Sir Thomas Knollys or Knolles (died 1435) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

businessman in

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who was active in both local and national government.

Origins

Born about 1350, he was once thought to be descended from the soldier Sir Robert Knollys but modern sources give his father as Richard. There were obviously close links with Sir Robert, who named Thomas as one of his executors in 1389.

Career

Before 1387 he had become a member of the

Grocers' Company The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one of the 110 Livery Company, Livery Companies of the City of London and ranks second in order of precedence. The Grocers' Company was established in 1345 for merchants occupied in the trade of grocer and is ...

, which he served as warden and as master, contributing to the building of their new hall in

Poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails, a ...

and to the rebuilding of the guild church of St. Antholin in

Watling Street Watling Street is a historic route in England that crosses the River Thames at London and which was used in Classical Antiquity, Late Antiquity, and throughout the Middle Ages. It was used by the ancient Britons and paved as one of the main R ...

, where he lived. In addition to his main business interests in goods and properties, he also became a major financier, lending extensively to other businessmen and to the government. In local government, he was an

alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...

by 1393,

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 1394 and twice served as Lord Mayor in 1399 and in 1410, in his second term being responsible for rebuilding the

Guildhall A guildhall, also known as a "guild hall" or "guild house", is a historical building originally used for tax collecting by municipalities or merchants in Great Britain and the Low Countries. These buildings commonly become town halls and in som ...

. In two brief royal appointments, he was collector of customs duties on wool for London in 1400 and joint treasurer of war finances in 1404. In October 1416 he became an MP for the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...

as one of the two aldermanic representatives. In addition to his London properties, in 1391 he bought and later extended a country estate at

North Mimms North Mymms is a civil parish in the English county of Hertfordshire. At the 2011 Census the civil parish had a population of 8,921. The village itself is an enclosure. North Mymms Park and Brookmans Park enclose large areas of the parish. Even ...

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. After 1484, upon the death of his grandson Robert without sons, moieties of the property were inherited by Robert's two daughters: Anne who married Henry Frowick, and Elizabeth the wife of James Stracheley. He was buried in St Antholin's beside his wife and his will made on 20 May 1435 was proved on 11 July 1435 at

Lambeth Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, in the London Borough of Lambeth, historically in the County of Surrey. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The population of the London Borough of Lambeth was 303,086 in 2011. The area expe ...

.The text of his will, in Latin, is printed in E.F. Jacob (ed.), ''The Register of Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury 1414-1443'' Canterbury and York Society, no.42 (Wills), (Oxford University Press 1937), pp. 519-26.

Family

By 1371 he had married Joan (died 1431) who in their sixty years together had nineteen children, of whom four sons and three daughters survived their father. His eldest son Thomas (died 1446), who inherited his businesses and properties, was through his younger son Richard the ancestor of the courtier Sir Francis Knollys.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knollys, Thomas 1350 births Year of birth uncertain 1435 deaths Sheriffs of the City of London Members of the Parliament of England for the City of London

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...

15th-century lord mayors of London 14th-century lord mayors of London

Origins

Career

Family

See also

References