Richard (Dick) Whittington

A figure of Richard Whittington and his (ginger) cat can be seen in a stained glass window on the north side of the nave of Westminster Abbey. The large window, unveiled in 1913, depicts a king and an abbot of Westminster and comprises a memorial to scientist Lord Kelvin.

The small figure of Dick Whittington is included at the base of the window because he was the administrator and receiver of revenues for the building of the nave area of the Abbey from 1413-1422 and gave money himself towards the rebuilding. Richard II and Henry V were royal donors.

Life of Whittington

He was a son of Sir William Whittington (died 1358), landowner in Gloucestershire, and his wife Joan (Maunsell). He was born about 1350. His wife was Alice daughter of Sir Ivo Fitzwaryn but they had no children. Richard was a councillor in London from 1384, Alderman and Mayor, and a warden of the Mercers' Company on several occasions, and Sheriff of London and Middlesex in 1393-1394. He held many other offices and was on Henry IV's council. With John Carpenter he wrote the Liber Albus (white book), the first book written about the laws and practices of the City of London. He was one of London's leading mercers supplying royalty and nobility.

Through his connections with the Court he became very wealthy and gave generously to charities. These included a library at London Greyfriars, Rochester Bridge, an almshouse and public lavatories at St Martin Vintry, and a refuge for unmarried mothers at St Thomas's Hospital.

The original library at the Guildhall in London was founded with money he left in his will. He also left monies to rebuild Newgate prison, to install public fountains, and complete a college of priests and almshouse at St Michael Paternoster Royal.

In March of 1423 he died and was buried with his wife at St Michael Paternoster church in the City of London which he had rebuilt.

The legend of Dick Whittington seems to have begun in the early 17th century, with nursery rhymes written about him. It tells of an orphan boy coming to London from the country with his cat to make his fortune and he worked in the kitchen of a wealthy merchant. When he did not find fame at once he decided to return home but the chiming of Bow bells called him back, seeming to say "turn again, Whittington, lord mayor of London".

Further reading

"Richard Whittington: the man behind the myth" by C.M. Barron in Studies in London History, 1969

History of Parliament online

"The nave of Westminster" by R.B. Rackham in Proceedings of the British Academy vol. IV, 1909

Some of his papers are held at Mercers' Hall.