Elias Spelly

Elias Spelly came from a prominent Worcester family, and retained property in that town until his death, but his mercantile activities always were centered on Bristol, where he settled very early in his career.

Spelly was principally engaged in the profitable cloth trade of Bristol. He regularly traded with Spain, Gascony, and Ireland. In partnership with William Canynges he owned two ships, La Seinte Marie Cogge of Bristol and La Clement of Bristol. He was sole owner of at least four other vessels: Le George, La Cogge John, The James and a ship which he bought cheap from a Flemish merchant for £30, at an unknown date before 1378. His imports included vine and on occasion cargoes of fish.

As a consequence of his highly successful trading ventures he came to own a considerable amount of property scattered all over Bristol. He owned numerous shops and buildings in the High Street, Small Street, Temple Street, Bear Lane, Baldwin Street (where he leased for 40s. a year a house with a garden and orchard), St. Nicholas Street, Grope Lane, and on Avon Bridge. Spelly also had holdings at some distance from Bristol, in Worcestershire and Wiltshire, while nearer home, in Somerset, he became a landowner of consequence.

Elias Spelly also made a remarkable civic career serving as Mayor of Bristol in 1369-70, 1378-9, 1382-3, and 1390, and as Member of Parliament in 1377, 1381, 1384, 1385, and 1386.