Detail from The Canterbury Tales depicting Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400) taken from the Ellesmere Chaucer, a highly decorated deluxe manuscript completed c. 1400-1410. The manuscript contains 22 minature paintings of the pilgrims who travelled in a group from Southwark to the shrine of St Thomas Beckett in Canterbury. The Canterbury Tales consists of the stories they each told along the way. The manuscript was for three hundred years in the possession of Sir Thomas Egerton (later Baron Ellesmere) and his family.
Thomas Pomeroy, alderman of Portsoken ward from 1445-81 was Prior of Holy Trinity Aldgate, a house of Austin canons which held the soke of Portsoken and whose prior was ex officio its alderman. Unlike the other figures, Pomeroy does not wear the pink cloak with tartan lining signifying the office of Alderman.
William Cantelowe, a Mercer, was alderman of Cripplegate ward in 1446-61. He served as sheriff in 1448-49; MP in 1453 and 1455.
Arms: Shield of argent, baton raguly sable.
William Whetenhall, Grocer, was alderman of Farringdon Within ward in 1438-46. He served as sheriff in 1440-41.
Arms: Shield of vert, bend ermines sable. Tilting helm sable, torse gules and vert, crest of a couped billy-goat.
William Combes, a Stockfishmonger, was alderman of Farringdon Without ward in 1437-51 and Castle Bayard ward in 1451-52. He served as sheriff in 1441-42; MP in 1447.
Arms: Shield of gules, raguly bend sable, charged with queue fourchy lion or. Tilting helm, torse argent and gules, crest of a man, mantle azure.
John Sutton, a Goldsmith, was alderman of Farringdon Without ward in 1436-37 and Aldersgate ward in 1437-47. He served as sheriff in 1440-41. He was killed in a fight on London Bridge during the Jack Cade rebellion in 1451.
Arms: Shield of argent, cross sable, dexter chief charged with mullet sable.
John Derby, a Draper, was alderman of Candlewick ward in 1444-54. He served as sheriff in 1445-46.
Arms: Shield of or, per chevron embattled azure, chief charged with displayed eagles azure, center base charged with displayed eagle or.
Robert Horne, a Fishmonger, was alderman of London Bridge ward in 1444-56. He served as sheriff in 1446-47.
Arms: Shield of argent, indented chevron gules, chevron charged with honor point mullet or, chief charged with two couped unicorns azure, base charged with one couped unicorn azure. Tilting helm with torse, azure unicorn crest with mascles or, mantle azure with mascles or.
John Hatherle, an Ironmonger, was alderman of Aldersgate ward in 1434-37 and Queenhithe ward in 1437-60. He served as mayor in 1442-43; sheriff 1431-32; MP in 1433.
Arms: Shield of argent, bend gules, chief charged with two couped lions sable, bend charged with three formy argent. Tilting helm, crest of a stag, mantle or.
Geoffrey Feldynge, a Mercer, was alderman of Farringdon Within in 1446-60. He served as mayor in 1452-53; sheriff in 1445-46; MP 1439 and 1455.
Arms: Shield of argent, fesse azure, fesse charged with three lozenges or.
Stephen Broun, a Grocer, was alderman of Aldgate ward in 1429-45 and Billingsgate ward in 1445-60. He served as mayor in 1438-39 and 1448-49; sheriff in 1431-32; MP in 1449 and 1453.
Arms: Shield of argent, chief dexter canton, chief sinister bend sable, chevron sable, canton charged with annulet sable.
Thomas Scott, a Draper, was alderman of Dowgate ward in 1446-51 and Walbrook ward in 1451-63. He served as mayor in 1458-59; sheriff 1447-48.
Arms: Shield of argent, chevron sable, chief charged with two hooked ladders sable, center base charged with hooked ladder sable.
Thomas Chalton, a Mercer, was alderman of Bishopsgate ward in 1433-52. He served as mayor in 1449-50; sheriff in 1433-34.
Arms: Shield of azure, charged with regardant queue fourchy lion argent with crown or.
John Paddlesle, a Goldsmith, was alderman of Farringdon Within ward in 1428-37 and Langbourn ward in 1437-51. He served as mayor in 1440-41; sheriff in 1432-33.
Robert Clopton, a Draper, was alderman of Lime Street ward in 1434-48. He served as mayor in 1441-42; sheriff in 1435-36; MP in 1439 and 1483.
Arms: Shield of gules, fesse ermine, chief charged with three mascles or, base charged with three mascles or.
John Gedney, a Draper, was alderman of Farringdon Without ward in 1415-16, Coleman Street ward in 1416-35, and Cornhill ward in 1435-49. He served as mayor in 1427-28 and 1447-48; sheriff in 1417-18; MP in 1414 and 1432.
Arms: Shield of argent, fesse sable, chief charged with two caboshed lions gules, center base charged with one caboshed lion gules.
Henry Frowyk, a Mercer, was alderman of Bassishaw ward in 1424-57. He served as mayor in 1435-36; sheriff in 1427-28; MP in 1422 and 1423.
Arms: Shield of azure, chevron or, chief charged with two caboshed lions or, base charged with one caboshed lion or, chevron charged with honor point mullet sable. Tilting helm, mantle azure.
Nicholas Wyfold, a Grocer, was alderman of Castle Bayard ward in 1442-51, Tower ward in 1451, and Cornhill ward in 1451-56. He served as mayor in 1450-51; sheriff in 1443-44.
Arms: Shield of or, raguly per chevron gules, chief charged with two rampant lions or, center base charged with rampant lion gules.
John Norman, a Draper, was alderman of Castle Bayard ward in 1441-42 and Cheap ward in 1442-68. He served as mayor in 1450-51; sheriff in 1443-44; MP in 1449.
Arms: Shield of or, three fesse gules, chief argent, chief charged with three fleur de lis sable.
Simon Eyre, a Draper, was alderman of Walbrook ward in 1444-46, Broad Street ward in 1446-49, Cornhill ward in 1449-51, and Langbourn ward in 1451-58. He served as mayor in 1445-46; sheriff in 1434-35.
Arms: Shield of gules, charged with chained hedgehog.
Thomas Canynges, a Grocer, was alderman of Aldgate ward in 1445-61. He served as mayor in 1456-57; sheriff in 1449-50; MP in 1459.
Arms: Shield of argent, charged with three moor’s head profiles.
John Olney, a Mercer, was alderman of Coleman Street ward in 1435-58. He served as mayor in 1446-47, during which these portraits were created; sheriff in 1432-33.
Arms: Shield of gules, flanches or, flanches charged with rampant lions argent, charged with bezants or. Tilting helm with flourished torse or, crest of couped guardant lion, mantle argent and gules.
