Matthias Prime Lucas (1761- 1848)

Post date: Mar 27, 2017 12:5:43 PM

Matthias Prime Lucas

(1761- 1848)

In 1827 Matthias Lucas, the owner of Wateringbury Place from 1820, was elected Lord Mayor of London, the crowning achievement of his city career.

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Born in London, Matthias was apprenticed as a lighterman, later becoming a member of the Watermen and Lightermen’s Company. In 1796 he gave evidence to a Parliamentary enquiry on the Port of London; he was subsequently called to give evidence to Parliament on a wide range of topics. He organised a volunteer force to defend against the anticipated Napoleonic invasion and arranged Nelson’s funeral. He continued a close association with the Royal Navy throughout his life.

He became master of the Vintners, a city livery company, and progressed to being an Alderman before becoming Lord Mayor of London, using a silver-gilt trowel to lay the first stone of London Bridge in 1828.

As owner of Wateringbury Place he was active in the village, building many of the major houses, a new vestry in the Church (with his family vault) and providing land and buildings for the village school.

He married in 1790 Polly Hill, daughter of the Yalding doctor, and they had five daughters and one son.