Joshua Bates

Partner in Baring Brothers. Together with his co-partners, he was an unsuccessful claimant for the Spring Garden estate in British Guiana, but the Barings firm did however intercept the very material compensation to the executors of Wolfert Katz (q.v.) on several major estates in British Guiana.

1. Born 10/10/1788 Weymouth Massachusetts, son of Col. Joshua Bates, a leading merchant of Boston. Originally himself a merchant and ship-owner in Boston, he became a partner in Baring Brothers after meeting John Baring in 1826 and was naturalized as a British subject in 1843. 'A major figure in Baring Brothers, especially in linking it to American investments, which proved enormously profitable.' Married Lucretia Sturgis 1813. Donated $50,000 to the Boston Public Library. Left £700,000. Bates' daughter Elizabeth married the Belgian Ambassador [Jean] Sylvain van de Weyer (1802-1874): in turn of the de Weyer's daughters Eleanor married Reginald Brett, Baron Esher (in the ODNB as 'courtier') and Victoria married Henry Brand Viscount Hampden, in the ODNB as colonial governor.

T71/887 British Guiana claim no. 2282 (Spring Garden).

1. William D. Rubinstein, Who were the rich? 1860- (Volumes 3 and 4, manuscripts in preparation), reference 1864/5 for Joshua Bates; 1874/114 for [Jean] Sylvain de Weyer.