Sir Thomas White

Born into a family of a clothier in Hertfordshire, Thomas White was sent to London on apprenticeship to Huge Acton, a prominent member of the Merchant Taylors’ Company. After his master’s death in 1520, Will gained £100 from his master’s will to start his own business. By 1535 Thomas emerged as a prosperous clothier and in the subsequent period he expanded to moneylending, providing large loans to the cities of Coventry, Bristol and Cornhill. White was also among the businessmen that promoted the Muscovy or Russian Company engaged in trade with Russia. Besides being a successful entrepreneur, White was also actively involved in the public life of his community. In 1544 he was elected an alderman for Cornhill, three years later a Sheriff and finally in 1533 Lord Mayor of London. That same year he was knighted by the Queen Mary. However, from 1562 his business suffered severely from the falling-off in the cloth trade, and he died as a poor man.

During his lifetime, Thomas was a famous benefactor who founded St. John’s College, Oxford and Loan Charity which provided free loans to aspiring businessmen in Leicestershire and Rutland, and which exists to this day. For his contribution to philanthropy, he was listed in Richard Johnson’s “Nine Worthies of London” in 1562.