Alice Bradbridge facts for kids
Alice Barnham (born Alice Bradbridge) (1523-1604) was an important English silk merchant. She was a top figure in London's silk trade starting in the 1560s. People mainly remember her for ordering a family portrait in 1557. This painting is one of the earliest family portraits from England.
Her Life Story
Alice was born in Chichester, Sussex, on September 7, 1523. She was one of 14 children. Her father, William Bradbridge (died 1546), was a very successful mercer, meaning he sold fine fabrics. Her mother was also named Alice.
Alice married Francis Barnham (1515/16–1576), who was a draper (a cloth merchant). He was also a London alderman, a senior member of the city council. They likely married in 1546 or 1547. Francis owned a house in London that used to belong to the Abbot of Stratford Langthorne.
At that time, Francis, as a draper, was not allowed to run a retail shop. To get around this rule, Alice managed the selling part of their family business. She was known as a professional silkwoman.
Even though she was married, Alice was very active as a merchant and silkwoman. In London, silkwomen could trade and manage their own money. This was special because married women usually didn't have financial independence. This rule was called coverture. Alice's business deals can be found in old records. She even had a special room for her business at the Worshipful Company of Drapers.
Alice and Francis became very successful and wealthy. By 1576, the year Francis died, their income was about £1000 a year. They even lent money to important noble families. Francis received a special family symbol (a coat of arms) in 1561. Their two oldest sons became country gentlemen, which meant they were important landowners.
Francis Barnham died in 1576 when he was sixty years old. He was buried on May 23 at the church of St Clement Eastcheap. His tomb was later destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Alice Barnham died in 1604 and was buried on May 14.
Her Famous Portrait
The family portrait is now at the Denver Art Museum in Colorado. Before the museum bought it in 1998, it hung in a country house in Kent.
For many years, people thought the painting showed "Lady Ingram and her Two Boys Martin and Steven." This was because of a paper tag on the back from 1660. This mistake probably happened because the Ingram and Barnham families were close. Now, the painting is correctly called Alice Barnham and her Sons Martin and Steven (1557). This change happened because of clever artistic details on the painting itself that looked like real writing.
Her Family
Alice and Francis had four sons.
- Anthony, their third son, probably died soon after he was baptized in March 1558.
- The youngest son, Benedict Barnham (baptized 1559), became a very successful London merchant. He earned a huge fortune. His oldest daughter, Elizabeth, married Lord Audley, who later became an Earl.
- Martin (died 1610) was born on March 26, 1548. A note on the painting tells us this. He became the sheriff of Kent in 1598 and was knighted in 1603.
- Steven (died 1608) was born on July 21, 1549. A note on the painting also tells us this. He became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Chichester.
