William Popley facts for kids

William Popley (born around 1490, died around 1575) was an English businessman and landowner. He was a mercer, which means he traded fine fabrics. His connection with a powerful man named Thomas Cromwell helped him gain a lot of land. This happened during a time called the dissolution of the monasteries, when many religious buildings and their lands were taken over by the King.

Who Was William Popley?

William Popley was the son of John Popley, a merchant from Bristol. His father was a leader in Bristol's trade community early in the reign of Henry VIII. William himself joined the merchant guild in 1511.

Even though he was a merchant, William Popley also seemed to be trained in law. He worked on legal cases for people in Bristol. He even worked with Thomas More, who was a very important lawyer and government official at the time.

This mix of business and legal skills made him useful for small diplomatic jobs. For example, he carried messages for William Knight, who was an ambassador in the Netherlands.

Early Land Investments

Early in his career, Popley started buying land. Records from 1527 show he bought land in Hinton Blewett in Somerset. He also owned property near Bristol. At one point, he had some money problems, but he found powerful friends. These friends included the Stafford family, who owned Thornbury Castle, and the Nevill family. He also married Katherine Basset, which helped him make even more important connections.

How Popley Connected with Thomas Cromwell

In the early 1520s, William Popley started working with Thomas Cromwell. Cromwell was a rising star in the King's government. He helped Popley with business in London. As Cromwell became more powerful in the 1530s, Popley became known as Cromwell's main business helper.

Benefiting from Cromwell's Power

Being friends with Cromwell brought Popley many advantages. For example, he, Cromwell, and Thomas Wriothesley were given the right to choose a priest for a special position in Wells.

Most importantly, Popley was in a perfect position to benefit from the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was when King Henry VIII closed down monasteries and took their wealth and lands. Popley was there to collect valuable items from places like the Austin Friars and the Franciscans in Bristol. Because of his influence with Cromwell, he was eventually able to buy the Austin Friars' property.

Their friendship seemed to be good. In a letter from 1522, Popley asked to be remembered to Cromwell's wife and mother. Later, when Popley was sick in 1537, Cromwell told him to do whatever he thought was best for his health.

Later Life and Business

Even after Thomas Cromwell lost his power, William Popley continued to be very active in buying and selling land. He bought and sold property in Cirencester and Somerton. He also leased land that belonged to Llanthony Priory in Wiltshire. He kept investing in city properties in Bristol.

Managing His Properties

Popley continued to manage his many properties into the 1550s. By this time, he was in his sixties. He also took on legal tasks, like surveying the land of Barton Regis Hundred, which the King had sold in 1553. He even gave a sworn statement about it in 1569.

Popley moved around a lot. In the 1530s, he lived in Cirencester. In the 1540s, he moved to Chitterne in Wiltshire. Records from the time of Elizabeth I show he lived in many places, including Thornbury, Bitton, Chitterne All Saints, London, and Bristol. He was still alive in 1572, working for Edward Lord Stafford. The exact date of his death is not known.