Died
at about age 64
in Bethnal Green, London, England
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| Created 17 Mar 2014
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Biography
Sir Richard Gresham (c.1485 – 21 February 1549) was an English mercer, Merchant Adventurer, Lord Mayor of London, and Member of Parliament. He was the father of Sir Thomas Gresham.
SIR RICHARD GRESHAM, KNIGHT
Birth: 1490 in Holt, Norfolk, England
Death: 21 FEB 1548 in England
Father: JOHN GRESHAM b: c 1455 in Holt,Norfolk,England
Mother: ALICE BLYTH b: in Stratton,England
Marriage 1 AUDREY LYNN b: 1478 in England
Marriage 2 THOMASYN THURSTON neé WORSOPP
Marriage 3 ISABEL PYKE (maiden name unknown)
Sir Richard first married Audrey Lynn and they had four children together before Audrey died in 1522. His second wife was Thomasyn, the widow of Richard Thurston and daughter of John Worsopp, and his third wife was Isabel, the widow of John Pyke. The evidence for Thomasyn comes from Court of Chancery proceedings where the plaintiffs included "Richard Gresham of London, mercer, and Thomasyn, his wife, late the wife of Richard Thurston of London, broderer"[1], and the will of Richard Thurston where he made his wife Thomasyn, and her father John Worsopp, exectutors of his will[2]. The evidence for Isabel is discussed in the profile of Barnard Jenyn who married the daughter of John and Isabel Pyke.[3]
It should be noted that the Dictionary of National Biography combined Thomasyn and Isabel into a single person, and every article on Sir Richard since then has repeated the error.
Sir Richard left a very long will, dated 20 Feb 1548, making many bequests to tenants on his land as well as to important members of the royal court. [4]He also made bequests to and mentioned the following family members:
my son Sir John Gresham and Dame Frances his wife
my son Thomas
my wife Isabel
my daughter Elizabeth Gresham
my daughter Dame Christian
my brother Henry Kyng and his wife
my cousin Francis, his children, late of Walsingham
my cousin Chandler's children
Richard Chandler
my brother Mr Thomas Gresham
my daughter in law Ann Gresham
my cousin Richard Byllingford
my cousin Edmond Byllingford and his wife
my cousin Thomas Howe and his wife
my cousin William Hardyng and his wife
my cousin Eudall (?) and his wife
my nephews and nieces, children of my brother John Gresham, William, James, John, Edmond, Ursula, Ellyn and Elizabeth the elder
He requested burial in the church of St Lawrence Jewry.
Richard was buried on 24 February 1548 in St Lawrence Jewry, City of London, London, England.[5]
↑ Thank you to Karen Sims for uncovering these facts.
↑Will:
"England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 32 Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 5111 #928011 (accessed 13 January 2023)
Will of Richardi Tresham, granted probate on 20 May 1549. Died about 1549 in London.
↑Burial:
"London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812"
London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P69/Law1/A/002/Ms06975 Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 1624 #7105692 (accessed 13 January 2023)
Richard Gresham burial (died in about 1548) on 24 Feb 1548 in St Lawrence Jewry, City of London, London, England.
Benolte, Thomas; Philipot, John; & Owen, George. The Visitations of the County of Sussex: 1530 and 1633-4. London: The Harleian Society, 1905. Vol LIII, p 112, Gresham.
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