David Smith (embroiderer)

David Smith (died 1587) was an embroiderer who served Elizabeth I and a philanthropist who founded an almshouse for six poor widows in London. ^[1]

Embroidery at court

In February 1563 the offices of court embroidery which had been held by Guillaume Brellant and William Ibgrave were given to David Smith and William Middleton. ^[2] Middleton mostly worked on furnishings such as bed hangings, while Smith worked to embellish Elizabeth's gowns and other costume made by her tailors Walter Fyshe and William Jones. ^[3] Smith also worked for Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. ^[4]

Elizabeth's wardrobe accounts detail a number of Smith's works. In 1565, he embroidered a partlet (worn at the shoulders) with gold passementerie and pearls, described in a warrant for payment:

for enbrauderinge of a very rich partelet upon silver sarcenet with cheynes of gold and great pearls beinge wrought with straight stripes downe right with a twiste of venice gold on ether syde of the cheynes and pearles for workmanshipp of the same partelet and new setting on of the Jewells in in the band xl s (40 shillings). ^[5]

Smith was sometimes asked to refurbish and recycle embroidered items. In 1581, he combined three old pearl hat bands to make one anew. ^[6]

The Widow's Inn

Smith become wealthy and by his will in 1587 endowed a hospital and almshouse for six poor widows at St Peter's Hill in Castle Baynard ward. ^{[7] [8]} An account of the almshouse founded by "D. S. embroderer" with the rules for the occupants was included in Holinshed's Chronicle. ^[9] His daughters Mary Paradine and Anne Chamberlain contributed to the foundation, which was known as "Smith's Almshouses" or the "Widow's Inn". Smith himself suggested the names "Poor Widow's Alley or Poor Widow's Inn". His will mentions another embroiderer John Parr (died 1607) as a business associate who would manage some legacies to Smith's family. The original almshouse buildings were destroyed in the Great Fire of London of September 1566, and rebuilt by Thomas Fitch. Subsequently, Smith's foundation was merged with the Christ's Hospital charities. ^[10]

David Smith died on 10 August 1587 and was buried at St Benet's, Paul's Wharf. According to his monument, he was 63 years old. ^{[11] [12]}

References

1. Ian Archer, "Smith, David (d. 1587), embroiderer and benefactor", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Retrieved 26 October 2025.
2. Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Elizabeth, 2 (London: HMSO, 1948), pp. 470, 507: Ian Archer, "City and Court in the reign of Elizabeth I", Matthew P. Davies and Andrew Prescott, London and the Kingdom: Essays in Honour of Caroline M. Barron: Proceedings of the 2004 Harlaxton Symposium (Shaun Tyas, 2008), pp. 47, 51, 54–55.
3. Janet Arnold, Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd (Maney, 1988), pp. 148, 189, 191.
4. Simon Adams, Household accounts and disbursement books of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (Cambridge: RHS, 1995), pp. 127–128.
5. Janet Arnold, Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd (Maney, 1988), p. 150.
6. Hester Lees-Jeffries, Textile Shakespeare (Oxford, 2025), p. 295: Janet Arnold, Lost from Her Majesties Back (Costume Society, 1980), p. 72 no. 326.
7. Janet Arnold, Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd (Maney, 1988), p. 190: Andrew Willet, Synopsis Papismi (London, 1600), p. 962.
8. W. K. Jordan, The Charities of London, 1480–1660, 2 (Routledge, 1960), pp. 142–143.
9. Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 4 (London, 1808), pp. 548–550
10. Further Report of the Commissioners for Charities: City of London within the walls, 11:3 (London, 1831), pp. 118–119: 22nd Report of the Commissioners (1830), pp. 68–70: TNA PROB 11/71/127.
11. Encyclopaedia Londinensis, 13 (London, 1815), p. 419: Edward Hatton, A New View of London, 1 (London, 1708) p. 155.
12. John Stow, A survey of the cities of London and Westminster, 1 (London, 1753), p. 732.