Peter Vanlore
Sir Peter Vanlore | |
|---|---|
| Born | c.1547 Utrecht, Netherlands |
| Died | 6 September 1627 Calcot, Berkshire, England |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant, jeweller, moneylender |
| Years active | Late 16th century – early 17th century |
| Known for | Jeweller and financier to Elizabeth I and King James I; owner of Tilehurst manor and Wallingford Castle |
Sir Peter Vanlore (circa 1547 – 6 September 1627) was a merchant, jeweller, and moneylender of Dutch origin who became prominent in England during the Elizabethan and early Stuart eras.
Biography
Vanlore was born around 1547 in Utrecht, in the Netherlands, as the third son of Maurits van Loor and Stephania. He moved to England approximately in 1568. By 19 July 1585, while living in the parish of St Benet Sherehog, he wed Jacoba, daughter of Henry Teighbott or Thibault.
In 1604, he purchased the manor of Tilehurst in Berkshire from Thomas Crompton and also held ownership of Wallingford Castle. On the Calcot Park estate, Vanlore built a new mansion that replaced the original manor house at Tilehurst, where he took up residence. He was granted English citizenship through naturalisation in 1610.
Vanlore passed away at Calcot on 6 September 1627 and was buried beneath an ornate tomb located in the Lady Chapel of St Michael's, Tilehurst.
Jewellery career
Vanlore was instrumental in procuring and cutting two notable diamonds for Elizabeth I in 1596. In 1601, he provided Sir Robert Cecil with a jewel featuring three fine pearls and Eastern gemstones. On 1 January 1604, he sold to King James a diamond adorned with a pendant pearl along with a "paragon ruby" ring valued at £760. Additionally, Vanlore supplied James with a jewel containing a large table ruby flanked by two lozenge-shaped diamonds; part of the payment for this came from Queen Elizabeth’s jewels, delivered by Sir Thomas Knyvet. These pieces were likely worn during The Masque of Indian and China Knights held at Hampton Court on New Year’s Day. Dudley Carleton reportedly assigned an inflated value of £40,000 to this jewel.
In 1605, Vanlore sold a sizable diamond and twelve diamond buttons to the Earl of Hertford for use during his diplomatic mission to Brussels; the total cost was £3,450. Following Anne of Denmark’s death in 1619, Vanlore lent £18,000 against some of her jewels to support King James’s summer progress.
Acknowledged as an expert in international finance matters, Vanlore informed lawyer Walter Pye in 1610 that the annual revenue of Frederick V of the Palatinate, spouse of Princess Elizabeth, amounted to £200,000.
He died in 1627.
Family
By 19 July 1585, Vanlore had married Jacoba Teighbott or Thibault. Together they had eleven children, among them:
- Sir Peter Vanlore, 1st Baronet (baptized 1586), who married Susanna Becke from Antwerp; their offspring included Jacoba (who married Henry Zinzan), Susanna (who married MP Robert Croke), and Mary (who married Henry Alexander, 3rd Earl of Stirling).
- Jacoba Vanlore (baptized 1587), who married Johannes de Laeda
- Elizabeth Vanlore, wife of Hans van den Bernden
- Anne Vanlore, married Sir Charles Caesar
- Mary Vanlore, who wed Sir Edward Powell, 1st Baronet; she is a direct ancestor of Margaret Thatcher
- Catherine Vanlore, spouse of Sir Thomas Glemham