Sir Rowland Hayward

Rowland Hayward was a wealthy English merchant and landowner.

Born as the eldest son of George Hayward, a merchant and politician, Rowland was apprenticed at the age of 12 to London cloth worker, becoming a freeman of the Company of Cloth workers in 1541 or 1542. His growth in the company’s hierarchy was steady with reaching a post of master in 1559.

During his lifetime, Hayward developed a successful and diverse business career. He traded with Antwerp exporting English cloth and importing coarse materials such as fustian and buckram, and luxury fabrics such as camlet and silks. He was also a founding member and one of the leading members of the Muscovy Company and its governor on various occasions between 1567 and 1587. In 1568 he became Governor of the Company of Mineral and Battery Works, and also participated in the founding of the Royal Exchange in 1565.

His enormous wealth amassed through different business ventures enabled him to loan money to the city and the Queen, and to acquire considerable properties in four counties over the years. At the time of his death, Hayward owned 17 manors as well as houses in and near London.

Prominence in the world of business implied the participation in the public life of the community at that time. Therefore, Hayward served as an alderman, sheriff of London (1563-1564) and Lord Mayor of London in 1570, becoming a knight in 1571.