Sir John Lubbock, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir John Lubbock, 1st Baronet (bapt 20 August 1744 – 24 February 1816) was an eminent English
banker. Lubbock was also a merchant
and Member of Parliament
. He was the first son of a Cambridge
don, the Reverend William Lubbock
of Lammas, Norfolk, by Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Cooper of North Walsham, Norfolk. He married Elizabeth Christiana Commerell, daughter of his business partner, Frederick Commerell of Hanwell, Middlesex and his wife Catherine Elton on 12 Oct 1771 at St Dunstan’s in the East, London. They had no children. In 1806 he was created a Baronet, of Lammas, with remainder to his nephew John William Lubbock, who succeeded him as second Baronet.
In 1772, Lubbock became a partner in the London bank of Lemon, Buller, Finlay and Lubbock of 15 Abchurch Lane and later Mansion House Street. In 1785, the partnership changed to Forster, Lubbock and Bosanquet and in 1801 to Forster, Lubbock, Forster and Clarke. Finally, in 1814 it was Sir John Lubbock, Lubbock & Co, the second partner being John William Lubbock, John’s nephew and heir.
in Wiltshire
. In November 1795 he was one of the sponsors of the London merchants and bankers loyal declaration of support for Pitt’s government. At the ensuing election in 1796 he was returned for Bossiney
in Cornwall
as a guest of Lord Mount Edgecumbe. In 1802, he appeared as a candidate for Leominster
, Herefordshire
and secured his election with votes as follows
In 1794, the Directory of London & Westminster & Southwark shows him as a merchant in business with his partner F. Commerell at 2 St Mildred's Court, Poultry in the City of London.
In 1806, he was re-elected without opposition. There he remained until his retirement in favour of his nephew in 1812.
He was well disposed to the Greville ministry, which made him a baronet on 9 Apr 1806. John accepted this on the condition that he might pass it on to his nephew John William. This was granted and John William in gratitude chose the family motto to with it “Auctor pretiosa facit” (the giver makes the gift precious). He was listed amongst the “staunch friends” of the abolition of the slave trade at around the same time.
His nephew wrote of him “he was an excellent man of business and a genial, kind friend. He was fond of horses and hunting and used to drive 4 Greys into the City from his house in St James Place, which he had purchased in 1802 with Samuel Rogers
the poet; Sir John taking two-thirds and Mr Rogers one-third.
in Kent, the family home during the 19th and 20th centuries. The second is of a more rotund version of him in much later life seated in a chair. There is also a picture of his young wife dated 1774 by John Downman, which appeared for sale advertised in Country Life (magazine)
. The present day whereabouts of all these pictures is unknown, although reproductions exist.
where there were tablets to his memory, and that of his wife, in the belltower. There is no sign of them now and it is thought that the memorials may have been destroyed in the blitz. His wife outlived him by many years, moving to St Leonards in Sussex after her husband’s death. She eventually died there in 1845 at the age of 94.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
banker. Lubbock was also a merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. He was the first son of a Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
don, the Reverend William Lubbock
William Lubbock
The Reverend William Lubbock MA BD was an English divine, Fellow of Caius College, Cambridge, and Church of England clergyman...
of Lammas, Norfolk, by Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Cooper of North Walsham, Norfolk. He married Elizabeth Christiana Commerell, daughter of his business partner, Frederick Commerell of Hanwell, Middlesex and his wife Catherine Elton on 12 Oct 1771 at St Dunstan’s in the East, London. They had no children. In 1806 he was created a Baronet, of Lammas, with remainder to his nephew John William Lubbock, who succeeded him as second Baronet.
Business
He was sent to London to learn business in the house of Commerell in Bishopsgate Street, London, of which he became a partner after his marriage. John adopted his nephew, John William Lubbock and had him educated at Charterhouse. After, he taught John William about his business.In 1772, Lubbock became a partner in the London bank of Lemon, Buller, Finlay and Lubbock of 15 Abchurch Lane and later Mansion House Street. In 1785, the partnership changed to Forster, Lubbock and Bosanquet and in 1801 to Forster, Lubbock, Forster and Clarke. Finally, in 1814 it was Sir John Lubbock, Lubbock & Co, the second partner being John William Lubbock, John’s nephew and heir.
Political
In 1784, he stood unsuccessfully as parliamentary candidate for the Devizes constituencyDevizes (UK Parliament constituency)
Devizes is a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire, England, which is now represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and before 1707 in the House of Commons of England....
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. In November 1795 he was one of the sponsors of the London merchants and bankers loyal declaration of support for Pitt’s government. At the ensuing election in 1796 he was returned for Bossiney
Bossiney (UK Parliament constituency)
Bossiney was a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall, one of a number of Cornish rotten boroughs, and returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1552 until 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
as a guest of Lord Mount Edgecumbe. In 1802, he appeared as a candidate for Leominster
Leominster (UK Parliament constituency)
Leominster was, until 2010, a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.From 1295 to 1868, it was a parliamentary borough which elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election. Under the Reform Act 1867 its...
, Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
and secured his election with votes as follows
- John Lubbock 498
- Hon Charles Kinnaird 335
- Mr. Taylor 281
In 1794, the Directory of London & Westminster & Southwark shows him as a merchant in business with his partner F. Commerell at 2 St Mildred's Court, Poultry in the City of London.
In 1806, he was re-elected without opposition. There he remained until his retirement in favour of his nephew in 1812.
Baronetcy
In 1797, he insisted that the bank was fully competent to liquidate all the demands that could be brought against it, and recommended that £3,000,000 should be added to the capital, to enable the directors to discount to such an amount as would accommodate the commercial world.He was well disposed to the Greville ministry, which made him a baronet on 9 Apr 1806. John accepted this on the condition that he might pass it on to his nephew John William. This was granted and John William in gratitude chose the family motto to with it “Auctor pretiosa facit” (the giver makes the gift precious). He was listed amongst the “staunch friends” of the abolition of the slave trade at around the same time.
His nephew wrote of him “he was an excellent man of business and a genial, kind friend. He was fond of horses and hunting and used to drive 4 Greys into the City from his house in St James Place, which he had purchased in 1802 with Samuel Rogers
Samuel Rogers
Samuel Rogers was an English poet, during his lifetime one of the most celebrated, although his fame has long since been eclipsed by his Romantic colleagues and friends Wordsworth, Coleridge and Byron...
the poet; Sir John taking two-thirds and Mr Rogers one-third.
Residences
Sir John bought a large house on the west side of Clapham Common on 25 May 1787 from Isaac Akerman, and after a short period of residence there let it to W. G. Hamilton. MP (known as “Single Speech” Hamilton). By then known as Battersea Rise, this house was sold in August 1792 to the abolitionist Henry Thornton, who for some years shared it with his cousin and political ally William Wilberforce. Lubbock's acquaintance with these gentlemen helps to explain his anti-slavery stance. Afterwards he rented Marble Hill Cottage near Richmond from a Miss Hotham, daughter of Sir Charles Hotham, Bart. (this being the first known link between those two families; the son of his heir and nephew was later to marry Harriet Hotham) from 1792. He then purchased it in 1807 and kept it as a residence until 1812. Other residences included Hevingham Hall in Norfolk, Lammas in Norfolk, Tokin House Yard in London (Jan 1765 – Jul 1768), Broad Street, Walthamstow (1771–1774), , Stratford Place, Oxford Street (1794 – his death) and a house in Gorleston, Norfolk which he sold in Mar 1802.Portraits
Two portraits of John are known. The first is a full length portrait of him as a young man aged about 18, which used to be at High ElmsHigh Elms Country Park
High Elms Country Park is an extensive public park on the North Downs in Farnborough in the London Borough of Bromley. It is a Local Nature Reserve, and together with the neighbouring Downe Bank, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The park surrounds High Elms Golf Course, and has extensive...
in Kent, the family home during the 19th and 20th centuries. The second is of a more rotund version of him in much later life seated in a chair. There is also a picture of his young wife dated 1774 by John Downman, which appeared for sale advertised in Country Life (magazine)
Country Life (magazine)
Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
. The present day whereabouts of all these pictures is unknown, although reproductions exist.
Death
He died 24 Feb 1816 at 23 St James Place. He is buried at St James's Church, PiccadillySt James's Church, Piccadilly
St James’s Church, Piccadilly is an Anglican church on Piccadilly in the centre of London, UK. It was designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren....
where there were tablets to his memory, and that of his wife, in the belltower. There is no sign of them now and it is thought that the memorials may have been destroyed in the blitz. His wife outlived him by many years, moving to St Leonards in Sussex after her husband’s death. She eventually died there in 1845 at the age of 94.