John Gayer (Lord Mayor of London) facts for kids
John Gayer (baptized in 1584 – died 1649) was an important English merchant. He became the Lord Mayor of London in 1646. This was a very high position in the city!
Contents
John Gayer's Journey
Early Life and Moving to London
John Gayer was born in Plymouth, England, and was baptized in 1584. His parents, John Gayer senior and Margaret Trelawney, were both from Cornwall. The Gayer family originally came from a town called Liskeard.
John Gayer later moved to London. For some years, he lived in Syria. An unusual event there later led him to start something called the Lion sermon.
Becoming a City Leader
In London, John Gayer became a successful merchant. He joined the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, which was a powerful trade group. He was a leader in this company for many years.
He also worked with the East India Company, which was a huge trading company at the time. He was part of their main committee from 1626 to 1635 and again from 1641 to 1649. For two years, starting in 1630, he was the Treasurer for the Levant Company, another trading group.
In 1635, John Gayer became a Sheriff of London for a year. Sheriffs helped keep order and manage the city. In 1636, he was chosen as an alderman for the Aldgate area of London. Aldermen were important city officials.
He was also the Colonel of the Trained Bands, which were like a local defense force, until 1642. In 1639, he became the deputy governor of the East India Company.
Standing Up to the King
In May 1640, John Gayer and three other aldermen were sent to the Tower of London. This happened because they refused to make a list of people in their area who could lend money to King Charles I. They were released later.
In 1641, he was given the title of Knight, becoming "Sir" John Gayer. In 1646, he was elected the 310th Lord Mayor of London. This was the highest position in the city government. In 1648, he became the president of Christ's Hospital, a famous school and charity.
The Lion Sermon Story
John Gayer started an annual event called the Lion sermon at St Katharine Cree Church in London. This special sermon was inspired by something amazing that happened to him.
While he was in the Syrian Desert, a lion passed by him but did not attack. John Gayer believed this was a miracle, showing God's protection. Because of this, the sermon often talks about how people can keep their Christian faith strong when facing challenges.
He gave money to St Katharine Cree church to make sure the sermon would be preached every year. He also gave money to charities and bought a baptismal font for the church. This font has his family crest carved into it.
His Family
John Gayer married Katherine Hopkins, who was from Coventry. They had seven children together.
- One of his daughters, Katherine, married Sir Robert Abdy, 1st Baronet.
- Another daughter, Elizabeth, married Francis Godolphin.
- His daughter Mary married Sir Andrew Henley, 1st Baronet.
His nephew, Sir John Gayer, later became the Governor of Bombay, a very important role in India.
