William Marsh (1755-1846) Banker of Knightsbridge in the County of Middlesex,  then of York Gate, Regents Park, England

Born: 12 February 1755, christened 6 March 1755 at St Olave, Hart St, London and died 1 January 1846, aged 90, buried 9 January 1846 at St Mary Magdalene, Gillingham. 
Son of: George Marsh, commissioner of the Navy, and Ann Marsh (nee Long, 1720-1784).
Brother of:
1. George Marsh, Proctor in Doctor's Commons (1750?-1790).
2. Anne Marsh (18 February 1760 - 11 August 1777).
3. Samuel Mead Marsh (16 June 1751 - 10 July 1751).
William married firstly: Amelia Marsh (nee Cuthbert) (1765-1793), 27 October 1785 in St Mary's, St Marlebone, London,  daughter of Arthur Cuthbert (1734?-1788) and Sarah Cuthbert nee Hopkins (1744?-1777) of Woodcote Hall, Surrey. 
William married secondly: 15th November 1794, Frances Graham (1770-1805), second daughter of John Graham Esq of the Supreme Council at Calcutta. 
William married thirdly: Elizabeth Tresilian (1769?-1838), daughter of Leonard Tresilian Esq.  She died 28th February 1838.
William had issue by Amelia Cuthbert:
1. Arthur Cuthbert Marsh  (1786-1849) who married Anne Caldwell (Marsh-Caldwell) (1791-1874) daughter of James Caldwell (1759-1838) and Elizabeth Caldwell (nee Stamford) (1754-1831).  
2. Amelia Marsh (21 December 1788 - 26 August 1861).
3. George Marsh (1790 - 30 July 1868).
4. Madame Anne Gabiou nee Marsh (1792 - 1870) who married Monsieur Gabiou de Chanceaux.
5. Sarah Marsh (17 March 1793 and died 14 August 1793).
William had issue by Francis Graham:
6. Francis Mary Marsh (14 August 1797 - 2 May 1818).
7. William Marsh (18 October 1795 - 10 September 1824) who died on the day the bank crashed.  Surprisingly he died of natural causes and it would appear completely unconnected with the fall of the bank.
8. Mary Marsh (1798-1839).  Born 9 December 1798 and died 6 March 1839.  Buried 14 March at St Mary Magdalene, Gillingham, Kent.
9. Georgiana Nelson Marsh (1801-1861).  Born 7 January 1801 and died 24th March 1861.

William Marsh: An Overview

We know of William from the following sources:
1. His diary for 1824 covering the crash of the family bank. Also the list of creditors.
2. A collection of letters relating to Ann Marsh-Caldwell (William's daughter in Law).
3. The book "A Handbook of London Bankers", by F G Hilton Price, 1876.
4. The Complete Newgate Calendar, Vol. V.
5. Books about Nelson sometimes make reference to George Marsh (the Commissioner) and his son William Marsh (the Banker).
6. A record in the National Portrait Gallery, London, of a portrait sold at Sotheby's in April 1975.
7.  A collection of legal documents held in the Staffordshire Record Office (4229/1/1/1 onwards).
8. Memorial inside St Mary Magdalene, Gillingham, Kent.
9. "History of the Ancient Family of Marsh" by Joseph J. Green, Archivist and Genealogist, 1903, revised to date by Wm. Ernest Marsh, of Marston, Bromley, Kent, 1912.
10. Report on Marsh & Co by Robert Wilkinson, 1825.
11. Proceedings of the case of forgery against Henry Fauntleroy 1824.
12. Diary of William's father George Marsh.

William Marsh lived quite an incredible life.  He was married 3 times and managed to outlive all his wives and 5 of his 9 children.  His father George Marsh, Commisioner of the Navy, had set William up initially in a business that fulfilled naval contracts.  This is covered in George Marsh's diary.  This business prospered greatly with the expansion of the Navy in the late 1700s and one spin off of the business was that part of it operated as a prize agent selling off foreign boats captured by the Royal Navy.  This operation progressed on to become a bank which came to handle the savings of many of the rich and famous of the day, including Horatio Nelson.  The Marsh family were close friends of Horatio Nelson and Lady Nelson later became godmother to William's daughter, Georgiana Nelson Marsh.  The bank was recorded in the London Directory of 1797 as 'De Vismes, Cuthbert, Marsh, Creed and Co.' so presumably the part of the operation that became a bank was founded some time before this.  In the early 1800s Nelson refered to the bank as Marsh & Creed.  By 1824 the bank was based at 6 Berners Street, Oxford Street and was called 'Marsh, Sibbald and Co.' and it would appear that William Marsh was the senior partner.  Presumably the earlier partner, by the name of Cuthbert, was Arthur Cuthbert, the father of William's first wife Amelia.  George Edward Graham later also became a partner and he was the brother of William's second wife Frances's.  Times were difficult for banks in the early 1820s and the bank was forced to close in 1824 after a major fraud was carried out by one of William's partners, Henry Fauntleroy.  Much of this is recorded in William's diary for 1823-24 and his list of creditors. 

Miniature portraits of William's first two wives.   On the left Francis Marsh nee Graham. On the right Amelia Marsh nee Cuthbert. For more information on these miniatures please click here.

William seems to have owned a number of properties in London and in 1829 still owned the following:
No 38 Sloane Street, No 23 Norfolk Street, No 25 Norfolk Street, No 13 Sloane Square.  In 1840 he bought (with his daughter, Georgiana Nelson Marsh) a property known as No 11 York Gate.  A collection of documents including a number of letters relating to this are held at the Staffordshire Record Office 4229/1/3/1.  No 11 York Gate seems to have been used as a town house for all the family up until 1861 when Georgiana died and the property was sold.

Being a very rich banker William Marsh could afford to buy anything that took his fancy.  He built up a considerable art collection during his life, all of which was sold off after the crash of the bank in 1824.  What has survived of his personal belongings include one plate with his crest and one silver spoon again with his crest on the handle

In the National Portrait Gallery archive there is a record of a portrait of William Marsh by Francis Lemuel Abbott (c1760-1802) in a similar style to that of his father's (George Marsh).  William's dates are recorded on his portrait as being 1756-1846.

A note in the Staffordshire Record Office (4229/1/3/5/5) records him dying at Cheltenham.

Tablet in St Mary Magdalene, Gillingham, Kent.  The inscription reads: In Memory of William Marsh Esq.  formerly of Knightsbridge in the County of Middlesex, late of York Gate, Regents Park, who died 1st January 1846 aged 90 years.  Also of Elizabeth, his third wife, daughter of Leonard Tresilian Esq. who died 28th February 1838, aged 69 years.

If you have any information to add to what is listed please contact me on jj@jjhc.info
(Home)  (Diary of William Marsh)  (List of Bank Creditors)  (Henry Fauntleroy 1824)  (Letters of William Marsh) (lease 13 Sloane Square)  (diary of Lousia Marsh Caldwell)  (Miniatures of Williams wives)