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

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
/ref> 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 {{England-politician-stub