Leonora Marescoe facts for kids

Leonora Marescoe (1637 – 1715) was an important English businesswoman. She was born Leonora Lethieullier. From 1670 to 1675, she successfully managed a big trading company called Marescoe-Joyes.

Leonora grew up in a family of successful merchants in London. Merchants are people who buy and sell goods to make money. She was part of a group of French Protestants called Huguenots who had moved to London from the Spanish Netherlands. Her brother was a well-known person named Sir John Lethieullier.

Who Was Leonora Marescoe?

In 1658, Leonora married Charles Marescoe. He was also from a merchant family and became one of London's most successful merchants in the 1660s. Together, they were a powerful business couple.

Taking Over the Family Business

When her husband Charles passed away in 1670, Leonora took charge of the Marescoe-Joyes company. This was a very big deal because it was one of the most important trading companies in London. It was unusual for a woman to run such a large business at that time.

Trading Across Europe

The Marescoe-Joyes company mainly traded copper. They had business connections all the way to the Baltic Sea and Stockholm, which is the capital of Sweden. One of Leonora's key business partners there was a woman named Debora van der Plas. This shows how far their business reached and how important Leonora was in managing these connections.

Later Life

In 1675, Leonora married again. Her second husband was Jacob David, who had previously been a student of her first husband, Charles Marescoe.