Apprentices 1530

[BridgetM]

My ancestor, John Machell, was born about 1509 in Whinfell (near Kendal), where his family farmed.  (His older brother, Leonard Machell, was still farming in Whinfell when he died in 1560.)  John apprenticed to a shearman in London in 1523/24, and was admitted to the Freedom of the Clothworkers in 1530/31.  In 1538 he was the Quarter Warden, in 1541 the Second Warden, and in 1547 the Master of the Clothworkers.  He was also an alderman of London from 1553-1558, and a sheriff of London from 1555-1556.  When he died in 1558, he was incredibly wealthy, with estates all over England.

My question: How could a boy from a small hamlet in the North of England become so powerful, and so wealthy? 

[paterfamilias]

Dear Bridget,

 I descend from Sir John Machell too, so I am *very* interested in your work, which looks quite thorough!

 So, two things if you don't mind: 1) Which of the Westmorland Machells is father of Sir John, and 2) do you have insight into the controversy over the Mary Machell who married Rev Ralph Cudworth (this is my line)... She is probably the daughter of Matthew (son of Sir John), but there is a new attempt to make her daughter of John, Sir John's first son.

 Have you posted your research? Sounds like a forthcoming paper.  I would very much like to read it.

Best wishes, Dave Drabold

[John Schmeeckle]

My ancestor, John Machell, was born about 1509 in Whinfell (near Kendal), where his family farmed.  (His older brother, Leonard Machell, was still farming in Whinfell when he died in 1560.)  John apprenticed to a shearman in London in 1523/24, and was admitted to the Freedom of the Clothworkers in 1530/31.  In 1538 he was the Quarter Warden, in 1541 the Second Warden, and in 1547 the Master of the Clothworkers.  He was also an alderman of London from 1553-1558, and a sheriff of London from 1555-1556.  When he died in 1558, he was incredibly wealthy, with estates all over England.

My question: How could a boy from a small hamlet in the North of England become so powerful, and so wealthy? 

John Machell was a younger son by a second wife of John Machell of Crackenthorpe.  He bore the arms of the Machells of Crackenthorpe, but "counterchanged," indicating that he was a half-brother. His mother was a Leybourne of Cunswick, Kendal, so it appears that when the father died (when the sons John and Leonard were very young), the mother returned to her family.  John and Leonard had twin elder half-brothers, Guy and Hugh Machell, who jointly inherited Crackenthorpe.  A family tree chart showing the ancestry of John Machell and his wife Joan Luddington is here: https://www.wikitree.com/genealogy/Machell-Family-Tree-6

[pinefamily]

BridgetM, to answer your question, clothwork seems to have been a lucrative occupation. Several of my wife's ancestors were clothworkers in London, and became quite wealthy as well. I think being a member of the Clothworkers Company helped as well. The London Guilds seemed to look after their own.