William Garrard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir William Garrard
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| Lord Mayor of London | |
| In office 1555–1556 |
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| Preceded by | John Lyon |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Offley |
| Member of Parliament for London | |
| In office 1557–1558 |
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| Sheriff of London | |
| In office 1552–1553 |
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| Auditor of London | |
| In office 1556–1557 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1518 |
| Died | 1571 |
| Occupation | Merchant |
Sir William Garrard (1518–1571) was a very important London businessman during the Tudor period. He was a merchant and a member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers. He became an alderman, then Sheriff from 1552 to 1553, and later the Lord Mayor of London from 1555 to 1556. He also served as a Member of Parliament for the City of London.
Sir William Garrard was a key founder of the Company of Merchant Adventurers to New Lands, also known as the Muscovy Company, in 1554. He worked hard to expand England's trade with other countries. He helped open trade routes to places like Russia, the Levant (Eastern Mediterranean), the Barbary Coast (North Africa), and West Africa.
Later in his life, Garrard and his company supported trading trips to Guinea. One of these trips, led by John Hawkins in 1567–1568, became known as the infamous and disastrous third slaving voyage to the West Indies. Garrard is also remembered for his important work helping London's hospitals and providing practical aid to the poor and sick. The historian John Stow described him as a "grave, sober, wise and discreete cittizen."
Contents
Early Life and Family
William Garrard came from an old family in Sittingbourne, Kent. His family had once been called Attegare. William was born in London. His father, John Garrard, was a successful London businessman and a member of the Worshipful Company of Grocers.
William grew up near London Bridge. He joined the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers. By 1539, he was married to Isabel Nethermill. In 1542, he bought a country home called Dorney in Buckinghamshire, near Windsor. This home, Dorney Court, remained his main country residence. He also bought land in Kent in 1545.
Public Service in London
In 1545, Garrard was appointed to help find ways to reduce poverty in London. He continued this work until 1549. He became an alderman for the Aldgate area of London in 1547. He also served as Treasurer of St. Bartholomew's Hospital from 1548 to 1549. He later represented other areas of London, including Broad Street and Lime Street.
Serving as Sheriff (1552–1553)
In 1552, William Garrard was chosen as one of the Sheriffs of London. This was a very busy year. It included the death of King Edward VI, the short reign of Lady Jane Grey, and the start of Queen Mary's rule.
Garrard played an official role in these big events. On July 10, 1553, he rode with royal officials to announce the death of King Edward VI. They also announced that Lady Jane Grey would be the new Queen. However, on July 19, Queen Mary was proclaimed Queen instead. Garrard was again involved in these public announcements.
During this time, Garrard also helped develop trade with Morocco. He was an early investor in voyages to the Barbary Coast and later to Guinea and the Kingdom of Benin.
Founding the Muscovy Company
Garrard was also a founder of the Company of Merchant Adventurers to New Lands, which became known as the Muscovy Company. He helped fund their first voyage in 1553. This trip, led by Sir Hugh Willoughby, aimed to find a new sea route to Asia. It didn't find the route, but Richard Chancellor made the first contact with Tsar Ivan IV in Moscow. Queen Mary later officially approved the company in 1555.
Mayoralty and Later Life
After serving as President of Christ's Hospital from 1553 to 1554, Garrard became Lord Mayor of London in 1555. As was the custom, he was knighted.
His time as Mayor was difficult because of the Marian persecutions, when many Protestants were executed. Garrard also presided over trials for a plot against Queen Mary in 1556. He continued to serve as an alderman and was Master of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers in 1557.
Helping Found a School
In 1558, Garrard became one of the founding trustees of the Friars School, Bangor. He, along with Sir William Petre and Simon Lowe, were asked in a will to help set up this grammar school in Bangor.
Continued Civic Work
Garrard was very dedicated to helping London's hospitals. He was President of Bridewell Hospital from 1558 to 1559. He then served as President of St. Bartholomew's Hospital from 1559 until his death in 1571. He also helped create rules for new hospitals.
In 1561, Garrard and other important London leaders loaned £30,000 to Queen Elizabeth. This helped the Queen and showed the importance of London's merchants.
Judicial Roles
Garrard was appointed to several important commissions. In 1561, he helped ensure that public archery practice grounds near London were not illegally taken over. In 1562, he was part of a major commission to enforce new laws about the Church of England. This commission aimed to find and deal with heresy and other disruptions. He also served on commissions to investigate crimes like forgery and murder.
Expanding Trade and Voyages
Muscovy Company Growth
During Queen Elizabeth's reign, Garrard remained deeply involved in the Muscovy Company. He helped expand trade and diplomatic ties with Russia. The company's voyages reached beyond Russia, into Persia and the Caspian Sea. Garrard was a continuous governor of the company from 1561 until his death.
In 1567, Tsar Ivan IV granted exclusive trading rights to Garrard and his company. This meant no other traders could use the northern routes through the White Sea to Russia.
West Africa Trade
Garrard also continued his trading ventures in Africa. In 1561, he was one of five adventurers who planned a voyage to Guinea. These voyages focused on trading for goods like ivory.
However, some of these expeditions became involved in the slave trade. In 1562, John Hawkins led an expedition that "purchased" Africans and took them as slaves to the West Indies. Garrard and his company were involved in later voyages with Hawkins.
The Disastrous 1567–1568 Voyage
In 1567, Sir William Garrard and his company provided ships and goods worth about £16,500 for a voyage to Guinea. John Hawkins commanded this fleet. Hawkins's true intention was to capture and buy Africans to sell as slaves in the West Indies.
Hawkins arrived on the Guinea coast in November 1567. He captured and bought "a good quantity of Negroes" and sailed with them to the West Indies. This expedition ended in disaster for Hawkins and his fleet. It also started a trade war between England and Spain. For Garrard, this voyage resulted in a huge financial loss of £21,000 and damaged his historical reputation.
Final Years and Legacy
In 1568, Garrard was named the first Governor of the Company of Mineral and Battery Works. He also continued his work for London's hospitals, serving as Surveyor-General and then Comptroller-General until his death.
In 1566, he helped fund the building of Sir Thomas Gresham's first Royal Exchange. This important building, a center for London's merchants, was opened by Queen Elizabeth in 1570.
Sir William Garrard died in September 1571. He was buried in St Magnus-the-Martyr church, where he had been baptized.
Family and Descendants
William Garrard and his wife Isabel Nethermill had several children:
- Sir William Garrard (c. 1538–1607), their eldest son.
- Sir George Garrard, their second son.
- Sir John Garrard (c. 1546–1625), their third son. He also became Lord Mayor of London in 1601. He was the ancestor of the Garrard baronets.
- Peter Garrard, their fourth son.
- Anne Garrard, who married Sir George Barne (died 1593).
Images for kids
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Sir William Garrard
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Dorney Court, Sir William Garrard's country residence near Windsor, 1542-1571
