Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet

In 1708, Sir Gilbert Heathcote and his brothers were granted a new set of arms, Ermine, three pommes, each charged with a cross or, which added the ermine field to the ancient Heathcote arms, previously argent.^[1]

Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet (2 January 1652 – 25 January 1733) was a British merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1701 and 1733. He was a Governor of the Bank of England and was Lord Mayor of London in 1711.

Early life

He belonged to an old Derbyshire family. He was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, the eldest of eight sons of Gilbert Heathcote and his wife, Anne.^[2]

He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge,^[3] 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.^[4]

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.^[5] In 1714 he was member for Helston, in 1722 for New Lymington, and in 1727 for St Germans.^[6] He was a consistent Whig, and was made a baronet eight days before his death.^[2]

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.^[2]

See also

• Heathcote (surname)

References

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
Civic offices
Preceded by Sir Samuel Garrard, 4th Baronet	Lord Mayor of London 1710–1711	Succeeded by Sir Robert Beachcroft
Baronetage of Great Britain
New creation	Baronet (of London) 1733	Succeeded by John Heathcote