Eleanor Kirkby (1627-89) was from Westmoreland, and married Hull merchant George Crowle (1613-82) in 1651. He became very wealthy through trade with the Netherlands, Baltic and Scandinavia. He served as Sheriff of Hull in 1657 and Mayor in 1661 and 1679, and a Church Warden of Holy Trinity.  

Over a period of years Eleanor gave a large sum of money to Holy Trinity to set up a library of religious texts. These are now housed at the Brynmor Jones Library, University of Hull.  There are inscriptions written inside which date from the late 1600s. 

She also gave a large silver alms dish (for collecting donations) to the church in 1664. The diameter of the dish is 47cm. The Crowles founded alms houses in Sewer Lane, where the elderly and the poor were given accommodation and care. 

In the new doorway in the south porch is a stone carving of Eleanor Crowle taken from her portrait and carved by local stonemason, Andrew Gomersall, in 2021. The portrait shows only some of their children: they had fifteen! 

Part of the Crowles' own house survives as Danish Buildings, behind 41 High Street: as part of its external decoration, it includes plaques with the initials GC and EC and date 1664. It is similar to the frontage of Wilberforce (originally Lister) House. Both were built by William Catlyn (as was the now-demolished Crowle's Hospital).  

The Crowles were buried in a vault in Holy Trinity. Their ledger stones have not been identified, but it is possible they are among the very worn and illegible ones in the North Choir Aisle. Their son William's ledger, with its distinctive unicorn heraldry, in in the North Transept. Their daughter Agnes married into another eminent civic family: her husband Lancelot Roper's ledger is very worn and largely hidden by the Choristers' Memorial screen. 

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Summary

Eleanor Crowle (nee Kirkby) (1627-89) was a principal benefactor of Holy Trinity and wife of the influential Hull merchant George Crowle (1613-82). George Crowle served Sheriff of Hull in 1657 and Mayor in 1661 and 1679, and as a Church Warden of Holy Trinity. Eleanor established a library of religious books at Holy Trinity in the 1660's when the church became and independent parish. It was an important status symbol for wealthy people to make donations of silver dishes and books to their church - in this way you could influence how your church was run. 

George and Eleanor were buried in Holy Trinity, but the exact location is lost. Their ledger stones may be the worn and illegible ones in the North Choir Aisle. One has been re-laid in the south porch near the Trinity Rooms. A carving of Eleanor has been made in a new doorway on the south side of the church.

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