Nicholas Mosley (mayor) facts for kids
Sir Nicholas Mosley (around 1527 – 12 December 1612) was an important English merchant. He became the Lord Mayor of London in 1599, which was a very important job.
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Early Life and Family Business
Nicholas Mosley was born near Manchester around 1527. His parents were Edward and Margaret Moseley. He had three younger brothers: Oswald, Francis, and Anthonie. Together, they started a very successful business. They made and sold woolen cloth.
In the early 1550s, Nicholas moved from Manchester to London. This helped their business grow even more. He became a well-known merchant in London and joined the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers, which was a group for people in the cloth trade.
Family Life and Children
On February 20, 1553, Nicholas Mosley married Margery Whitbroke in London. They had nine children. Their youngest son, Edward, became a very successful lawyer. King James I made Edward a knight in 1614. Edward also became a judge and a Member of Parliament (MP) for Preston several times. He was the first Mosley to own the large family estates at Rolleston on Dove in Staffordshire. The Mosley family owned these estates for 400 years!
Nicholas Mosley returned to the Manchester area between the early 1560s and late 1570s. Five of his children were baptized there. But after his brother Francis died around 1570–71, Nicholas moved back to London. He needed to manage the business from the city.
Public Service and Achievements
In 1589, Nicholas Mosley was chosen as an alderman for the City of London. An alderman is a senior member of the city council. In 1591, he became a Sheriff of London.
After his first wife died, he married Elizabeth Hendley in 1592. He continued to serve as an alderman in a different part of London until 1602. In 1596, he bought the land and rights to Manchester itself. That same year, he started building a large house called Hough End Hall.
Lord Mayor of London
In 1599, Nicholas Mosley was elected Lord Mayor of London. This was a very important time because there was a big worry that Spain might invade England. As Lord Mayor, Mosley had to help raise money and gather people to defend London.
Queen Elizabeth I made him a knight between March and July of 1600. This meant he was now called "Sir Nicholas Mosley." Later, from 1609 to 1610, he was the High Sheriff of Lancashire.
The Mosley Name and Motto
Sir Nicholas Mosley helped make the family name "Mosley" official. In 1592, he received a special grant for a crest to go with his family's coat of arms.
It was popular back then to have a motto that related to the family name. Sir Nicholas chose the Latin words, "Mos legem regit." This means "Custom, or precedent, rules the law." He chose this motto partly to honor his youngest son, Edward, who was becoming a famous lawyer.
Later Life and Legacy
Sir Nicholas Mosley passed away in 1612. He was buried in the Church of St James, Didsbury. His monument there shows him kneeling in his robes as the Lord Mayor of London.
In his will, he left money to hire a schoolmaster. This teacher would be paid for 20 years after his death, helping to educate children.
His grandson, Sir Edward Mosley, 1st Baronet, later became the first of the Mosley baronets in 1640. This was a special title passed down through the family.
