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- Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire. Lord Mayor of London 1352-54. Burgess (M.P.) for London 1352, 1355, 1357, 1361, 1365, 1366, and 1369. Father of the City (i.e. senior alderman) in Lime Street Ward, 1368.
According to the History of Parliament biography of his son Adam (d. 1417), he was "one of the richest and most powerful citizens of mid 14th-century London. [...] In common with many leading merchants of the day, Adam Francis the elder had invested a substantial part of his profits in land, and, after a long and successful career, during which he twice became mayor of London and represented the City in at least seven Parliaments, he retired to live on his country estates."
Tim Powys-Lybbe (citation details below) quasi-quotes a 2009 guidebook to St. Helen's church, Bishopsgate: "The eastern half [of the south transept], together with the arcade opening into it, was built between 1350 and 1363 with money left by a mercer, Adam Francis. It formed two side [chantry] chapels that became known as the Chapel of the Holy Ghost (northern) and the Lady Chapel (southern). Originally these were chantry chapels where the nuns or the poor prayed for the souls of the dead.... The door and the stair turret in the south wall were added from the bequest of Adam Francis in 1374. [...] It seems likely 1350 relates to the endowment from Adam senior, 1363 relates to a later gift from Adam junior and 1375 relates to an endowment from Adam junior. However, Adam junior's will (made 26th August 1374) requests he be buried in the Chapel of the Holy Ghost, with provision made for the erection of two chantry chapels, one for the Blessed Mary [Lady Chapel] and one for the Holy Ghost. So the wording of the guide book is slightly adrift in its wording. However, it does suggest that Adam senior died about 1350, but the relevant documents covering the 1350 endowment have not been seen but are probably held at the Guildhall."
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Nielsen Hayden genealogy
- 1375
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