–John Gardiner, Mercer, of Exning, Suffolk**
(died c.1458–1460) – married Isabelle (maiden name unknown, died after 1460)
400-acre sheep farm and rabbit warren in Exning. Their five sons launched the syndicate: John Gardiner, Mercer with his brother Thomas Gardiner, Mercer, London Bridge Warden
1. **Richard Gardiner** – Lord Mayor of London (c.1429 – 1489)
Married Elyn (died before 1489). Sheriff 1470, Lord Mayor 1478–1479, wool magnate, “Father of the City”. Led the City delegation that welcomed Henry VII at Shoreditch, 3 September 1485.
2. **William Gardiner** – Clothworker - Fishmonger, Haywharf Lane, London (died 1480)
Married Anna de la Grove. Father of the Bosworth brothers. Sir William Gardiner - Sir Thomas Gardiner
3. **Sir William Gardynyr** – Skinner, Owner of the Unicorn Tavern and, "Red Poleaxe Budge Row Gardiner" Cheapside (c.1450 – late September 1485)
Married **Ellen Tudor** (c.1455 – after 1502), natural daughter of Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford (uncle of Henry VII).
Delivered the fatal poleaxe blow to Richard III at Bosworth, 22 August 1485. Died weeks later (sweating sickness or ambush, Buried: St Mildreds on Poultry ).
4. **Sir Thomas Gardiner of Collybyn Hall, Yorkshire** (c.1449 – 1492)
Married Elizabeth Beaumont (Neville kinship). Staged the “riot” at Market Bosworth two days before the battle to lure Richard into the bog.
5. **John Gardiner, Clothmaker, of Bury St Edmunds** (died c.1507) – Tailor turned cloth merchant
Father of Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII.
**Children of Sir William Gardynyr & Ellen Tudor**
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- Thomas Gardiner (c.1479 – 1536) – King’s Chaplain, Prior of Tynemouth, overseer of Henry VII’s Lady Chapel at Westminster.
- Philippa Gardiner – married John Devereux; lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth of York.
- Beatrix Gardiner – married Gruffudd ap Rhys, Welsh captain at Bosworth.
- Margaret Gardiner – marriage unknown.
- Anne Gardiner – inherited her mother’s unicorn seal-ring.
**Generation Three – The Clerical Veil**
(son of John Gardiner, Clothworker, of Bury St Edmunds, Clothworker).
The Gardiners began as fenland sheep farmers in 1448 and, within two generations, supplied the money, the blood, and the blade that placed the Tudor crown on Henry VII’s head. Their story was deliberately erased from the official histories – but the ink survives.
**Primary Sources**
- Calendar of Close Rolls Henry VI vol.4 p.289 (Exning warren grant 1448)
- Will of Sir William Gardynyr 1485 – TNA PROB 11/7 Logge f.150r
- General Pardon 1486 – CPR Henry VII vol.1 mem.12
- Tonge’s Visitation of the Northern Counties 1530 – Surtees Society vol.41 pp.71–72
- Dugdale, Baronage of England vol.3 pp.241–242
Author and Researcher
David T. Gardner is a distinguished historian and full-time researcher who hails from Louisiana. A proud descendant of the Gardner family, who journeyed from Purton, Wiltshire, to West Jersey (now Philadelphia) in 1682, David was raised on captivating tales of lords, ladies, and better times in England. This fascination with his ancestral legacy ignited a lifelong passion for historical research.
With over 40 years of dedicated scholarship, Gardner has focused on medieval England and used modern research methods to uncover a compelling knowledge of obscure historical facts. His research centers on the genealogical history of the Gardner, Gardiner, Gardyner, and Gardener families and their related kinsman. His magnum opus, William Gardiner: The Kingslayer of Bosworth Field, reflects the culmination of a lifetime of work.
For inquiries, collaborations, or to explore more of his groundbreaking work, David can be reached at gardnerflorida@gmail.com or via his blog at KingslayersCourt.com, a digital haven for history enthusiasts.
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All original research, narrative text, family-tree reconstructions, citation chains, vault entries, and compiled datasets authored by David T Gardiner are copyright protected worldwide.
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Citation (please use this form) Gardiner, David T. (2025). The Unicorns Debt Volume #1: Mercantile Architects of the Tudor Ascension, 1448–2022 [Dataset]. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17670478
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Contact For embargoed-file access requests, corrections, or collaboration: gardnerflorida@gmail.com
The unicorn has spoken – and the throne still owes the debt. 28 November 2025