Sir Thomas Exmewe was born in Ruthin, Denbighshire c. 1454 and was elected Sheriff of London in 1509 and Lord Mayor of London in 1517. He became the first Lord Mayor of London whose portrait is known to have been painted. The portrait is now in the collection of the Guildhall Art Gallery and has been attributed to John Bettes.
Exmewe died in 1529. Thomas Exmewe was married to Elizabeth, formerly the wife of John West.