Beeston Long
Beeston Long | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date England |
| Died | 1820 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Banker, Merchant |
| Known for | Governor of the Bank of England (1806–1808) |
| Notable work | Chairman of the West India Merchants; Senior partner at Long, Drake & Co; Vice-president of the London Institution |
Beeston Long (born 4 February 1757, died 1820), associated with Combe House in Surrey, was a prominent English entrepreneur.
Life
He was the son of Beeston Long, a merchant involved in West India trade and deputy Governor at the Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation. His siblings included Charles Long, 1st Baron Farnborough and Samuel Long.
As the senior partner at the West India trading firm Long, Drake & Co, which operated mainly with Jamaica from their base in Leadenhall Street, he took over the role of Chairman of the West India Merchants from his father-in-law. In his capacity as vice-president of the London Institution, Long spearheaded a coalition of merchants responsible for developing the docks located at Wapping. The London Docks Company maintained exclusive rights for 21 years to unload commodities such as tobacco, rice, wine, and brandy—excluding imports from the East and West Indies. From London Dock House, Long and his fellow directors managed these activities, which included participation in the Atlantic slave trade.
He held the position of Governor of the Bank of England between 1806 and 1808, having previously served as its Deputy Governor. In June 2020, the Bank issued a formal apology acknowledging Long’s and other former staff members’ connections to the slave trade, following investigations conducted by the Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slave-ownership at UCL.
Long passed away in 1820, leaving behind his wife and two children.
Family
In 1786, he married Frances Louisa, who was the eldest daughter of Sir Richard Neave, 1st Baronet.