Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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Wikipedia
Edward Backwell (c.1618 – 1683) was an English goldsmith, financier, and politician.
The son of Barnaby Backwell, of Leighton Buzzard, he became a resident of London, and was apprenticed to Thomas Vyner as a goldsmith in 1635. Like other goldsmiths of the era, he was also a banker and played a role in State finance during The Protectorate, when he profited considerably by the resale of former Royal lands. He continued to operate in finance during the reign of Charles II, and is frequently mentioned in the diary of Samuel Pepys. He had his goldsmith's shop in Lombard Street. He was selected an alderman for Bishopsgate 1660–1661. The stoppage of the Exchequer in 1672 badly damaged him financially. He and his son John were appointed comptroller of customs in the port of London in 1671, and with his old master Vyner, he was from 1671 to 1675 a commissioner of the customs and farmer of the customs revenue. He went bankrupt in 1682.
He owned land in Buckinghamshire and Huntingdonshire, and was twice returned for Wendover. By his first marriage, in 1657, to Sarah Brett, he had one son, John Backwell. In 1662, he married Mary Leigh (d. 1669), by whom he had three sons and two daughters. He died in 1683 in Holland, where he had gone after his bankruptcy, and was buried in London on June 13, 1683.
| Parliament of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Richard Hampden Robert Croke |
Member for Wendover with Richard Hampden 1673 |
Succeeded by Richard Hampden Hon. Thomas Wharton |
| Preceded by Richard Hampden Hon. Thomas Wharton |
Member for Wendover with Richard Hampden 1679–1681, John Hampden 1681–1683 1679–1683 |
Succeeded by Richard Hampden John Backwell |
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[edit] References
1893 text
Alderman Edward Backwell, an eminent banker and goldsmith, who is frequently mentioned in the Diary. His shop was in Lombard Street. He was ruined by the closing of the Exchequer by Charles II. in 1672. The crown then owed him 295,994l. 16s. 6d., in lieu of which the King gave him an annuity of 17,759l. 13s. 8d. Backwell retired into Holland after the closing of the Exchequer, and died there in 1679. See Hilton Price’s “Handbook of London Bankers,” 1876.
Annotations
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A banker who was involved in payment of the Dunquerke Garrison :
history of
http://www.royalbankscot.co.uk/Group_Information/Memory_Bank/Our_Archives/Our_Online_Archive_Guide/edward_backwell.htm
Portrait of the banker
http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/portrait.asp?LinkID=mp51485&rNo=0&role=sit“…Statements as to money received for pay of the garrison; May-June 1660 Records the remittance of
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Husband of Mary: http://www.pepysdiary.com/p/4900.php
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BACKWELL, Edward
Ald Bishopsgate, 13 Jan 1659/60- 13 Jun 1661, disch, F -
from L&M Companion
(?1618-83). The most important goldsmith-banker of his day, and (with the Vyners) one of the founders of the modern banking system in England….He had acted as the government’s principal financial agent under the Commonwealth, and performed a similar function under Charles II….