Thomas Brend facts for kids

Thomas Brend (born around 1516 – died September 21, 1598) lived in West Molesey, Surrey, England. He was a professional writer and clerk in London, known as a scrivener. He is most famous for owning the land where the famous Globe Theatre was later built.

About Thomas Brend's Life

His Family and Early Life

We don't know the names of Thomas Brend's parents or exactly where he was born. He did have a brother, also named Thomas, who was alive in 1599. Thomas Brend was born around 1516. His family probably wasn't very rich or famous to begin with.

As he grew older, Thomas Brend became more respected. In official papers, he was sometimes called a "gentleman" or "esquire," which showed he was becoming important. From 1580 onwards, he often described himself by his job and where he lived: "citizen and writer of the court letter of London." This meant he was a respected person in London who wrote legal documents. In 1591, he was even given a special symbol for his family, called a coat of arms, which showed his high status.

His Work as a Scrivener

In 1548, Thomas Brend lived in London with another scrivener named William Cawkett. A scrivener was like a public notary or a legal clerk. They wrote out important documents, such as contracts, wills, and deeds. Thomas Brend also worked with money, helping people get loans. He often helped his clients by arranging bonds and mortgages, which are agreements for borrowing money.

In 1581, Thomas Brend helped Lord Admiral Howard get a loan. Brend had to pay back the loan when Howard didn't. This caused some problems later for Brend's family.

Buying and Selling Property

Between 1554 and 1591, Thomas Brend bought a lot of land and buildings in London and other parts of England. His first big purchase was in October 1554. He bought land in an area of London called Southwark. This very land later became the site of the Globe Theatre. He paid £240 for it, which was a lot of money back then. He bought the property with his first wife, Margery.

People noticed that Thomas Brend became quite wealthy. Some said he got rich quickly through "clever dealings." Others thought he became rich because he married wealthy women.

His Marriages and Children

Thomas Brend was married twice. His first wife was Margery, whose last name we don't know. They had ten children together. Margery died on June 2, 1564.

Later, Thomas Brend married Mercy Collet. She was a widow whose first husband had died in 1566. Mercy's father was Humphrey Collet, a bowyer (someone who made bows). Thomas and Mercy had eight children together.

Thomas Brend lived longer than most of his eighteen children. By 1583, his son Nicholas was set to inherit his property. When Thomas Brend wrote his will in 1597, only Nicholas and five of his daughters were still alive. His daughter Mercy married Peter Frobisher, whose father was the famous explorer Sir Martin Frobisher.

Among the properties mentioned in Thomas Brend's will were his home in West Molesey, Surrey, and several properties in London. Most importantly, his will included the land in Southwark where the Globe Theatre was built.

Thomas Brend passed away on September 21, 1598, at the age of 81. He was buried in St Peter's Church in West Molesey. His memorial says he had eighteen children with his two wives.

Sketch by Wenceslas Hollar of the second Globe Theatre

The Globe Theatre Connection

Just three months after Thomas Brend's death, his son, Nicholas Brend, leased part of the Southwark property to famous theater people. These included Cuthbert Burbage, Richard Burbage, and the famous playwright William Shakespeare. This lease agreement, signed in early 1599, allowed them to build the new Globe Theatre on the land. They used parts of an older theater called "The Theatre" from another area of London to build the Globe.

Nicholas Brend died only three years after his father, in 1601. The land where the Globe Theatre stood then passed to his young son, Matthew Brend.

Nicholas Brend's Marriage

Around 1595, Thomas Brend's son, Nicholas, married Margaret Strelley. This marriage happened without Thomas Brend's permission. He was so unhappy about it that he changed his will. He removed Nicholas as the person in charge of his will, but he still allowed Nicholas to inherit his property.

Thomas Brend's two unmarried daughters, Anne and Judith, both died in 1599. Their brother, Nicholas, bought the properties his father had left to them.