HANKEY, Joseph Chaplin (?1754-1803), of King Street, Mdx. and Fenchurch Street, London.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1 Mar. 1799 - 1802

Family and Education

b. ?1754, 1st s. of Joseph Chaplin Hankey, banker, of Fenchurch Street and East Bergholt, Suff. by Catherine, da. of Isaac Gale of Jamaica; bro. of Richard Hankey*. educ. privately by Rev. Durand Rhudde.1 unm. suc. fa. 1773.

Offices Held

Biography

The Hankeys’ banking house at 7 Fenchurch Street was founded by Sir Henry Hankey, originally a goldsmith, who became an alderman of London. On his death in 1737 the business was carried on by his two surviving sons, Joseph and Thomas, knighted in 1737 and 1745 respectively. Sir Joseph died in 1769 and Sir Thomas in 1770. They were succeeded as head partner until his death in 1773 by Sir Joseph’s son Joseph Chaplin Hankey, father of this Member. Hankey himself first appears as a partner, with his second cousin Thomas Hankey of Fetcham Park, Surrey (son of Sir Thomas) and one Stephen Hall, in the Royal Kalendar for 1777, by which time the East Bergholt property had been sold. Thomas Hankey appears to have been head partner from about 1783 until his death in 1793, when Joseph Chaplin again took over. On his death the bank passed to Robert Hankey of Putney (brother of Thomas of Fetcham) and his son Augustus Robert, in partnership with Hall and one William Alers, Hankey’s sole executor. It survived until 1865, when it merged with the Consolidated Bank.2

Hankey, who signed the London merchants’ declaration of loyalty, 2 Dec. 1795, bought a seat for Wareham on the Calcraft interest in 1799, but no record of any parliamentary activity has been found for his brief career, which ended at the dissolution of 1802. In his will, 20 Feb. 1803, he left legacies totalling over £10,000, and at his death, 7 Apr. 1803, ‘aged 49’, was worth about £60,000.3

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Authors: Lawrence Taylor / David R. Fisher

Notes

  • 1. PRO 30/8/170, ff. 355, 356.
  • 2. Hilton Price, London Bankers, 78; W. A. Copinger, Suff. Manors, vi. 18-19.
  • 3. PCC 433 Marriott; Gent. Mag. (1803), i. 480.