Rebecca Romney facts for kids
Rebecca Romney (who passed away in 1644) was a smart and successful investor living in London. She was known for her business dealings and for helping others.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Rebecca Romney was the daughter of Robert Taylor, a merchant from London, and Elizabeth Hatton. Her father, Robert Taylor, held an important position as a Sheriff of London in 1593. After her father passed away, her mother Elizabeth married James Danvers.
Marriage and Business Ventures
Rebecca married Sir William Romney, a wealthy London businessman. He was a haberdasher (someone who sells small sewing items) and a merchant adventurer (a person who invested in trading voyages). Sir William was also a leader of the English East India Company, which was a big company that traded goods from far-off lands. His family came from a town called Tetbury, where a school was later started in his name.
After Sir William Romney died in 1611, Rebecca, Lady Romney, continued to be a very active and important person in business.
Exploring the World
Rebecca Romney was listed as one of the "Merchants Discoverers of the North-West Passage." This was a group of investors who funded voyages to find a new sea route. They were looking for a way to sail from Europe, around North America, to places like China, Japan, and the Philippines.
In 1612, King James VI and I gave this company a special charter. Prince Henry, the king's son, was the main supporter of this group. The famous explorer Henry Hudson even named some islands, the "Romney Islands," after Rebecca or her husband. This shows how important they were in these exciting explorations!
Helping the Queen
In 1613, Lady Romney was involved in an interesting deal with Anne of Denmark, who was the Queen. She helped to pawn (or use as collateral for a loan) some of the Queen's jewels of Anne of Denmark to get £1,200. This shows that Rebecca Romney had connections with important people, even royalty!
Giving Back to the Community
Rebecca Romney was also a kind person who believed in helping others. She was a philanthropist, which means someone who gives money to good causes. In 1629, she set up four scholarships (called exhibitions) for young men whose fathers were haberdashers. These scholarships helped them study at two famous universities, Emmanuel College, Cambridge and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.
She also loaned money to the Virginia Company, which was involved in setting up the first English colonies in America. This loan was connected to a plan to help poor children from London travel to the colony for a new start.
Rebecca's Children
Rebecca and Sir William Romney had several children:
- Joseph Romney (who passed away in 1646)
- William Romney, who married Margaret Bowater
- Daniel Romney (who passed away in 1635)
- Susanna Romney, who married Sir Francis Carew
- Elizabeth Romney, who married Sir John Wild or Weld. Elizabeth was the mother of John Weld, who later became a Member of Parliament.
