John Eldred facts for kids

John Eldred (1552–1632) was an English explorer and merchant. A merchant is someone who buys and sells goods to make money. He wrote a journal about his travels, called Journal of his Voyage to Tripoli and Bassora. This journal was later published in a famous collection of travel stories by Richard Hakluyt in 1599.

Who Was John Eldred?

John Eldred was born in 1552 in a place called New Buckenham in Norfolk, England. His family had moved there from Knettishall in Suffolk. When he was young, he likely moved to London to start a business. He worked hard and became a successful merchant.

His Amazing Journey Begins

In 1583, John Eldred was already a wealthy merchant. On a day called Shrove Monday, he left London on a ship named the Tiger. He traveled with other merchants, including John Newbery and Ralph Fitch.

Traveling Through the Middle East

Their first stop was Tripoli in Syria, which they reached on May 1st. After two weeks there, they continued their journey to Aleppo. From Aleppo, they went to Bir on the Euphrates River.

At Bir, they got into a boat and sailed down the Euphrates River to a place called Feludjah. After waiting a week, they hired 100 donkeys to carry their goods to Baghdad. They stayed in Baghdad for a few days.

Sailing to Bassorah

Next, they loaded their goods onto boats on the Tigris River. They finally reached Bassorah (modern-day Basra in Iraq). John Eldred stayed in Bassorah for six months, working on his business. He was very successful!

The Return Journey

When it was time to go back, John and his friends needed 70 barges (large boats) to carry all their goods. Most of their goods were spices, especially cinnamon and nutmeg. Each barge was pulled upstream by 14 men.

After 44 days, they arrived back in Baghdad. There, they got supplies for their journey over land. They joined a huge group of other merchants and a caravan of 4,000 camels. These camels were also carrying spices and other valuable goods.

After 40 days of travel, they reached Aleppo on June 11, 1584.

Exploring More Lands

For the next three years, Aleppo was John Eldred's main base. During this time, he made two more trips to Baghdad, crossing the deserts of Arabia.

He also wanted to see more of the country. So, he traveled from Aleppo to Antioch, then to Tripoli. From Tripoli, he sailed to Joppa. From Joppa, he explored many famous places like Rama, Lycia, Gaza, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Jordan River, and the Dead Sea (which he called the "sea or lake of Sodom"). After seeing these amazing sights, he returned to Joppa and then sailed back to Tripoli.

Coming Home to England

On December 22, 1587, John Eldred left Tripoli to return to England. He arrived safely in the Thames River in London on March 26, 1588. He was on a ship called the Hercules of London. This ship was known for carrying the most valuable English merchant goods ever brought into England! A lot of these valuable goods belonged to John Eldred.

A Wealthy Man

John Eldred was now a very rich man. He used his money to invest and became even wealthier. In 1597, he bought a large estate called Great Saxham in Suffolk. He built a big house there, which people started calling 'Nutmeg Hall' because of his spice trade.

However, he mostly continued to live in London and work in business. When the East India Company was created, he invested a lot of money in it. He was one of the first directors and played an important role in the company for many years. He also worked for King James I, helping to sell lands and collect customs taxes.

Later Life and Legacy

John Eldred passed away at Great Saxham in 1632. He was buried in the church there on December 8th.

His Family

John Eldred married a woman named Mary Revett from Rishangles in Suffolk. They had many children. Their first son died as a baby. But their second son, Revett, grew up and became a baronet (a special title of honor) in 1641. Revett died in 1653 without having any children. So, the Great Saxham estate went to Revett's next brother, also named John Eldred. This family line ended in 1745, and the property was sold.

'Nutmeg Hall' was sadly destroyed by fire in 1779. A new house, the present Great Saxham Hall, was built by the new owners later that century.

A Special Monument

Inside the church at Great Saxham, there is a monument dedicated to John Eldred. His son Revett put it there. There is also a bust (a sculpture of his head and shoulders) with a special message carved on it:

This poem shows that even after all his travels, John Eldred's greatest hope was for a place in heaven.