Thomas Leigh (Lord Mayor)

Thomas Leigh (c. 1504 – 17 November 1571) was a prominent English merchant and Lord Mayor of London.

Leigh was a member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers and served as their Master in 1558 and 1564. He was elected Sheriff of London in 1555 and Alderman of Bread Street Ward in 1558, an office he held until his death.

In 1558, Leigh was knighted. He served as Lord Mayor of London from 1558 to 1559. During his mayoralty, Queen Elizabeth I ascended to the throne. Leigh played a key role in the city's welcoming of the new monarch.

Leigh amassed a considerable fortune through his mercantile activities, primarily in the cloth trade. He married Alice Barker, daughter of Sir Rowland Hill, the first Protestant Lord Mayor of London. They had several children, including Rowland Leigh.

Sir Thomas Leigh is buried in St Helen's Bishopsgate church in London. His will, dated 1571, details his extensive property holdings and philanthropic bequests. He left significant sums to various charitable causes, including the poor of London and the establishment of almshouses.