Sir Richard Venn or Fenn (died 18 August 1639) was an English
merchant
A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...
who was
Lord Mayor of London
The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional powe ...
in 1637.
Life
Venn was a city of London merchant and a member of the
Worshipful Company of Haberdashers
The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, is an ancient merchant guild of London, England associated with the silk and velvet trades.
History and functions
The Haberdashers' Company follows the M ...
. He was a member of the committee of the East India Company from 1619 to 1626 and Master of the Haberdashers Company from 1625 to 1626. On 4 May 1626, he was elected an alderman of the City of London for
Castle Baynard
Castle Baynard is one of the 25 wards of the City of London, the historic and financial centre of London.
Features
The ward covers an irregularly shaped area, sometimes likened to a tuning fork, bounded on the east by the wards of Queenhith ...
ward and was
Sheriff of London
Two sheriffs are elected annually for the City of London by the Liverymen of the City livery company, livery companies. Today's sheriffs have only nominal duties, but the historical officeholders had important judicial responsibilities. They have ...
from 1626 to 1627. He was a member of the committee of the East India Company from 1627 to 1629 and from 1631 to 1637. In 1631 he became Colonel of the Trained Bands until his death, and was president of the
Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. Incorporated by royal charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII, it is the oldest regiment in the British Army and is considered the second-oldest military unit in the w ...
from 1633 to 1634. He was elected alderman for
Tower
A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...
ward in 1634. In 1637, he was elected
Lord Mayor of London
The Lord Mayor of London is the mayor of the City of London and the leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded precedence over all individuals except the sovereign and retains various traditional powe ...
and was again Master of the Haberdashers Company. He was knighted on 27 May 1638. He was a member of the committee of the East India Company again in 1639 until his death that year.
'Chronological list of aldermen: 1601-1650', The Aldermen of the City of London: Temp. Henry III - 1912 (1908), pp. 47-75. Date accessed: 16 July 2011
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Venn married a daughter of James Collymore who was an alderman in 1610.[ 'Notes on the aldermen, 1502-1700', The Aldermen of the City of London: Temp. Henry III - 1912 (1908), pp. 168-195. Date accessed: 15 July 2011]
/ref>
References
1639 deaths
Sheriffs of the City of London
17th-century lord mayors of London
Year of birth unknown
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