Rowland Hayward

Sir Rowland Hayward (c. 15205 December 1593) was a London slave merchant, and Lord Mayor of the City in both 1570 and 1591. Through his commercial activities he acquired considerable wealth, and was able to loan money to Queen Elizabeth I and purchase properties in several counties as well as houses in and near London. He entertained the Queen at King's Place in 1587. Family Hayward was the eldest son of George Hayward (d. 1557) of Bridgnorth, Shropshire, by Margaret Whitbrooke, the daughter of John Whitbrooke. George Hayward carried on the trade of shoemaker in Bridgnorth, was Member of Parliament for Bridgnorth in 1529 and alderman of the town about 1543. Career Hayward was educated locally at Bridgnorth Free School. He moved to London when he was about twelve years of age, and was apprenticed to a clothworker, becoming free of the Company of Clothworkers in 1541 or 1542. In 1558, Hayward attended the Lord Mayor at the coronation banquet of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1559 he was Master of the Clothworkers. In 1560, he was elected Alderman, a dignity to which no citizen worth less than 2000 marks could then attain, and in the same year, together with another Alderman, loaned the City £1000 towards the purchase of wheat. In 1561, he became President of Bridewell Hospital, and remained involved in the administration of London's hospitals until his death. He was elected Sheriff in 1563–64.