Charles Goore (1703-1783) was a prosperous Liverpool merchant with substantial interests in the Virginia tobacco trade. In the 1740s, Goore was one of the 4 largest buyers of Chesapeake tobacco. In the 1750s, he expanded his interests to include trade with Africa, and investment in the whaling industry. His ship Golden Lion was one of the few British ships involved with the Greenland whaling industry. He grew rich bringing seal skins, seal oil, whale bone, and whale oil to England. Though he continued trading with North America into the 1780s, largely dealing in hemp, flagstones, and ironware, as well as tobacco, the outbreak of the Revolutionary war severely disrupted his trading operations. In addition to his trading pursuits, he also owned a ropery. Goore was an important civic figure; he was elected as bailiff of Liverpool in 1747, and mayor of Liverpool in 1754 and 1768. He also served as senior alderman and justice of the peace for both the borough and county of Liverpool. He married Margery Halsall (1707-1776) on July 29, 1728, and died in 1783.
From the guide to the Charles Goore letter book, Goore, Charles, lettebrbook, 1774-1783, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)
