Martin CALTHORPE, Lord Mayor of London

Abt 1520 - 1589  (69 years)

• Name	Martin CALTHORPE
  Suffix	Lord Mayor of London
  Birth	Abt 1520	Of, Antingham, Norfolk, England
  Gender	Male
  Death	3 May 1589	London, Middlesex, England
  Burial	5 May 1589	Saint Peter-Le-Poor, London, Middlesex, England
  Person ID	I24261	Coombs
  Last Modified	27 Oct 2014

  
  

  Father	Richard CALTHORPE,   b. Abt 1468, Cockthorpe, Norfolk, England d. 30 Jan 1554 (Age 86 years)
  Mother	Anne de HASTINGS,   b. Abt 1482, of Fenwick Campsall, Yorkshire, England d. 1562 (Age 80 years)
  Family ID	F8553	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Joan HEATH,   b. Abt 1524, of Linsfield, Surrey, England d. Yes, date unknown (Age ~ 68 years)
  Children	1. Anne CALTHORPE,   b. Abt 1552, London, Middlesex, England d. Aft 1592 (Age > 41 years)   2. Martin CALTHORPE,   c. 12 Aug 1554, St Benet Fink, London, Middlesex, England d. Dec 1615 (Age ~ 61 years)   3. John CALTHORP,   c. 28 Nov 1555, St Benet Fink, London, Middlesex, England d. Aft 1592 (Age ~ 38 years)   4. Tomysen CALTHORPE,   c. 12 Jun 1557, Hickling Hall, , Norfolk, England d. Yes, date unknown   5. Judith CALTHORPE,   b. Abt 1559, Hickling Hall, , Norfolk, England d. Yes, date unknown   6. Roger CALTHORPE,   c. 11 Jan 1562, Hickling Hall, , Norfolk, England d. 18 May 1565 (Age ~ 3 years)   7. Richard CALTHORPE,   c. 3 Sep 1564, Hickling Hall, , Norfolk, England d. Aft 1623 (Age ~ 60 years)   8. Phillip CALTHORPE,   c. 21 Oct 1566, Hickling Hall, , Norfolk, England d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F8550	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	2 Feb 2026

  
  

• Notes

  Served for ten years as alderman, first in Aldersgate Ward and later in Cheap Ward. He was chosen Lord Mayor in 1588 and died in office in early May 1589. His will, dated 3 May 1589 was proved on 16 May of that year. (At that time, the Lord Mayor of London was elected on Michaelmas Day, 29 Sep, and assumed office on 28 Oct) (Beaven, v.1, pp. 5, 102, 341; v.2, pp. xxviii, 40; Remembrancia, p.4) Sir Richard Martin, a member of the Goldsmiths' Company, served as alderman 1578-1602, and was chosen to finish Sir Martin Calthorpe's term of office as Lord Mayor. A Catholic and London lawyer, Edward Bolton, wrote a treatise in 1629 that defended those such as himself who worked for a living. He was critical of those who glorified the idle gentry. He held up for emulation Martin Calthorpe, who started out as a draper's apprentice, became mayor of London, and to whose skills even Queen Elizabeth had paid homage:"Queen Elizabeth acknowledged Martin Calthorpe, the Lord Mayor of London, who started as apprentice. I pray to resemble the worthies of this city, out of whatever obscure parentage, than being descended of great nobles, to fall by vice far beneath the reckoning of the poorest prentiser..." (From: Edward Bolton, The Cities Advocate). Martin Calthorpe and the powerful trade overseer Sir John Smythe "the Customer" (1558-1625) and Sir Richard Martin (Turkey Company founders) and Thomas Cordell, a co-founder of the Venice Company, with Thomas Pullyson,William Towerson, Thomas Aldersey, Thomas Starkey, Sir George Barne (d. 1593); were supporters of Edmund Fenton of the Muscovy Company (who had married Thomasine, daughter of Benjamin Gonson the naval administrator of England) visited the Moluccas and the Spice Islands in 1583. Fenton made a voyage partly of discovery, partly of plunder, with the backing of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester; Sir Phillip Sydney and William Cecil.