Thomas Skinner (Lord Mayor of London, 1596)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Skinner was a master of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers
and a London Alderman
. He was elected Sheriff in 1587 and Lord Mayor of London
in 1596. He gave to the several hospitals in and about London.
.
Shortly after the month of November, 1588, Alderman Skinner was detained in custody for disobedience to an Order of the Queen-in-Council
, and was suspected to be one of those that upon retirement out of the City of London
, or some other cause, refused to contribute what was allotted him towards Her Majesty's loan from the City.
In 1596 Queen Elizabeth interfered with the ordinary course of election of the Lord Mayor as will be seen by a "Letter (dated 1st Sept., 1596) from the Aldermen to Mr. Alderman Skinner informing him of Her Majesty's desire that Mr. Alderman Billingsley
should not be elected to the office of Lord Mayor for the following year, and requesting him to repair to London not later than the 7th or 9th of September to confer with them touching his election to that office", which he accordingly did, and was elected Lord Mayor, but died in office on the 30 December of the same year.
During Skinner's year of office the City was threatened with a famine. The citizens generally were in a poverty-stricken state, so much so that many who had been well off had to considerably reduce their expenditure, whilst others had to relinquish their trades and break up their households; and although wheat was offered at a very moderate price, many were too poor to purchase any. At this time the Queen applied to the City to provide ten ships as part of the City's contribution towards the Anglo-Spanish War
. Earlier in the year the Queen had made demands upon the Londoners for soldiers to assist her to reinforce the town of Flushing
in the Netherlands, which as usual had been complied with, but the demand for ships at the close of the year had to be refused. The City's reply to the Queen's Council set forth the utter inability of the citizens, however ever willing they might be, to supply more ships. "They had already expended on sea service alone, and irrespective of their disbursements in 1588 [the Armada
year] no less a sum than 100,000 marks within the last few years, so that the Lords of the Council would see that the citizens had not been wanting in good will and affection towards that service". The City was in debt to the extent of £14,000, and so were quite unable to assist the Queen.
.
John Stow
says that he was buried in the Church of St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street
, and that a handsome monument erected to his memory bore the following inscription:—"Here lieth ye Corpes of Thomas Skynner late Citizen & Alderman of London, borne at Saffron Walden in Essex who in the 65 yeare of his age & on the 30 day of Decebr A Dm 1596 being then Lo Mayor of this Citye deptd this Life leaving behinde him 3 Sonnes & 3 daughters."
Two of his sons, John and Thomas, were knighted on the coronation of James I
, at Whitehall
, 23 July 1603.
Worshipful Company of Clothworkers
The Worshipful Company of Clothworkers was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1528, formed by the amalgamation of its two predecessor Companies, the Fullers and the Shearmen...
and a London Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
. He was elected Sheriff in 1587 and 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 1596. He gave to the several hospitals in and about London.
Early life
Skinner was the son of John Skinner, of Saffron Waldron, and married Blanche, daughter of William Watson, merchant to Queen ElizabethElizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
.
Public service
In 1588 Skinner was Sheriff, conjointly with John Catcher, and succeeded Catcher in the Aldermanry of Cripplegate when Catcher was discharged due to financial difficulties. Skinner removed from Bishopsgate, where he had been elected 28 September, master of the Clothworkers Company, 1584.Shortly after the month of November, 1588, Alderman Skinner was detained in custody for disobedience to an Order of the Queen-in-Council
Queen-in-Council
The Queen-in-Council is, in each of the Commonwealth realms, the technical term of constitutional law that refers to the exercise of executive authority, denoting the monarch acting by and with the advice and consent of his or her privy council or executive council The Queen-in-Council (during...
, and was suspected to be one of those that upon retirement out of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, or some other cause, refused to contribute what was allotted him towards Her Majesty's loan from the City.
In 1596 Queen Elizabeth interfered with the ordinary course of election of the Lord Mayor as will be seen by a "Letter (dated 1st Sept., 1596) from the Aldermen to Mr. Alderman Skinner informing him of Her Majesty's desire that Mr. Alderman Billingsley
Henry Billingsley
Sir Henry Billingsley was Lord Mayor of London and the first translator of Euclid into English.-Early Life:He was a son of William Billingsley, haberdasher and assaymaster of London, and his wife, Elizabeth Harlowe. He entered St...
should not be elected to the office of Lord Mayor for the following year, and requesting him to repair to London not later than the 7th or 9th of September to confer with them touching his election to that office", which he accordingly did, and was elected Lord Mayor, but died in office on the 30 December of the same year.
During Skinner's year of office the City was threatened with a famine. The citizens generally were in a poverty-stricken state, so much so that many who had been well off had to considerably reduce their expenditure, whilst others had to relinquish their trades and break up their households; and although wheat was offered at a very moderate price, many were too poor to purchase any. At this time the Queen applied to the City to provide ten ships as part of the City's contribution towards the Anglo-Spanish War
Anglo-Spanish War (1585)
The Anglo–Spanish War was an intermittent conflict between the kingdoms of Spain and England that was never formally declared. The war was punctuated by widely separated battles, and began with England's military expedition in 1585 to the Netherlands under the command of the Earl of Leicester in...
. Earlier in the year the Queen had made demands upon the Londoners for soldiers to assist her to reinforce the town of Flushing
Flushing, Netherlands
Vlissingen is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an important harbour for centuries. It was granted city rights in 1315. In the 17th century...
in the Netherlands, which as usual had been complied with, but the demand for ships at the close of the year had to be refused. The City's reply to the Queen's Council set forth the utter inability of the citizens, however ever willing they might be, to supply more ships. "They had already expended on sea service alone, and irrespective of their disbursements in 1588 [the Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
year] no less a sum than 100,000 marks within the last few years, so that the Lords of the Council would see that the citizens had not been wanting in good will and affection towards that service". The City was in debt to the extent of £14,000, and so were quite unable to assist the Queen.
Death and legacy
In his will, Skinner left the sum of £20 to the Clothworkers Company for a dinner after attending his funeral, and to the several hospitals in and about London £120 to be equally divided among them. He was also a liberal benefactor to Emmanuel College, CambridgeEmmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
.
John Stow
John Stow
John Stow was an English historian and antiquarian.-Early life:The son of Thomas Stow, a tallow-chandler, he was born about 1525 in London, in the parish of St Michael, Cornhill. His father's whole rent for his house and garden was only 6s. 6d. a year, and Stow in his youth fetched milk every...
says that he was buried in the Church of St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street
St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street
The Church of St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street was a Roman Catholic, and later Church of England, parish in the City of London, England. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and not rebuilt.-Location:St...
, and that a handsome monument erected to his memory bore the following inscription:—"Here lieth ye Corpes of Thomas Skynner late Citizen & Alderman of London, borne at Saffron Walden in Essex who in the 65 yeare of his age & on the 30 day of Decebr A Dm 1596 being then Lo Mayor of this Citye deptd this Life leaving behinde him 3 Sonnes & 3 daughters."
Two of his sons, John and Thomas, were knighted on the coronation of James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, at Whitehall
Palace of Whitehall
The Palace of Whitehall was the main residence of the English monarchs in London from 1530 until 1698 when all except Inigo Jones's 1622 Banqueting House was destroyed by fire...
, 23 July 1603.