Ambrose Smith

Ambrose Smith or Smythe (died 1584) was a London mercer in Cheapside and silkman who supplied Elizabeth I Smith was a son of John Smith (died 1545) of Withcote, near Oakham, in Leicestershire, and Dorothy Cave, a sister of Ambrose Cave.

[1] His older brother Roger Smith (died 1603) inherited the estate, but Ambrose bought it from him in 1575.

[3] Ambrose Smith supplied velvet, satin, taffeta, and sarsenet to Queen Elizabeth.

[4] He sold fabrics to Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester and Amy Robsart, some for the use of their Spanish tailor.

[5] Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond owed him money in 1580.

Withcote Chapel remains from the Tudor mansion of the Smith family, the stained glass windows were commissioned by Ambrose Smith's grandmother and her second husband Roger Ratcliffe