Luke Garnons

Luke Garnons (died 12 February 1615) was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1584 and 1601.

Garnons was a younger son of John Garnons of Herefordshire and became a draper in Gloucester, acquiring a number of properties in the town. As part of his civic interests in Gloucester, he was deeply involved in maritime trade from the city.[1]

In 1566, he became an alderman of the City.[2] He was twice sheriff (for 1565 and 1569) and three times mayor (for 1570-71, 1586–87, 1600–01) and was described as a 'sage and prudent ruler'.[3]

Garnons was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gloucester from 1584 to 1585.[4]

In the years 1586–7 when Garnons was mayor of Gloucester there was a dispute over the election of a new recorder William Oldsworth[5] and Garnons was instrumental in blocking the appointment for a while.[6] In 1587 Garnons purchased a freehold estate at Coln St Dennis from the lord of the manor.[7]

There was continuous political factionalism in Gloucester as the corporation was split between an establishment group which was sympathetic to puritan ideas, and a more populist faction, led by Garnons and John Jones, who had strong links with the cathedral and tried to encourage the freeman vote.[5] In the 1588 parliamentary election Garnons and Thomas Atkyns were elected as the two more populist candidates. They represented the city until 1589.[4] In 1597, Garnons and Oldsworth were chosen as MPs for Gloucester in 1597[4] and it was alleged that the bench had deliberately excluded from the poll many freemen who supported Atkyns.[5]

Garnons married Ann Hasarde, widow of Edmund alias Edward Hasarde, draper of Gloucester[3] and had children Peter and Magdalen.[7]