Thomas Offley

Sir Thomas Offley (c. 1500/05 – 1582) was a Sheriff of London and Lord Mayor of London during the reign of Queen Mary I of England. A long-serving alderman of London, he was a prominent member (and once Master) of the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors, thrice Mayor of the Staple, and a named founding Assistant of the Muscovy Company.

Thomas Offley was the elder of two adult sons of William Offley, a mercer of Stafford, by his first wife, probably of the Dorrington family of Stafford, whose sister (aunt of Thomas) was married to a member of the Cradock family prominent in Stafford. William Offley was a bailiff in Stafford in 1510–11, and after the family moved to Chester he was alderman of that city, and Sheriff in 1517. William Offley remarried to a widow Elizabeth Wright (née Rogerson), and had altogether 26 children, many by his second wife, several of whom made careers in London.

When aged about 12 Thomas was sent to London to study under William Lily at St Paul's School. Under Lily he acquired an excellent understanding of Latin and was taught to sing pricksong with the choristers of St Paul's. Thomas became bound for 13 years to Merchandize of the Staple with the Merchant Taylor John Nychills, Merchant of the Staple at Calais, who was 'of great acquaintance' with Lily. Nychills was married to Katherine, daughter of Sir Stephen Jenyns (Lord Mayor 1508–09, founder of the Wolverhampton Grammar School 1508–15), who in 1501–02 married Margaret, sister of lawyer and M.P. John Kirton. Nychills was elected alderman of London in 1525 for the Bread Street ward but made suit to be discharged of office, and was not admitted.

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