The John Bargrave Collection
William Courten (c.1568 - 1636)
Merchant and financier. He was born shortly after his parents (his father another William Courten or "Courteen" as it was then styled) immigrated to London as Protestant refugees, establishing a prosperous silk and linen business in Abchurch Lane before moving to Pudding Lane (Leith-Ross, 172). He pursued trade interests in Guiana and Barbados, extending the family business in partnership with his brother-in-Law and later redirecting his efforts to the far East.While this Courten "was in a position to amass a considerable collection of his own," he received a knighthood in 1622, long before a "William Curteene" was named as a benefactor in Musaeum Tradescantianum in 1656 (Leith-Ross, 172). The more likely candidate is his son of the same name. Relevant locations: Workplace or place of business Pudding Lane
People linked to person: William Courten was a father of William Courten (-1655)
William Courten was a grand-father of William Courten (28 Mar 1642-26 Mar 1702)
William Courten was a employer of Peter Mundy (c. 1596-c. 1667)
Hester Courten (1579-27 May 1636) was a wife of William Courten
John Marlow (-fl. 1697) was a source of object(s) for William Courten