Samuel Birch (Lord Mayor of London) advocacy of the Protestant ascendency in Ireland. In 1811, he was appointed one of the sheriffs of London, and on 9 November 1814 Birch entered on his duties as lord mayor. Tory though he was, he opposed the Corn Bill of 1815, and presided at a meeting of the livery in common hall on 23 February 1815, when he made a vigorous attack upon the intended prohibition of the free importation of foreign corn. The course he took on this occasion is commemorated by a medal struck in his honour on the obverse side of which is the bust of
William Laxton (Lord Mayor of London) William Laxton (Lord Mayor of London) Sir William Laxton (c.1500–1556) was a Lord Mayor of London during the reign of Henry VIII, and eight times Master of the Worshipful Company of Grocers. He is the founder of Oundle School. Laxton was born in Oundle, Northamptonshire, England, the son of John Laxton, a local merchant. He was educated at the grammar school in Oundle situated in the old 'gildhouse' in the churchyard of St Peter's parish church. Upon leaving school he went to London and became an apprentice of the Worshipful Company of Grocers in London. Having completed his seven-year term