Sir James Pemberton (1550 – 8 September 1613) was an English goldsmith who was

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the Mayors in England, mayor of the City of London, England, and the Leader of the council, leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded Order of precedence, precedence over a ...

in 1611. Pemberton was born in Wrightington, probably the son of a farmer of Heskin, Lancashire. He went to London in 1567 to take an apprenticeship with Francis Heaton. He became a member of the

Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths (commonly known as ''The Goldsmiths' Company'' and formally styled ''The Wardens and Commonalty of the Mystery of Goldsmiths of the City of London''), is one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City ...

and acquired property in

Twickenham Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...

probably before 1593. By 1597 had become prosperous enough to found and endow a grammar school at Heskin. The school, probably opened in 1600 with places for 200 boys.The Twickenham Museum. People - Sir James Pemberton
/ref> Pemberton was Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths Company for 1600 to 1601. On 15 June 1602 he was elected an alderman of the City of London for Bishopsgate ward and elected

Sheriff of London Two Sheriffs of the City of London are elected annually by the members of the City livery companies. Today's Sheriffs have only ceremonial duties, but the historical officeholders held important judicial responsibilities. They have attended the ...

for that year. He was knighted on 26 July 1603. In 1603, he also became alderman for Castle Baynard ward. 'Chronological list of aldermen: 1601-1650', The Aldermen of the City of London: Temp. Henry III - 1912 (1908), pp. 47-75. Date accessed: 16 July 2011
/ref> In 1607 he built a large mansion called Camden House in Maiden Lane, next to the Goldsmiths’ Hall. In 1611 he was elected

. A pageant “Chruso-thriambos – The Triumphs of Gold” was written by Anthony Mundy (1560-1633) to celebrate the occasion. Pemberton married firstly a Miss Wyrhall who was from a Yorkshire family. She died in August 1599 and two months later he married Anne Hadley, née Barnard, widow of Richard Hadley, Grocer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pemberton, James 1550 births 1613 deaths Sheriffs of the City of London 17th-century lord mayors of London English goldsmiths People from Wrightington