John Gurney a member of the renowned Gurney banking family of Norfolk was mayor of Norwich.
Background
John Gurney was born on 11 December 1845 in Earlham Hall, Norfolk, son of Rev John Gurney (1809–1856) and Laura Elizabeth Pearse (1825-1899) of Thorpe, Norfolk. His father died when he was still young so he was brought up by his widowed mother at Earlham.
Education
He was educated at Harrow, whence he proceeded to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1866.
Career
John Gurney was a banker in Norwich, being involved in the family bank. He was a Justice of the Peace (Justice of the Peace). Despite being blind he was elected Mayor of Norwich in 1885.
He rebuilt Sprowston Hall in 1876.
After a hundred years as a jail in the 1880s and John Gurney put up the then considerable sum of £5,000 to help move the existing Norfolk and Norwich Museum into the building from its home on Street Andrews Street. In 1874 he gave a large contribution towards the purchase of Ham House and grounds (to which he had succeeded) by the Corporation of the City of London, to serve as a public open space, now known as West Ham Park.
John married Lady Isabel Blake-Humfrey in 1871. Isabel was born on 20 December 1851 in Wroxham House, Norfolk and died on 22 February 1932 aged 80.
John and Isabel had seven children:
Sybil born 1873 and died 1944.
John Nigel, born 1874 and died 1902. Laura, born 1875 and died 1957. She was awarded the Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire
Sir Eustace, born 1876 and died 1927.
He was awarded the Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Sir Hugh Gurney, born 1878 and died 1968.
He was awarded the MVO and Knight Commander of the Order of Street Michael and Saint George
Robert Gurney, the zoologist born 1879 and died 1950. Samuel, born 1886
An earthquake, which occurred at Cannes at the time of his visit, is supposed to have indirectly caused his death.
He was buried in the quiet churchyard of Earlham.
Membership
He became a member of the firm of Gurneys, Birkbecks, Barclay, and Buxton.