Sir Richard Gurney, 1st Baronet

Sir Richard Gurney, 1st Baronet (died 6 October 1647), was an English merchant who was Lord Mayor of London. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.

Christened on 8 March 1577/8, Gurney was a city of London merchant and a member of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers. He was Master of the Clothworkers Company in 1633 and Sheriff of London for 1633 to 1634. On 26 August 1634 he was elected an alderman of the City of London for Bishopsgate ward. He was elected instead as alderman for Dowgate ward in 1637. In 1641 he was elected Lord Mayor of London. He was knighted on 25 November 1641 and created a baronet, of London, on 14 December 1641. He was president of Christ's Hospital from 1641 to 1643.[1]

Gurney was a strong supporter of the King and published the King's commission of array. As a result, he was removed from the Mayoralty and impeached by the House of Commons. He refused to surrender the City's sword to anyone but the King.[2]

Gurney's daughter Anne married Thomas Richardson, 2nd Lord Cramond;[2] and his daughter Elizabeth married John Pettus.[3]

  1. ^ 'Chronological list of aldermen: 1601–1650', The Aldermen of the City of London: Temp. Henry III – 1912 (1908), pp. 47–75. Date accessed: 16 July 2011
  2. ^ a b 'Notes on the aldermen, 1502–1700', The Aldermen of the City of London: Temp. Henry III – 1912 (1908), pp. 168–195. Date accessed: 15 July 2011
  3. ^ Lee, Sidney, ed. (1896). "Pettus, John" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 45. London: Smith, Elder & Co.