John Winchcombe
(1489-1519)
Died aged c. 30
Wikidata Wikipedia"Jack of Newbury" or John Winchcombe, also known as John Smallwood (c. 1489 −1557) was a leading English clothier from Newbury in Berkshire. When Tudor cloth-making was booming, and woollen cloth dominated English exports, John Winchcombe was producing for export on an industrial scale. He was a leading clothier in other ways. Cloth-making was heavily regulated, and in the 1530s and 1540s Winchcombe led dozens of clothiers in a national campaign to persuade King Henry VIII to change the law on the making of woollen cloth – a campaign which proved ultimately successful. He was the son of a clothier, but became a clothier in his own right before his father's death in 1520, and combined the two businesses, taking on property which had been leased to his father. He was already wealthy in the 1520s, and his growing prosperity led to a significant rise in his status.
DbPedia
Commemorated on 2 plaques
This building was erected by the famous clothmaker John Winchcombe, known as "Jack of Newbury" in the early 15th century and here he entertained Henry VIII and his queen Catherine of Aragon and Cardinal Wolsey shortly before his death in 1519. It was due to gifts from John Winchcombe and his son that the greater part of the present parish church of Newbury was built between 1500 and 1532.
24 Northbrook Street, Newbury, United Kingdom where they built
This building was a small part of the home of John Winchcombe (c.1489-1557) also known as 'Jack of Newbury' leading Tudor producer of dyed cloth, on an industrial scale two centuries before the Industrial Revolution. Exporter across Europe and beyond. Owner of Bucklebury and Thatcham. Leader of Newbury men to war for Henry VIII. The main part of this house was demolished to make way for Marks & Spencer.
24 Northbrook Street, Newbury, United Kingdom where they lived