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John Spilman
Sir John Spilman (also spelt Spielman) (died 1626) was a Lindau, Holy Roman Empire-born businessman who founded the first commercially successful paper-mill in England, establishing a factory on the River Darenth in Dartford, Kent in 1588. Spilman was also jeweller to Queen Elizabeth I, and was knighted by King James I.
In 1588 Spilman was granted a Crown lease on two mills in the Manor of Bignores at Dartford (the mills were previously leased to local landowner William Vaughan who died in 1580). Spilman repaired and altered the mills, at an estimated cost of £1,500, and financed the employment of skilled German paper-makers to produce good quality white paper. One of the first works published using Spilman's paper was a poem by Thomas Churchyard dedicated to Sir Walter Raleigh thus:
A sparke of friendship, and warm good will ; with a poem concerning the commodity of sundry sciences ; especially concerning paper, and a mill, lately set up near Dartfort by a high German, called Mr. Spilman, jeweller to the queen majesty.
The works became a major source of local employment, with some 600 workers.
Spilman had licence to buy linen rags for paper making in January 1589. He secured a patent dated 7 February 1589 giving him a monopoly in buying materials for making white paper and preventing anyone from setting up in competition without his permission. This monopoly was extended by a further 14 years in July 1597 and effectively prevented other mills from making highly prized white paper (most rival concerns were engaged in producing inferior quality brown paper).
Spilman is also reputed to have been responsible for introducing lime (linden; Tilia) trees into the UK.
In 1587, Elizabeth asked Spilman, her household goldsmith, to employ English and foreign ("stranger") diamond cutters, ruby cutters, agate cutters, clockmakers, goldsmiths, and wire workers. In January 1589 he was ordered to make gold buttons for the queen from two old gold collars which were formed of S-shaped pieces and knots of gold, with enamelled gold roses.
In 1593 Richard Butler, captain of one of Walter Raleigh's ships, said Spilman dealt in jewels at court, was about 38 and had a long chestnut beard and a scar on his forehead. He thought he was Flemish.
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John Spilman
Sir John Spilman (also spelt Spielman) (died 1626) was a Lindau, Holy Roman Empire-born businessman who founded the first commercially successful paper-mill in England, establishing a factory on the River Darenth in Dartford, Kent in 1588. Spilman was also jeweller to Queen Elizabeth I, and was knighted by King James I.
In 1588 Spilman was granted a Crown lease on two mills in the Manor of Bignores at Dartford (the mills were previously leased to local landowner William Vaughan who died in 1580). Spilman repaired and altered the mills, at an estimated cost of £1,500, and financed the employment of skilled German paper-makers to produce good quality white paper. One of the first works published using Spilman's paper was a poem by Thomas Churchyard dedicated to Sir Walter Raleigh thus:
A sparke of friendship, and warm good will ; with a poem concerning the commodity of sundry sciences ; especially concerning paper, and a mill, lately set up near Dartfort by a high German, called Mr. Spilman, jeweller to the queen majesty.
The works became a major source of local employment, with some 600 workers.
Spilman had licence to buy linen rags for paper making in January 1589. He secured a patent dated 7 February 1589 giving him a monopoly in buying materials for making white paper and preventing anyone from setting up in competition without his permission. This monopoly was extended by a further 14 years in July 1597 and effectively prevented other mills from making highly prized white paper (most rival concerns were engaged in producing inferior quality brown paper).
Spilman is also reputed to have been responsible for introducing lime (linden; Tilia) trees into the UK.
In 1587, Elizabeth asked Spilman, her household goldsmith, to employ English and foreign ("stranger") diamond cutters, ruby cutters, agate cutters, clockmakers, goldsmiths, and wire workers. In January 1589 he was ordered to make gold buttons for the queen from two old gold collars which were formed of S-shaped pieces and knots of gold, with enamelled gold roses.
In 1593 Richard Butler, captain of one of Walter Raleigh's ships, said Spilman dealt in jewels at court, was about 38 and had a long chestnut beard and a scar on his forehead. He thought he was Flemish.