Thomas Rowe
Mayor of Oxford 1587/8 and 1593/4
Thomas Rowe (d.1598/9) was an Oxford mercer.
In 1568 Rowe paid 2s. 6d. in a levy for the lottery, and in 1572 he paid three shillings in St Martin’s parish as his share of a seasement.
Rowe had three children baptised at St Martin’s Church at Carfax: Rebecca (11 June 1569), Katherine (27 February 1570/1), and Edmund (6 December 1573).
Rowe first appears in the list of the Common Council on 29 September 1571, and in 1573 he was appointed one of the two Chamberlains. On 19 January 1575/6 he was one of the people appointed to look into the possibility of a school for freemen’s children:
Yt ys agreed att thys Counsell that Mr Mondaye, Mr Pycover, Mr Hanson, the two Chamberlens for the yeare, Mr Rowe, William Tyllyarde, and Rychard Bryan shall confere with Mr Case as towching the place for a schole, and the order and rate of teaching of ffremens chyldren, and to make reporte of theire doings and opynyon theirein att the next Counsell heare holden.
On 29 September 1577 Rowe was appointed one of the two Bailiffs. In the council year 1577/8 his apprentice Matthew Harrison was admitted free. This was followed by John Holloway in 1578/9, Thomas Stone in 1585, William Boswell in 1588, Thomas Strabridge in 1590, and Edward Tilliard in 1598.
On 11 April 1581 Rowe was chosen one of the Mayor’s Associates, and on 18 September 1587 was elected Mayor. At the end of his term of office he was allowed to make Thomas Buckner of Boldshipton free for a gilt penny, as he would not be making his own sons free.
Rowe’s daughter Katherine died at the age of 17 and was buried at St Martin’s Church on 20 February 1587/8. His other daughter, Rebecca, married John Hicks there on 7 February 1591/2.
On 1 September 1590 Rowe was granted a lease of a house in St Martin’s (on the site of the present 5 and 6 Queen Street).
Rowe was elected Mayor a second time on 17 September 1593. Celebrations were muted, however, because of the plague; it had been agreed at the previous council that
Neither Mr Mayor electe at his comminge from London, nor Mr Bayliffs electe on Michaelmas daye shall make any dynner or banquett at their howses to cause any multytude together, by reason of the sicknes; and in consideration thereof Mr Mayor geveth thirtie shillings and Mr Bayliffs sixe shillings and eight pence apeece of their owne good wills towards the relief of those that are shutt uppe by reason of the sicknes.
Rowe was appointed an alderman after his year on office, and on 7 October 1594 was appointed Coroner.
On 5 September 1597 "Mris. Margaret, wife of Mr Alderman Rowe" was buried at St Martin’s Church; and Thomas Rowe himself was buried there on 14 January 1598/9.
An entry in the council records on 11 April 1599 reads:
It is agreed that Mr Edmund Rowe, second sonne of Mr alderman Rowe, in consideracion that his father made request unto the citie in his deathbed to be good unto his said sonne in graunting him to renewe the lease of the howse he holdeth of this citie, and for that the renewing of the same lease is in consideracion of all his paynes and other demaunds whatsoever heretofore, the said Edmund shall have his lease renwed for fortie and one yeres.
The lease of the property at 5 and 6 Queen Street was duly given to Edmund Rowe, gentleman on 18 May 1599: it was then in the occupation of Thomas Stone.
See also:
- PCC Will PROB 11/93 (Will of Thomas Rowe, Alderman of Oxford, proved 23 February 1599)