Robert Talkan

Robert Talkan had established himself among the York’s mercantile elite by 1377, when he assumed office as chamberlain. He was engaged in the export of cloth from the port of Kingston-upon-Hull, but his commercial interests lay chiefly in the wine trade. He did business on quite an impressive scale, on 22 Dec. 1391 alone he imported 34 tuns of wine through Hull. Like most of the medieval merchants, Talkan was prepared to trade in anything that made a profit, and besides continuing to deal in cloth he also joined with other York entrepreneurs in importing herring from Denmark. Later in life he made a notable investment in the export of wool. Talkan made an imposing residence in York, known as Talkan Hall, and was evidently used by leaders of the mercantile community for business meetings and more convivial gatherings. In 1402 he was Member of Parliament, and again in 1407.