Cranfield, Lionel

Sectors:

  • Merchanting & trade, international & inland General trading & trade
  • Financial services Private loan financing inc individuals & businesses
  • Merchanting & trade, international & inland Woollen textiles trading & trade

Notes:

(Sir) Lionel Cranfield, 1575-1645, was a merchant and financier in the earlier part of his life. He acted on his own account as a merchant from around 1600, initially exporting cloth. He accumulated great wealth which led on to his making private loans to individuals and acting as a government contractor and financier via tax farms. Gave up merchanting from about 1612 when focused on tax farms and land transactions and government and crown service. Later Earl of Middlesex. Impeached for corruption [2024]

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