Roger Thornton (died 1430), the
Dick Whittington
Richard Whittington (c. 1354–1423) of the parish of St Michael Paternoster Royal, City of London, was an English merchant and a politician of the late medieval period. He is also the real-life inspiration for the English folk tale ''Dick ...
of
Newcastle, seems to have been a country boy who sought his fortune in town. He lived to become 'the richest merchant that ever was dwelling in Newcastell', and three times mayor of that town.
History
The old saying was:
:''At the Westgate came Thornton in''
:''With a hap, a halfpenny, and a lambskin.''
He was elected
Mayor of Newcastle for 1400–01, 1402–1406, 1416–17 and 1423–1426, a total of 9 times.
He took the side of
Henry IV against the rebel
Earl of Northumberland (in whose cause
Hotspur had fallen) and received on 28 July 1405 'in consideration of his services and of the losses he had sustained, and the charges he had borne in the late rebellion of the Earl of Northumberland, and others, the Foucher (Fugar) House in Whickham, as well as other estates in Cleveland.'
He represented
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is als ...
in parliament in 1399, 1411, 1417 and 1419, the last being the fifth year of the reign of
Henry V.
[
Thornton was a speculator in lead mines, and he was certainly working some in Weardale under lease from the Bishop of Durham in 1401. He was remembered for his liberality to Newcastle, building a town court and also a Maison Dieu or hospital for poor people in the Sandhill.
Thornton died in the Broad Chare on 3 January 1430.]All Saints' Church, Newcastle upon Tyne
All Saints' Church is a late 18th-century church in Lower Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, which replaced a medieval church on the same site. All Saints' Church is the only elliptical church building in England, the third tallest re ...
nearby, which was later demolished and rebuilt. The brass is certainly one of the finest; Thornton's seven sons and seven daughters appear below the principal figures. Thornton's is one of the four effigies of Northumberland worthies above 43–45 Northumberland Street in Newcastle.
References
External links
Biography at www.historyofparliamentonline.org
Monumental brass of Roger and Agnes Thornton
Politicians from Newcastle upon Tyne
Year of birth unknown
1430 deaths
Mayors of Newcastle upon Tyne
English MPs 1399
English MPs 1411
British mining businesspeople
English MPs 1417
English MPs 1419
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