Sir Richard Gurney

Gurney was a merchant of city of London and a member of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers.

Apprenticed to a London silkman, Gurney inherited his master’s shop which was worth £6,000. He ran prosperous trading business with France and Italy which enabled him to increase his fortune. He reinforced his position by advantageous marriage. At the height of power, his fortune was worth perhaps £100,000, or £3.1 bn in today’s terms.

Gurney was also elected on a post of Lord Mayor of London in 1641. As a loyal royalist, he found himself in the middle of the crisis which led to the conflict between King Charles I and Parliament. In the subsequent events, Gurney was dismissed by parliament and imprisoned into the Tower where remained almost until his death. Although he could pay £5,000 for his release, he refused to pay and remained loyal to the king.