Sir William Browne

Sir William Browne was a prominent London merchant who served as Master of the Worshipful Company of Mercers from 1507 to 1514, and as Lord Mayor of London from 1513 until his death on 3 June 1514.

Browne came from a prominent merchant family. His father was Lord Mayor of London in 1480 and his cousin, another Sir William Browne, was Lord Mayor of London in 1507. William Browne was connected to other members of London’s elite. He was first married to Katherine Shaa, the daughter of Sir Edmund Shaa (d. 20 April 1488), Lord Mayor of London. His second marriage was to Alice Keble (d. 8 June 1521), the daughter of Henry Keble (1452 – April 1517), also Lord Mayor of London.

Sir William Browne died on 3 June 1514, and although in his will he had requested burial in the Mercers' Chapel of St Thomas of Acre, he was probably buried in the church of St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street.