Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet ^61,170,171

  General Notes:

He was a member of the Vintners' Company, London, and traded as a
Spanish wine merchant with Jamaica and the East Indies. He took an
active part in the founding of the Bank of England in 1694, becoming
first a Director and in 1708 a Governor of the Bank. He was also
Governor of the Eastland Company; President of St. Thomas' Hospital;
Colonel of the Blue Regiment of the Artillery Company; MP for London
in five parliaments from 1701 - 1713; MP for Helston 1715- 1720; for
Lymington 1722 - 1727; and for St. Germans from 1727 until his death
in 1733. He was Alderman of Walbrook also in 1702. He was Sheriff of London
1703 -1704 and Lord Mayor of London 1710 - 1711. He was created a
Baronet on 17 January 1733 and died eight days later aged eighty-one.
At his death his worth was estimated to be 700,000 pounds sterling.
The Lord Mayor travels in the ceremonial gold coach which was
constructed in 1757 at a cost of £1,065. Until 1711, when Mayor Sir
Gilbert Heathcote was unsaddled by a drunken flower girl, the Lord
Mayor used to ride on horseback.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Knighthood: 29 October 1702, Guildhall, London.

2. Baronet: 17 January 1733.

Gilbert married Hester Rayner, daughter of Christopher Rayner and Unknown, on 30 May 1682. (Hester Rayner was born in 1659, died on 27 September 1714 and was buried on 6 October 1714 in Low Leyton Church, Essex..)