Thomas Canynges

He was probably born in Bristol before 1399,[2] in a wealthy family of merchants and cloth manufacturers in that city.

He was the eldest of seven children of John Canynges, who died as a young man in 1405, by his wife Joan Wotton.

One of Thomas's younger brothers was the great Bristol merchant William II Canynges (1474).

Canyges was a member of the Worshipful Company of Grocers and became an Alderman for Aldgate ward in 1445.

Thomas Young before 1450 entered into the household of Richard, Duke of York (d. 1460), the Yorkist contender for heirship to the throne then occupied by Henry VI (1422-1461).

Thomas Canynges, Lord Mayor of London 1456-57. The escutcheon in his right hand shows the arms of Canynges: *Argent, 3 Moor's heads couped in profile proper wreathed around the temples of the first and azure.* ^{[

1

]} The arms of the City of London are depicted under his left hand in the pediment of the framed shields. Painted by Roger Leigh, 15th century, collection of Corporation of London