Christopher Clitherow
Encyclopedia
Sir Christopher Clitherow (10 January 1578-11 November 1641) was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons
from 1628 to 1629. He was Lord Mayor of London
in 1635.
Clitherow was the son of Henry Clitherow and his wife Bridget Hewett. His father was a prosperous citizen of London and a Master of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers
. Clitherow was also a member of the Ironmongers company. He was a prominent member of the East India Company
as early as March 1601 and in 1604 was a member of the committee of the company. He was also active in efforts to discover the North West passage, being named in a grant of incorporation to promote expeditions in 1612. In 1618 he was Master of the Ironmongers Company. He was nominated unsuccessfully for the positions of Deputy Governor and Treasurer of the East India Company in 1619. In 1624 he was master of the Ironmongers Company again. He was elected an alderman for Aldersgate ward on 2 January 1625 and was chosen as a Sheriff of London and Middlesex in the same year. Also in 1625 he became Deputy Governor of the East India Company.
Clitherow transferred as alderman to the Billingsgate ward on 7 February 1627 and remained until his death. Around this time he was appointed member of a Commission formed to examine the accounts of moneys raised to repress pirates from Algiers and Tunis. In 1628, Clitherow was elected Member of Parliament
for City of London
and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
In 1635 Clitherow became Lord Mayor of London when a pageant was performed entitled "London's Harbour of Health and Happiness. He was knighted at Hampton Court on 15 January 1637. From 1636 to 1640 he was President of Christ's Hospital. He created two scholarships at Oxford University which bear his name.
Clitherow died at the age of 63 and was buried in the church of St Andrew Undershaft.
Clitherow married twice. One wife was a daughter of Sir Thomas Cambell
, Lord Mayor in 1609–10, and their daughter married Sir Thomas Trollope, 1st Baronet. Another daughter Rachel married Dr William Paule, Bishop of Oxford
, and his son James purchased Boston Manor
.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
from 1628 to 1629. He was Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
in 1635.
Clitherow was the son of Henry Clitherow and his wife Bridget Hewett. His father was a prosperous citizen of London and a Master of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers
Worshipful Company of Ironmongers
The Worshipful Company of Ironmongers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Ironmongers, who were originally known as the Ferroners, were incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1463...
. Clitherow was also a member of the Ironmongers company. He was a prominent member of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
as early as March 1601 and in 1604 was a member of the committee of the company. He was also active in efforts to discover the North West passage, being named in a grant of incorporation to promote expeditions in 1612. In 1618 he was Master of the Ironmongers Company. He was nominated unsuccessfully for the positions of Deputy Governor and Treasurer of the East India Company in 1619. In 1624 he was master of the Ironmongers Company again. He was elected an alderman for Aldersgate ward on 2 January 1625 and was chosen as a Sheriff of London and Middlesex in the same year. Also in 1625 he became Deputy Governor of the East India Company.
Clitherow transferred as alderman to the Billingsgate ward on 7 February 1627 and remained until his death. Around this time he was appointed member of a Commission formed to examine the accounts of moneys raised to repress pirates from Algiers and Tunis. In 1628, Clitherow was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for City of London
City of London (UK Parliament constituency)
The City of London was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950.-Boundaries and boundary...
and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
In 1635 Clitherow became Lord Mayor of London when a pageant was performed entitled "London's Harbour of Health and Happiness. He was knighted at Hampton Court on 15 January 1637. From 1636 to 1640 he was President of Christ's Hospital. He created two scholarships at Oxford University which bear his name.
Clitherow died at the age of 63 and was buried in the church of St Andrew Undershaft.
Clitherow married twice. One wife was a daughter of Sir Thomas Cambell
Thomas Cambell
Sir Thomas Cambell was an English merchant who was Lord Mayor of London in 1609.Cambell was a city of London merchant and a member of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers. He was auditor for the city from 1584 to 1586, from 1588 to 1590 and from 1596 to 1598. He was a member of the committee of...
, Lord Mayor in 1609–10, and their daughter married Sir Thomas Trollope, 1st Baronet. Another daughter Rachel married Dr William Paule, Bishop of Oxford
Bishop of Oxford
The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford...
, and his son James purchased Boston Manor
Boston Manor
Boston Manor was one of the ancient manors of Middlesex. It has now been assimilated into the London Borough of Hounslow west London, UK. Its Jacobean manor house of 1622 still stands in what is now Boston Manor Park...
.