Background
John Gurney was born in 1749 into an influential Quakers that had established Gurney"s bank in 1770.
John Gurney was born in 1749 into an influential Quakers that had established Gurney"s bank in 1770.
At the turn of the 19th century, the family business was led by Bartlett Gurney (1756–1802). John Gurney lived at Earlham Hall in Norwich. Another daughter was Louisa Hoare, the writer on education.
In the 19th century, the Gurney family was known for its wealth: In Gilbert and Sullivan"s 1875 comic opera "Trial by Jury", a character describes his accumulation of wealth until at length I became as rich as the Gurneys.
About the same time, he also took over control of the London billbroking business of Richardson, Overend & Company, whose title was subsequently changed to Overend, Gurney and Company. lieutenant went on to become the world"s largest discounting house.