John Tate (Lord Mayor of London) facts for kids

Sir John Tate (died 1515) was an important person in London who served as the Lord Mayor of London twice and was also a Member of Parliament. He lived during a time when England was changing a lot, and he played a big role in the City of London.

He was born in Coventry, the son of Thomas Tate. John Tate became a "mercer," which was someone who traded expensive fabrics like silk and velvet. He learned this trade by becoming an "apprentice" (a trainee) to his uncle, who was also named John Tate. His uncle had also been the Mayor of London in 1473.

Sir John Tate's Political Career

Sir John Tate held several important jobs in the City of London. These roles were like being a leader or a representative for the people of London.

Becoming an Alderman and Sheriff

In 1463, John Tate became an Alderman of London. An Alderman was a senior member of the city's government, helping to make decisions for the city. Later, in 1485, he was chosen to be the Sheriff of London. The Sheriff's job involved keeping law and order and helping with legal matters in the city.

Serving as Lord Mayor

Sir John Tate was elected Lord Mayor of London two times. His first term was from 1496 to 1497. He served again from 1514 to 1515. The Lord Mayor is the head of the City of London Corporation, a very old and important position. It's like being the chief leader of the city.

Member of Parliament

Besides his roles in London's local government, Sir John Tate was also elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the City of London. He was elected twice, first in 1504 and then again in 1510. As an MP, he represented the people of London in the English Parliament, helping to create laws for the whole country. In 1497, he was given the title of "Knight," which meant he was called "Sir John Tate."

Helping the Community

Sir John Tate was known for being very generous. He gave a lot of money to St. Anthony's Hospital, St Benet Fink in the City of London. This hospital was also a chapel and a college.

The historian John Stow, in his book Survey of London (written in 1598), mentioned Sir John Tate's contributions. He wrote that in 1499, Sir John Tate, who had once been an ale-brewer before becoming a mercer, had his own brewery called "the Swan" taken down. He did this so that the church next to it could be made bigger. Sir John Tate gave a lot of money towards building this new church, which was finished in 1501. He passed away in 1515 and was buried there under a beautiful monument he had prepared.

Family Life

Sir John Tate was married to a woman named Magdalen. They had three sons together. Their youngest son, Bartholomew, became his heir, meaning he inherited Sir John's property and titles after his death.

See also

• List of Sheriffs of the City of London
• List of Lord Mayors of London
• City of London (elections to the Parliament of England)