Rose Lok facts for kids

Rose Lok (born December 26, 1526 – died November 21, 1613) was an English businesswoman. She was also a Protestant exile during the Tudor period, a time when England was ruled by the Tudor family. When she was 84 years old, Rose wrote down the story of the first part of her life.

Rose Lok's Family Background

Rose Lok was born in London on December 26, 1526. She was one of nineteen children born to Sir William Lok (1480–1550). Her father was a "gentleman usher" to King Henry VIII. This meant he was an important attendant in the King's court.

Sir William Lok was also a "mercer," which is a merchant who sells fine cloths like silk. He served as a sheriff and an alderman in London. Rose and eleven of her brothers and sisters lived to be adults. They were all from her father's first two marriages.

There is some debate about who Rose Lok's mother was. Some say it was Alice Spenser, her father's first wife. Alice was one of the first people in their family to become a Protestant. However, other records suggest Alice Spenser died in 1522. This would mean Rose's mother was Katherine Cooke (died 1537), Sir William Lok's second wife.

Rose had several notable family members. Her brother, Michael Lok, was a merchant who helped fund the Frobisher expeditions. These were voyages to explore new lands. Another brother, Henry Lok, was the father of the poet Henry Lok. Her sister, Elizabeth Lok, later married a bishop. Rose's father, Sir William Lok, was also a distant ancestor of the famous philosopher John Locke.

Rose Lok's Life and Work

In 1536, Rose Lok's family lived in Cheapside, a busy area in London. Their home was known by the sign of "the Padlock." Her father became the Sheriff in 1548. That same year, King Edward VI made him a knight.

Sir William Lok and his wife were Protestants. They supported King Henry VIII's decision to divorce Catherine of Aragon. Sir William Lok was the King's personal cloth merchant. The King even visited and ate at the Lok family home in London. It is thought that all of Sir William Lok's sons became mercers. It is also likely that his daughters, including Rose, worked as "silkwomen," selling silk.

In 1610, when Rose Lok was 84, she wrote about her early life. She shared how her parents supported their Protestant beliefs. For example, in 1534, her father tore down a copy of a "Papal bull" in Dunkirk. This was a special order from the Pope that went against King Henry VIII. Her father also brought French translations of the Gospels and Epistles from Europe for King Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn. Rose also wrote that her mother secretly read religious books to her and her sisters when they were children.

Rose's mother later died while giving birth. In 1543, Rose married Anthony Hickman. He was a mercer and a "merchant adventurer." This meant he was a merchant who invested in risky trading voyages. Anthony Hickman was partners with Rose's oldest brother, Thomas Lok. They owned several ships, including one called the Mary Rose. This ship was named after their wives.

Some of their voyages were written about by Richard Hakluyt in his book, Principal Navigations. Rose and her husband were friends with important Protestant religious leaders. These included Bishop John Hooper, the writer John Foxe, and the Scottish leader John Knox. John Knox even mentioned Rose and her husband in his letters.

When the Catholic Queen Mary I became queen in 1553, life changed for Protestants. Anthony Hickman and Thomas Lok were sent to the Fleet prison. They were accused of helping imprisoned Protestants and holding "religious heresy," which meant having beliefs that went against the official church. They were later released but had to stay under house arrest. Eventually, they were set free.

Rose's husband then went to Antwerp in Europe. Rose went to stay with friends in Oxfordshire. While there, she gave birth to a child. She had her child baptized as a Catholic, but only after talking about it with Protestant bishops like Cranmer, Latimer, and Ridley.

After her child was born, Rose joined her husband in Antwerp. While there, she had another child. She secretly had this child baptized by a Protestant minister. After Queen Mary died in November 1558, Rose returned to England. Her written story ends here, so we know less about the rest of her life. We do know she died on November 21, 1613, at the age of 86.

Rose Lok's account of her early life is kept at the British Library.

Marriages and Children

Rose Lok married her first husband, Anthony Hickman, on November 28, 1543. He was a merchant from London. They had at least three sons: William, Henry, and Walter.

After Anthony Hickman died in 1573, Rose married Simon Throckmorton. He was from Brampton, Huntingdonshire. Simon Throckmorton was a Member of Parliament for Huntingdon in 1554 and again in 1559.