn - M -Mafey, Peter; merchant, LynnMalyn, William; wool merchant and smuggler, Ipswich Mapurley, Thomas; lawyer and recorder, Nottingham Marrow, John; mason, Norwich Martyn, Nicholas; merchant, reformer, Lynn Melcheburn, Thomas; king's merchant, administrator, Lynn Metcalfe, Miles; lawyer, York Middleton, Thomas; administrator and benefactor, Southampton Montfort,Simon; borough lord and soldier, Leicester More, John; reformer and alderman, London Muriell, John; merchant, reformer, Lynn - N -Neell, Richard; sailor, LynnNicholas, Cristin; mayor, Reading Nicholasson, James; shoemaker, foreigner, Lynn Nicholl, William; merchant and mayor, Southampton Norbury, Richard; mercer and alderman, London Northampton, John; reformer and mayor, London Northwold, William; clergyman, heretic, Northampton - O -Ormeshead, William; merchant and mayor, YorkOxneye, William; merchant, Lynn - P -Palmer, Alice; bridge-builder, NottinghamPalshid, Richard; administrator and town clerk, Southampton Paxman, Roger; merchant and mayor, Lynn Paynot, Thomas; merchant, Lynn Perbroun, John; admiral, administrator, Yarmouth Perle, John; bailiff, Shrewsbury Permonter, John; vintner and mayor, Lynn Petypas, Bartholomew; reformer and mayor, Lynn Philpot, John; grocer and mayor, London de la Pole, William; merchant venturer and financier, Kingston upon Hull Polle, Thomas; goldsmith and alderman, London Preston, John; administrator, Ipswich Preston, John; administrator, Ipswich Pride, Thomas; lawyer and bailiff, Shrewsbury Pulter, Robert; victualler?, Lynn - R -Rafman, Henry; administrator and debtor, Yarmouth and NorwichRamsey, Ralph; administrator and soldier, Yarmouth Ravenston, William; mayor, Southampton Reppes, Laurence; villein?, tanner and jurat, Lynn Revetour, William; clergyman, playwright?, York Russell, Richard; vintner and mayor, York Ryghtwys, Thomas; merchant and mayor, Lynn - S -Salisbury, Robert; merchant, LynnSay, John; Speaker of the House of Commons, administrator, London Segrym, Ralph; mercer and mayor, Norwich Sevenok, William; mayor, London Shadworth, John; mercer and mayor, London Shotton, John; draper and bailiff, Shrewsbury Silesden, William; merchant, Lynn Skynner, Thomas; bailiff, Shrewsbury Snawsell, William; mayor, York Soper, Willliam; merchant, mayor, clerk of the king's ships, Southampton Sparham, Thomas; merchant and violence victim, Lynn Spicer, John; victualler?, customs administrator, Lynn Spynk, Richard; clothier? and benefactor, Norwich Spyr, William; mercer and jurat, Lynn Stace, Geoffrey; administrator and kidnapper, Ipswich Stace, Thomas; bailiff, Ipswich Staller,Ansgar; military commander, London Staundon, William; grocer and mayor, London Stokdale, John; brasier, Newcastle Stoke, Richard; merchant and mayor, Coventry Stokker, John; draper and alderman, London Stormesworth, Richard; bailiff, Lollard opponent, Northampton Style, John and Thomas; merchants, Lynn Style, William; bailiff, Ipswich Sustede, John; merchant and jurat, Lynn Sutton, John; merchant, Lynn Swafham, Richard; gatekeeper, Lynn Swanton, William; merchant and mayor, Lynn Swerdestone, Alan; merchant, Lynn Swerdestone, John; merchant and mayor, Lynn Swerdestone, Nicholas; disgraced burgess, Lynn Systerne, Bartholomew; merchant and coroner, Lynn Systerne, Reginald; merchant and jurat, Lynn - T -Taillur, Philip; mercer and alderman, LondonThewyt, Richard; merchant, Lynn Thirsford, John; parliamentary representative, Lynn Thirsk, John; merchant and mayor, York Thornhegge, Joan; widow of John de Thornhegge, merchant, Lynn Thornton, Roger; merchant and mayor, Newcastle Thorpe, Richard; merchant, Lynn Tilney, John; draper, Lynn Tilney, John; lawyer and administrator, Lynn Trussebut, Thomas; merchant, Lynn - U/V -Urry, Walter; merchant, LynnUsk, Thomas; scribe and author, London Vannere, Henry; vintner and alderman, London Vavasour,John; lawyer and recorder, York Venour, William; grocer and alderman, London Vyell, John; mayor and cloth merchant, Bristol - W -Wace, John; mercer and mayor, LynnWalden, William; brewer, reformer, Lynn Waldern, Geoffrey; draper and councillor, London Waldern, William; mercer and mayor, London Walpole, Robert; draper, Lynn Walsoken, Adam; merchant and mayor, Lynn Walton, Robert; wool merchant, Lynn Walworth, William; fishmonger and mayor, London Warner, John; ironmonger and alderman, London Waryn, John; merchant and mayor, Lynn Waterden, John; lawyer, Lynn Waterden, Robert; mercer, Lynn Waterden, Thomas; merchant and mayor, Lynn Welles, John; grocer and mayor, London Wenlock, John; parliamentarian, knight, London Wentworth, John; merchant and mayor, Lynn Wesenham, John; king's merchant, financier, and administrator, Lynn Wesenham, John; merchant and mayor, Lynn Weston, John; chantry founder, London Wetherby, Thomas; mayor, Norwich White, John; clergyman, London Whittington, Richard; "thrice lord-mayor of London" Willeford, Henry; mayor, Nottingham Woodcock, John; mercer and mayor, London Wyth, William; jurat, Lynn - X/Y/Z -Yelverton, William; judge, Norwich |
| BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: The nature of surviving records from borough, national, or ecclesiastical archives of medieval England is such that it is the mercantile and property-holding segment of urban society that is best documented. We know little about individuals from the lower rungs of the social ladder, and even with those at the apex of that society, biographical reconstruction is often sketchy. Some modern studies of particular towns include biographies of a few selected townsmen. The single most useful source, however, is J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, and C. Rawcliffe eds., The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1386-1421, Stroud: Alan Sutton, 1992. Although not entirely free of errors, the biographies are scholarly and often detailed. |
