GLEANE, Thomas (d.1602), of Norwich, Norf.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

m. Alice, da. of Robert Wolmer, 1s. Peter.

Offices Held

Freeman, Norwich 1556, sheriff 1570-1, alderman 1571, mayor 1583-4, 1592-3, ?1602; j.p. Norwich by 1587.

Biography

Gleane was a draper or a mercer. In 1579 he rode to London in connexion with the new alnage demanded on cloth, and in 1585 he was one of the aldermen who wrote to Burghley asking for a lease of the alnage and subsidy on ‘new stuffs’ at Norwich. He was also active on other corporation business, such as the musters, and in 1590 was one of eight persons appointed by the city to draw up rules for its resident aliens. During his membership of Parliament he was paid 5s. a day. He may have attended two committees to which the burgesses for Norwich were appointed, concerning the city of Lincoln (11 Mar.) and salted fish (11 Mar.). He was thrice chosen mayor of Norwich, after four unsuccessful attempts. His election in 1602 was questioned as the assembly had decided in 1598 that no one was to be mayor more than twice, and that nine years had to elapse between the two periods of office. It was decided to consult the lord chief justice and the learned counsel of the city as to whether Gleane’s election was valid: if they decided that it was not, he was to be compensated. He died in 1602. His son Sir Peter was sheriff in 1610-11 and mayor 1615-16.

W. Rye, Norf. Fams. 258; H. Le Strange, Norf. Official Lists, 109, 110, 141; APC, xv. 70; CPR, 1569-72, p. 182; Reg. Norwich Freemen, 58, 59, 100-1; Norwich Recs. i. 337, 417; ii. 188; Lansd. 44, f. 70; D’Ewes, 444, 445; Norwich corp. ct. bk. 1587-95, p. 260; ass. min. bk. 1568-85, ff. 129, 169, 176, 210, 227, 241.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: Roger Virgoe

Notes