The Real Dick Whittington
1354 - 1363
Early Life
In 1354 Richard Whittington, more commonly known as Dick, was born at the family estate in Pauntley, Gloucestershire.
He was the third son of Sir William Whittington and his wife Joan.
Family
He had two older brothers (William and Robert) and a grandfather also called William!
Grandad William, Dad Sir William, Brother William, Brother Robert and Dick all served as members of parliament for Gloucestershire
(not at the same time).
At some point between the age of 9 and 14 Dick made his famous journey to London to take up an apprenticeship as a Mercer.
Medieval children were often sent away from home for work as it was thought to be 'good for them!'
He walked for the first six days, and his overnight stops were...
Gloucester | Cirencester | Lechlade on Thames | Abingdon | Henley On Thames | Maidenhead
It's most likely that Dick boarded a barge at Maidenhead as it was a safer way to travel. There were no passenger services as the time so he would have travelled at the back of the boat with the cargo taking up most of the room.
Did he stay the night in Kingston?
It's highly likely!
The barges were pulled by horses that would need to be rested, and Kingston was the busiest town between Maidenhead and his final destination, Queenhithe, which is just near London Bridge.
From 1368
As a Mercer
Dick Whittington became one of the most infamous Mercers ever. He was master of the Guild three times (aged 41, 47 and 54) and even sold cloth to King Richard II and King Henry IV.
He traded with Europe and made a small fortune selling wool and collecting duties.
1397, 1406, 1419
Lord Mayor of London
Dick Whittington was famously elected Lord Mayor of London three times.
He was actually Lord Mayor four times, having been asked to take over the role by King Richard II when the serving Mayor died suddenly in 1397.
Alderman, MP & Sherriff
Dick held many posts in civic life starting with Councilman in 1384. He became a City Alderman and Sheriff of London in 1393.
He also served on the King's privy council, and in 1416 he even served as an MP for the City of London.
1402 - 1411
Love and Marriage
Whittington married Alice Fitzwarren in 1402. He was 48 years old (she was much younger!)
Alice died just 9 years later at which point Whittington disappeared from public life for a while. We’ll never know the real story as he left no diary behind, but it seems like he married for love and was heartbroken when she was gone. They lived on The Royal, next to the church of St Michael Paternoster Royal, and had no children.
1423
Whittington Dies
Whittington had no children to leave his money to, so he left it to the City of London with instructions that it should help the people lead better lives. It paid for the Guildhall Library which you can still visit today. It paid for hospitals, alms houses and put food into the mouths of the poor. The gift was so enormous that everyone talked about it. The storytellers who travelled all over the country started to tell his story.
1423 - 1600s
A Legend is Born
The storytellers changed the story over the years, so by the time it was written down as a play in the 1600s, it was very different indeed.
The first version performed in 1604 (ish) was called...
The History of Richard Whittington, of his lowe byrth, his great fortune
No longer the son of an MP, he was now an orphan with no family at all!
So did Dick have a cat?
So did he have a cat?
In the Legend, Dick Whittington famously has a cat who helps him to secure his fortune.
So did he have a cat?
There is no remaining evidence to say he did
BUT
there is no remaining evidence to say that he didn’t either, so it's quite possible he did!
Want to know the full story?
Full Research Findings
Extensive research was taken into medieval transport in Britain to put together Whittington's story.
If you're well into your history then you'll enjoy reading the write up of our full findings.
Click below to access them as a pdf which you are more than welcome to download into your favourite e-reading app.
Want more detail, but topline!
Prefer your history dished up in a Downton Abbey fashion?
Then this is the download for you.
It puts some meat on the bones from the interactive timeline, but not so much that it blows your mind!
