Sir Richard Hoare (1648 – 6 January 1719)Victoria Hutchings
"Hoare, Sir Richard (1648–1719)"
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 12 November 2014. was the English founder of C. Hoare & Co, the oldest extant bank in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

Business career

Raised near

Smithfield Market Smithfield, properly known as West Smithfield, is a district located in Central London, part of Farringdon Without, the most westerly Wards of the City of London, ward of the City of London, England. Smithfield is home to a number of City in ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, only son of horse-dealer Henry Hoare (died 1699) and Cicely (died 1679), Richard Hoare began his working life apprenticed to the goldsmith Richard MooreHutchings, V. (2000), p. 10. from 9 June 1665 for seven years. He was granted the Freedom of the

Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths (commonly known as ''The Goldsmiths' Company'' and formally styled ''The Wardens and Commonalty of the Mystery of Goldsmiths of the City of London''), is one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City ...

on 5 July 1672. This date marks the foundation of C. Hoare & Co as a goldsmith's business at the sign of the Golden Bottle in

Cheapside Cheapside is a street in the City of London, the historic and modern financial centre of London, England, which forms part of the A40 road, A40 London to Fishguard road. It links St Martin's Le Grand with Poultry, London, Poultry. Near its eas ...

Political career

Hoare, a

Tory A Tory () is an individual who supports a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalist conservatism which upholds the established social order as it has evolved through the history of Great Britain. The To ...

, stood for election as Sheriff of London in June 1702 but was unsuccessful. He was knighted by Queen Anne in October 1702. He attained the office of

alderman An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law with similar officials existing in the Netherlands (wethouder) and Belgium (schepen). The term may be titular, denotin ...

in September 1703. At the election of May 1705, he first stood for the

constituency An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provi ...

of London, but could only manage fifth place as the City Tories were soundly defeated. He also failed in the City election of 1708, finishing seventh as the Whigs once again dominated the poll. Contesting the mayoral election of September 1710 he unsuccessfully challenged the Whig leader (Sir) Gilbert Heathcote but was appointed

Sheriff of London Two Sheriffs of the City of London are elected annually by the members of the City livery companies. Today's Sheriffs have only ceremonial duties, but the historical officeholders held important judicial responsibilities. They have attended the ...

instead and was elected to Parliament in the same year, finishing second in the poll. He finally became

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the Mayors in England, mayor of the City of London, England, and the Leader of the council, leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded Order of precedence, precedence over a ...

in September 1712 having also contested the election in 1711. The City election of 1713 saw Hoare returned to Parliament having again finished second but he did not stand in 1715. He subsequently withdrew from public life in 1718 due to ill-health. Hoare died at

Hendon Hendon is an urban area in the London Borough of Barnet, northwest London northwest of Charing Cross. Hendon was an ancient Manorialism, manor and parish in the county of Middlesex and a former borough, the Municipal Borough of Hendon; it has ...

on 6 January 1719. A monument to his memory stands in the church of

St Dunstan-in-the-West The Guild Church of St Dunstan-in-the-West is in Fleet Street in the City of London. It is dedicated to Dunstan, Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury. The church is of medieval origin, although the present building, with an octagonal na ...

and was designed and created by Thomas Stayner.

Family

Hoare married Susanna Austen; they had 17 children (one of whom was Henry Hoare I).Hutchings, V. (2000), p. 230.

Business career

Political career

Family

References

Further reading