Sir Stephen Soame

Sir Stephen Soame was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1601.

He came from a minor Norfolk family which was established there since the fifteenth century. Originally, he was a member of the Worshipful Company of Weavers active in cloth trade in London, and later joined the Grocers’ Company which was in charge for maintaining standards for the purity of spices.

Soame served as Sheriff of London in 1589 and was Lord Mayor of London in 1598. In 1601, he was elected Member of Parliament for City of London. As Lord Mayor he was chairman of the first meeting of merchants to discuss the foundation of the famous English East India Company.

As his wealth increased Soame became active in the field of moneylending and served as one of the creditors of Sir Walter Leveson. By the end of the 16th century he was actively engaged in Eastland trade, that is, trade with Scandinavia and Baltic Sea trade, but after its decline several decades later he transferred to the trade with Levant. Furthermore, the profits realized in trade he invested in acquisition of land in the six counties of Cambridge, Essex, Hertford, Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Soame made considerable charitable donations, and left one part of his funds for charitable purposes.

He died at the age of 77 at his mansion house in Little Thurlow and was buried in the church at Little Thurlow.