Gayer, John, Sir (1589 -1649)

Sir John Gayer was the eldest son of John Gayer, merchant of Plymouth in Devon, and Margaret, daughter of Robert Trelawney, of Tidiver in Cornwall. He settled in London where he was a member of the Fishmongers' Company, a Director of the East India Company, Sheriff of London in 1635, was knighted at Hampton Court 3 December 1641, and was Lord Mayor of London 1646 1647. He married Catherine, daughter of Sampson Hopkins, of Coventry, and they had five daughters. A royalist, he was impeached, imprisoned in the Tower and deprived of his City offices. His arms are given in the Visitation of London as `Ermine a fleur de lys on a chief a mullet or', with the crest of `a lion rampant gardant sable holding a tilting spear erect or tipped argent'.