Sir Robert Geffrye (also spelled Geffrey or Geffery) (1613–1703) was an English merchant, slave trader, and

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 ...

for 1685/86. "Geffrey, Robert", ''

Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'', 1885–1900, Volume 10 (

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Life

Geffrye was born to poor parents at

Landrake Landrake () is a village in southeast Cornwall, England. It is situated approximately three miles (5 km) west of Saltash, in the civil parish of Landrake with St Erney (where the population of the 2011 census was included.). The A38 road p ...

, near

Saltash Saltash () is a town and civil parish in south Cornwall, England. It had a population of 16,184 in 2011 census. Saltash faces the city of Plymouth over the River Tamar and is popularly known as "the Gateway to Cornwall". Saltash’s landmarks ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

, and moved to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, where he became an eminent

East India East India is a region consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and also the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The states of Bihar and West Bengal lie on the Indo-Gangetic plain. Jharkhan ...

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in goods produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated i ...

. Later residing in a townhouse on Lime Street in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

, he twice served as Master Ironmonger, was

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

ed in 1673, became

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 ...

in 1674 and was elected

for 1685/86. Elected

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Bridewell and Bethlehem Hospitals The Bridewell and Bethlehem Hospitals were two charitable foundations that were independently put into the charge of the City of London. They were brought under joint administration in 1557. Bethlehem Hospital The Bethlem Royal Hospital was foun ...

in March 1692–3, Geffrye was a significant trader in tobacco, part of whose investment was in the

Atlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of Slavery in Africa, enslaved African people to the Americas. European slave ships regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Pass ...

as well as partial ownership of a

slave ship Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting Slavery, slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea ( ...

, the ''China Merchant''. Married in 1651 to Priscilla (died 1676), daughter of Luke Cropley, a City lawyer and brother of Sir John Cropley, Sir Robert and Lady Geffrye had no children. On his death Geffrye left about £10,000 divided in legacies to friends, relatives, hospitals and clergymen's widows, and in establishing certain trusts under the charge of the

Worshipful Company of Ironmongers The Worshipful Company of Ironmongers is one of the Great Twelve livery companies of the City of London, incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1463. History The Ironmongers, originally known as the Ferroners, were incorporated under a Royal ...

. A service was to be provided twice daily in the church of St. Dionis Backchurch, a school to be maintained at Landrake, and the poor of St Erney and Landrake to be relieved. The remainder was dedicated to 14

almshouses An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) is charitable organization, charitable public housing, housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the Middle Ages. They were often built for the povert ...

, mainly for widows of ironmongers, being constructed in 1715 at

Shoreditch Shoreditch is an area in London, England and is located in the London Borough of Hackney alongside neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets, which are also perceived as part of the area due to historic ecclesiastical links. Shoreditch lies just north ...

. These buildings were sold in 1910 and now house the Museum of the Home (''formerly'' the Geffrye Museum), which has displays scenes of domestic life from 1600 to the present day. New almshouses were built at

Mottingham Mottingham is a district of south-east London, England, which straddles the border of the London Borough of Bromley, the London Borough of Lewisham and the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is located southwest of Eltham, . It was historically wi ...

in Kent, sold in 1972 to the

Greater London Council The Greater London Council (GLC) was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council (LCC) which had covered a much smaller area. The GLC was dissolved in 198 ...

. Sir Robert Geffrye's Trust continues to maintain two almshouses in Hampshire – one at Hook, built in 1976 and enlarged in 1987, and one at Basingstoke that opened in 1984; they give sheltered housing to 125 retired people of limited means. There is also a Sir Robert Geffrye's School in the village of

, Cornwall.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Geffrye, Robert 1613 births 1703 deaths People from Landrake 17th-century lord mayors of London British East India Company people 17th-century English slave traders History of Cornwall Knights Bachelor Masters of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers Politicians from Cornwall Sheriffs of the City of London

Life

See also

References

External links