Merchants and Professionals

• How many merchants were trading by 1688?

  64,000 in 1688 compared to 30,000 in 1580
• How could merchants make their way into the gentry?

  By receiving knighthoods for commercial success
• Who received a knighthood for commercial success?

  Sir Robert Dudley North for his business in Turkey
• What are examples of sectors for professionals which developed as a result of the higher population of gentry and merchants?

  • Legal services
  • Healthcare
  • Buildings
  • Education
• What did lawyers increase to during the 17th century?

  120 barristers in the 16th century compared to 200 in the first half of the 17th
• What was one form of merchants?

  Merchant tradesmen
• What were merchant tradesmen involved in?

  The manufacturing of goods and so benefitted from the consumer boom of the 1650s
• What did the consumer boom of the 1650s allow for?

  Some shops and factories to open
• What was an another form of merchants?

  International merchants
• What were International merchants involved in?

  The Continental European trade as well as N.America, Africa and India
• What was it possible for a merchant to do?

  Acquire wealth which was equivalent to that of the gentry
• What were there instances of?

  Merchants marrying into gentry classes
• Why did professional classes increase?

  The increased wealth of gentry and merchants
• What was one instance of a greater influence for professionals?

  Physicians
• How were Physicians provided greater standing?

  Through incorporation into a Royal College as of 1663 which meant aspiring doctors had to be certified by Bishop of London and assisted by a panel of experts
• What percentage of lawyers were from gentry and nobility?

  90%
• Who was a famous architect?

  Christopher Wren, who constructed St Paul's cathedral
• Who was another architect?

  William Talman
• What did William Talman work on?

  England's country homes, banqueting house of Hampton Court palace for WIII and Drayton house, Northamptonshire