Percival Levett facts for kids
Percival Levett (1560–1625) was an important businessman and inn owner in York, England. He served as the Sheriff of York and was part of a trading group called the Eastland Company. He was also the father of the famous English explorer, Captain Christopher Levett.
Percival Levett was born in Harewood, Yorkshire. He moved to the city of York when he was young. In 1581, he became a "freeman" of the city. This meant he had special rights and could work and live freely there. He worked for the city as a "chamberlain," which was like a city treasurer. Later, in 1597, he became the Sheriff of York. The Sheriff was a key official who helped keep law and order.
Percival's Family and Connections
Percival Levett came from a family with roots in Bolton Percy, Yorkshire. His daughter, Ann, married Christopher Topham, who also became a Sheriff of York.
Percival Levett had several sons. Besides Captain Christopher, who explored new lands, his other sons also became successful merchants. One son, also named Percival, traded goods in Beverley and York. Percival's brother, Richard Levett, was the mayor of Doncaster for many years.
Business and Trade
Percival Levett was a successful merchant. In 1590, he helped the Queen by contributing to a special loan. He was a member of the Eastland Company. This company was set up in the 1500s to help English traders compete with other European groups, like the Hanseatic League, for trade in the Baltic Sea region. They wanted to control the valuable trade routes for goods like timber, grain, and furs.
Percival Levett became a "gentleman" because of his success in business. This was a special title that showed he was a respected and wealthy person. He sold his home in Coppergate, a central area of York, to Matthew Hutton, Archbishop of York, a very important religious leader at the time.
Percival Levett passed away in 1625. He was buried at St. Martin's Micklegate in York on February 13, 1625.
Images for kids
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York, England
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Ancestry of Percival Levett of York, Visitation of Dorset, 1623
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