Nicholas (Nicol) Uddert or Udward or Udwart or Anglicised as Nicol Edward (c. 1550 – c. 1610) was a 16th century Scottish merchant who served as

Provost of Edinburgh The Right Honourable Lord Provost of Edinburgh is elected by and is the convener of the City of Edinburgh Council and serves not only as the chair of that body, but as a figurehead for the entire city, ex officio the Lord-Lieutenant of Edi ...

in 1592/93.

Life

He was a son of Thomas Uddert. In July 1567,

Michael Gilbert Michael Francis Gilbert (17 July 1912 – 8 February 2006) was an English solicitor and author of crime fiction. Early life and education Gilbert was born on 17 July 1912 in Billinghay, Lincolnshire, England, to Bernard Samuel Gilbert, a writ ...

, Robert Abercromby, and Uddert were sent as Edinburgh's commissioners to the

coronation of James VI James Stewart (1566–1625), son of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1587) and Lord Darnley (1546–1567), was crowned King of Scotland by Adam Bothwell, Bishop of Orkney, in the Holy Rude Kirk at Stirling on 29 July 1567. Abdication of Mary, Queen ...

at Stirling. Nicol Uddert worked for

Regent Moray James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (c. 1531 – 23 January 1570) was a member of the House of Stewart as the illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland. At times a supporter of his half-sister Mary, Queen of Scots, he was the regent of Scot ...

and in October 1568 came to York to serve him during the conference about

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

, and the

casket letters The Casket letters were eight letters and some sonnets said to have been written by Mary, Queen of Scots, to the Earl of Bothwell, between January and April 1567. They were produced as evidence against Queen Mary by the Scottish lords who opposed ...

. He was elected Provost of Edinburgh in 1592 in succession to William Little of Liberton. He was succeeded in 1593 by Alexander Home of

North Berwick North Berwick (; ) is a seaside resort, seaside town and former royal burgh in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately east-northeast of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holi ...

. During his period as Provost he hosted King James VI and his queen at his house. The king stayed in February 1592.

House in Niddry's Wynd

His magnificent house, built as a "civic palace" and described as new in 1589, is said to have been one of the grandest in Edinburgh and stood on Niddry's Close midway along the

Royal Mile The Royal Mile () is the nickname of a series of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. The term originated in the early 20th century and has since entered popular usage. The Royal ...

on its south side. It passed to Lockhart of Carnwarth in the late 17th century, at which point the

Earl of Mar There are currently two earldoms of Mar in the Peerage of Scotland, and the title has been created seven times. The first creation of the earldom is currently held by Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, who is also clan chief of Clan Mar. Th ...

lived opposite. It was demolished in 1780 to build South Bridge. On 29 May 1589 the town council, at the request of

James VI James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...

organised a banquet for ambassadors from towns in Holland in Uddert's new house. The English veteran sailor

George Beeston Sir George Beeston or Beston (circa 1520 - 13 September 1601 Spanish Armada The Spanish Armada (often known as Invincible Armada, or the Enterprise of England, ) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by Alonso de Guzmán, Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aristocrat without previous naval ...

, and the English trumpet officer was killed. Beeston and the English ambassador William Ashby had an audience with James VI. The king gave Beeston a locket set with diamonds and 100 gold crowns to his captains. James VI requested that Edinburgh town council give him, his three captains, and the English ambassador and their courtier escorts an "honest banquet" in Nicol Uddert's "new house at house at dinner time." The banquets were organised by

William Fairlie William Fairlie or Fairley (floruit, fl. 1570–1600) was an Edinburgh merchant and burgess. Fairlie (surname), Fairlie was frequently asked by Edinburgh town (Royal burgh, burgh) council to survey and account for public works for the town counci ...

. There was a scheme for Flemish cloth workers, weavers and walkers from the low countries, to come to Edinburgh and set up businesses or work for Nicol Uddert. The

Parliament of Scotland In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

noted in 1594 that nothing had happened and withdrew a tax exemption granted to Uddert to help the scheme.

Family

Nicol Uddert married Jonet Gilbert, a daughter of the goldsmith

. Nicol was the father of Nathaniel Udwart. He also had a son, Nicol, Dean of Guild in Edinburgh, whose daughter Margaret married Alexander Ellis of Mortonhall. He is thought to be father of Alexander Udwart, a burgess in Edinburgh in 1597.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Uddert, Nicol Businesspeople from Edinburgh Lord provosts of Edinburgh 1550s births 1610 deaths Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain Scottish merchants