Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet

Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet (2 January 1652  25 January 1733), was a Governor of the Bank of England and Lord Mayor of London in the early 18th Century.

Early life

He belonged to an old Derbyshire family. He was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, the son of Gilbert Heathcote and his wife, Anne.

He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge,[1] and went on to become a merchant in London. His trading ventures were very successful; he was one of the promoters of the new East India Company and he emerged victorious from a contest between himself and the old East India company in 1693; he was also one of the first directors of the Bank of England and served as its Governor from 1709 to 1711 and, a second term, from 1723 to 1725.

Political career

In 1702 he became an alderman of the city of London and was knighted; he served as Sheriff of London for 1704 and then elected Lord Mayor of London for 1711, being the last lord mayor to ride on horseback in his procession. In November 1705 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.[2]

In 1700 Heathcote was sent to Parliament as member for the City of London, but he was soon expelled for his share in the circulation of some exchequer bills; however, he was again elected for the city later in the same year, and he retained his seat until 1710. In 1714 he was member for Helston, in 1722 for New Lymington, and in 1727 for St Germans. He was a consistent Whig, and was made a baronet eight days before his death.

Although extremely rich, Heathcote's meanness is referred to by Pope; and it was this trait that accounts largely for his unpopularity with the lower classes. He died in London on 25 January 1733 and was buried at Normanton Hall, a residence which he had purchased from the Mackworths. A monument by the Flemish sculptor Rysbrack is now in Edith Weston church. He had married Hester, daughter of Christopher Rayner, merchant, of London.

Descendants

A descendant, Sir Gilbert John Heathcote, 5th Baronet (1795–1867), was created Baron Aveland in 1856; and his son Gilbert Henry, who in 1888 inherited from his mother the barony of Willoughby de Eresby, became 1st Earl of Ancaster in 1892.

See also

References

  1.  Welch, Charles (1891). "Heathcote, Gilbert". In Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sidney. Dictionary of National Biography. 25. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  2. "Library and Archive Catalogue". Royal Society. Retrieved 17 November 2010.
Parliament of England
Preceded by
Sir John Fleet
Sir William Ashurst
Thomas Papillon
Sir James Houblon
Member of Parliament for the City of London
1701
With: Sir William Ashurst
Sir Robert Clayton
Sir William Withers
Succeeded by
Sir William Ashurst
Sir Robert Clayton
Sir William Withers
Sir John Fleet
Preceded by
Sir William Ashurst
Sir Robert Clayton
Sir William Withers
Sir John Fleet
Member of Parliament for the City of London
1701–1707
With: Sir William Ashurst 1701–1702, 1705–1707
Sir Robert Clayton 1701–1702, 1705–1707
Sir Thomas Abney 1701–1702
Sir William Prichard 1702–1705
Sir John Fleet 1702–1705
Sir Francis Child 1702–1705
Samuel Shepheard 1705–1707
Succeeded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Parliament of England
Member of Parliament for the City of London
1707–1710
With: Sir Robert Clayton 1707
Samuel Shepheard 1707–1708
Sir William Ashurst 1707–1710
Sir William Withers 1707–1710
John Ward 1708–1710
Succeeded by
Sir William Withers
Sir Richard Hoare
Sir George Newland
Sir John Cass
Preceded by
Thomas Tonkin
Alexander Pendarves
Member of Parliament for Helston
1715–1722
With: Sidney Godolphin
Succeeded by
Sir Robert Raymond
Walter Carey
Preceded by
Lord Harry Powlett
Paul Burrard
Member of Parliament for Lymington
1722–1727
With: Paul Burrard
Succeeded by
Lord Nassau Powlett
Anthony Morgan
Preceded by
Lord Binning
Philip Cavendish
Member of Parliament for St Germans
1727–1733
With: Sidney Godolphin 1727–1732
Richard Eliot 1733
Succeeded by
Richard Eliot
Dudley Ryder
Government offices
Preceded by
Sir Francis Eyles
Governor of the Bank of England
1709–1711
Succeeded by
Sir Nathaniel Gould
Preceded by
Sir Thomas Scawen
Governor of the Bank of England
1723–1725
Succeeded by
William Thompson
Baronetage of Great Britain
New creation Baronet
(of London)
1733
Succeeded by
John Heathcote
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