Eleanor Bull facts for kids

Eleanor Bull (born around 1550, died 1596) was an English woman who owned a house in Deptford. Her house became famous because it was where the well-known playwright and poet, Christopher Marlowe, was killed in 1593.

Who Was Eleanor Bull?

Eleanor, also known as Elinor, was born into the Whitney family from Clifford, Herefordshire. Her family was quite important and had good connections. She was not a simple "ale-house keeper" as some stories might suggest. In fact, Eleanor was the niece of Blanche Parry, who was a close friend and companion to Queen Elizabeth I. When Blanche Parry passed away in 1589, she left Eleanor a generous gift of £100 in her will. This was a lot of money back then!

Her Family and Early Life

The Whitney family was an old and respected family from the border region of England and Wales. They had a castle at Whitney-on-Wye in Herefordshire. For many generations, members of her family served as knights, Members of Parliament (MPs), and sheriffs in the county. Eleanor's great-uncle, James Whitney, even worked for Henry VIII, serving in his royal household.

Eleanor married Richard Bull on October 14, 1571, in London. Her husband worked for the royal household, helping to manage royal properties. Richard died in 1590. After his death, Eleanor continued to live in their house on Deptford Strand in Deptford. At that time, Deptford was in Kent, but today it is part of London.

Her Home and Business

Eleanor's house became a kind of hotel or "rooming house" where guests could stay and eat meals. Her usual guests were often important people. These included supervisors from the nearby dockyards, people who exported valuable goods, and merchants who traded with countries like Russia and those around the Baltic Sea.

Eleanor Bull passed away in Deptford and was buried on March 19, 1596.

The Mystery of Marlowe's Death

Eleanor Bull is mainly remembered because of the famous event that happened at her house. It was there that Christopher Marlowe was killed. He died from a stabbing during an argument with a man named Ingram Frizer. Two other men, Nicholas Skeres and Robert Poley, were also present.

All four men had spent most of the day at Eleanor's house. They were talking, eating, and drinking together. During the official investigation into Marlowe's death, it was said that the argument was about the bill for the day's food and drinks.

Some early accounts described Eleanor's house as a "tavern" or a pub. This led to ideas that she was a rough pub owner. However, it is now understood that her house was more like a respectable rooming house or a small hotel, rather than a common tavern.