Cozene, Hardy and Kent’s “The Mayors of Norwich, 1403-1835” gives the following account:
“John Aldrich was sheriff in 1551, burgess in parliament in 1555, 1558, and 1572. Blomefield states that as such he received 4s. per diem. He was mayor 1558 and 1570. He was the son of Thomas Aldrich, mayor in 1507 and married Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Sotherton, alderman, but whom he had no inter alios a son, John, an alderman, who died in 1583, having married Faith, daughter of Augustine Steward. He was a grocer by trade. He died abt 1582, giving f5 to the poor. His alter tomb is in St. Clement’s Church. he lived in the Flint house, now absorbed by the Labour Exchange, at hte west side of St. Clement’s churchyard. It was formerly the “Sun and Anchor,” a waving factory belonging to the Custnaces and then to the Willetts, and later the warehouse of Messrs. C. and F. Bolingbroke. The ancient carved door, originally from Walsingham priory, is now in the Castle Museum. The spandrels of other doors with “1570”, the date of his second mayoralty, and the initials of John Aldrich and Elizabeth his wife, are said to be incorporated in the interior of the exchange. There is a quarry of stained glass in St. Clement’s church window consisting of a knot containing the initials I.A., which Mr. T.G. Bayfield though to be those of John Aldrich. It was during his mayoralty that there was a popish conspiracy in Norwich. his merchant’s mark is recorded by Ewing.” [1023]