William Garrard
| Sir William Garrard | |
|---|---|
| Lord Mayor of London | |
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In office 1555–1556 |
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| Preceded by | John Lyon |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Offley |
| Member of Parliament for London | |
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In office 1557–1558 |
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| Sheriff of London | |
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In office 1552–1553 |
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| Auditor of London | |
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In office 1556–1557 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 1518 |
| Died | 1571 |
| Occupation | merchant |
Sir William Garrard (b. 1518-d. 1571) was a merchant of London and a royal financier.
Garrard was born in 1518, the son of John Garrard, a grocer and descendant of Sir Simon Attegare; Attegare being origin of the surname Garrard. He grew up in the parish of St. Magnus the Martyr near London Bridge. He became a haberdasher and involved himself with public affairs.
In 1545, he was appointed by the Court of Aldermen as a Surveyor of the Poor, with the duties of trying to find ways to combat poverty. He served in that position until 1549, while also serving as the Treasurer of St. Bartholomew's Hospital between 1548-1549. During this time was an Alderman for the London ward of Aldgate between 1547-1550. He would also serve as an Alderman for the London wards of Broad Street between 1550–1556 and Lime Street between 1556-1571.
In 1552, he was elected Sheriff of London, serving a term. In 1555, he was elected Lord Mayor of London, and he was also knighted that same year. In 1556 he became Auditor of London, and in 1557, he was elected as Member of Parliament for City of London.
Garrard dedicated his time to drawing up constitutions for new hospitals, in which he would serve as President of Christ's Hospital between 1553–1554, Bridewell Hospital between 1558–1559, and St. Bartholomew's Hospital from 1559-1571. He was the Surveyor of Hospitals between 1566–1567, and Comptroller-General of the city's hospitals from 1568 until his death.
Together with Sir William Petre and Simon Lowe, he was an executor of the will of Maurice Griffith, Bishop of Rochester, the three having also been mourners at his funeral. In consequence of this, these three played a part as the initial trustees in the founding of Friars School, Bangor.
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