Biography of Thomas Gresham 1519-1579

Around 1519 Thomas Gresham was born to [his father] Richard Gresham [aged 34] and [his mother] Audrey Lynne.

On 28th December 1522 [his mother] Audrey Lynne died.

In 1544 Thomas Gresham [aged 25] and Anne Ferneley were married.

On 21st February 1549 [his father] Richard Gresham [aged 64] died.

Around 1550 [his illegitimate daughter] Anne Gresham was born illegitimately to Thomas Gresham [aged 31].

Around 1560 Antonis Mor [aged 43]. Portrait of Thomas Gresham [aged 41].

In 1565 Thomas Gresham [aged 46] founded the Royal Exchange [Map].

On 29th June 1569 [his son-in-law] Nathaniel Bacon [aged 23] and [his illegitimate daughter] Anne Gresham [aged 19] were married at St Sepulchre without Newgate Church.

On 21st November 1579 Thomas Gresham [aged 60] died of apoplexy. He was buried in St Helen's Church, Bishopsgate.

In 1596 [his former wife] Anne Ferneley died.

John Evelyn's Diary. 20th August 1641. It was on a Sunday morning that I went to the Bourse, or Exchange, after their sermons were ended, to see the Dog-market, which lasts till two in the afternoon, in this place of convention of merchants from all parts of the world: the building is not comparable to that of London, built by that worthy citizen, Sir Thomas Gresham, yet in one respect exceeding it, that vessels of considerable burthen ride at the very quay contiguous to it; and indeed it is by extraordinary industry that as well this city as generally all the towns of Holland, are so accommodated with graffs, cuts, sluices, moles, and rivers, made by hand, that nothing is more frequent, than to see a whole navy, belonging to this mercantile people, riding at anchor before their very doors; and yet their streets even, straight, and well paved, the houses so uniform and planted with lime trees, as nothing can be more beautiful.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd January 1661. To the office all the morning. My wife and people at home busy to get things ready for tomorrow's dinner. At noon, without dinner, went into the City, and there meeting with Greatorex [aged 36], we went and drank a pot of ale. He told me that he was upon a design to go to Teneriffe to try experiments there. With him to Gresham Colledge¹ (where I never was before), and saw the manner of the house, and found great company of persons of honour there; thence to my bookseller's, and for books, and to Stevens, the silversmith, to make clean some plate against to-morrow, and so home, by the way paying many little debts for wine and pictures, &c., which is my great pleasure. Home and found all things in a hurry of business, Slater, our messenger, being here as my cook till very late. I in my chamber all the evening looking over my Osborn's works and new Emanuel Thesaurus Patriarchae. So late to bed, having ate nothing to-day but a piece of bread and cheese at the ale-house with Greatorex, and some bread and butter at home.

Note 1. Gresham College occupied the house of Sir Thomas Gresham, in Bishopsgate Street, from 1596, when Thomas Gresham and Lady Gresham, Sir Thomas's widow, died. The meeting which Pepys attended was an early one of the Royal Society, which was incorporated by royal charter in 1663.

John Evelyn's Diary. 14th August 1662. I sat on the commission for Charitable Uses, the Lord Mayor and others of the Mercers' Company being summoned, to answer some complaints of the Professors, grounded on a clause in the will of Sir Thomas Gresham, the founder.

John Evelyn's Diary. 4th September 1662. Commission for Charitable Uses, my Lord Mayor and Aldermen being again summoned, and the improvements of Sir Thomas Gresham's estate examined. There were present the Bishop of London [aged 64], the Lord Chief Justice, and the King's [aged 32] attorney.

[his father] Richard Gresham and [his mother] Audrey Lynne were married.