Statue of Robert Geffrye, Museum of the Home

Sir Robert Geffrye (also spelled Geffrey) (1613–1703) was an English merchant, slave trader, and

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 1685. "Geffrey, Robert", ''

Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'', 1885–1900, Volume 10 (

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Life

Geffrye was born to poor parents at Landrake, near

Saltash Saltash (Cornish: Essa) is a town and civil parish in south Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It had a population of 16,184 in 2011 census. Saltash faces the city of Plymouth over the River Tamar and is popularly known as "the Gateway to Corn ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

, and moved to

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, where he became an eminent

East India East India is a region of India consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and also the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The region roughly corresponds to the historical region of Magadh ...

merchant, with his house on Lime Street. He was Master of the

Worshipful Company of Ironmongers The Worshipful Company of Ironmongers is one of the Great Twelve livery companies of the City of London, incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1463. History The Ironmongers, who were originally known as the Ferroners, were incorporated unde ...

, knighted in 1673, appointed a

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 ...

in 1674 and elected

in 1685. He was elected president of Bridewell and Bethlehem Hospitals in March 1692–3. He was a significant trader in tobacco. Part of Geffrye's investment was in the

Atlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade, transatlantic slave trade, or Euro-American slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of enslaved African people, mainly to the Americas. The slave trade regularly used the triangular trade route and i ...

, and he had partial ownership of a

slave ship Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea coast ...

, the ''China Merchant''. He married Priscilla, daughter of Luke Cropley, a London merchant, but had no children. On his death he left about £10,000 divided in legacies to friends, relatives, hospitals, and clergymen's widows, and in establishing certain trusts under the charge of the company of Ironmongers. A service was to be provided twice daily in the church of St. Dionis Backchurch, a school was to be maintained at Landrake, and the poor of St. Erney and Landrake to be relieved. The remainder was dedicated to 14

almshouses An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...

, mainly for widows of ironmongers, which were constructed in 1715 in

Shoreditch Shoreditch is a district in the East End of London in England, and forms the southern part of the London Borough of Hackney. Neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets are also perceived as part of the area. In the 16th century, Shoreditch was an impor ...

. Those buildings were sold in 1910, and now house the

Museum of the Home The Museum of the Home, formerly the Geffrye Museum, is a free museum in the 18th-century Grade I-listed former almshouses on Kingsland Road in Shoreditch, London. The museum explores home and home life from 1600 to the present day with galler ...

(formerly the Geffrye Museum), which has displays of domestic life from 1600 to the present day. New almshouses were built at Mottingham in Kent, again sold in 1972, to the Greater London Council. His Trust now has two almshouses in Hampshire, at Hook built in 1976 and enlarged in 1987 and one at Basingstoke that opened in 1984. They give sheltered housing to 125 retired people of limited means. There is also a Sir Robert Geffery's School in his native village of Landrake.

References

External links

* 1613 births 1703 deaths 17th-century lord mayors of London British East India Company people British slave owners History of Cornwall Knights Bachelor Masters of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers People from Landrake Politicians from Cornwall Sheriffs of the City of London {{Lord-Mayor-of-London-stub