Edward King Fordham

Edward King Fordham
Born	1750 Hertfordshire, England
Died	1847
Occupation(s)	Financier, businessman, political reform advocate
Known for	Co-founder of Royston Bank; advocacy for political reform

Edward King Fordham (1750–1847) was an English financier and advocate for political reform.

Professional Life and the Royston Bank

Born as the second son to Edward Fordham (1721–1778) of Therfield in Hertfordshire and Mary Carter (1722–1798), Edward King Fordham relocated to nearby Royston during his youth. He began his career working as a woolcomber and stapler before rising to prominence as a businessman and co-establishing the Royston Bank.

Founded in 1808, the Royston Bank traded under the name Fordham, Flower & Co. By 1825, leadership transitioned within the family to nephews John Edward Fordham (1799–1881) and John George Fordham (1780–1877), with John Edward taking charge of operations as John Fordham & Co.</ref> Subsequently known as Fordham & Co., the bank relinquished its autonomy in 1896 when it merged with eleven other banks to create Barclay & Co.</ref>

The Fordham Family Brewing Business

The Fordhams were also involved in brewing. According to Peter Mathias, managing maltster and brewer duties often led families like the Fordhams into financial services through malt duty retention. Edward King Fordham’s father, Edward, conducted brewing activities at Ashwell. Another family member named Edward King Fordham (1810–1889) expanded the brewery significantly by constructing a larger facility at Ashwell in 1839 alongside his brother Oswald. His efforts included acquiring numerous tied houses, resulting in the brewery becoming the largest local operation. This enterprise was eventually sold to Luton-based brewer J.W Green in 1953.

Political Involvement of the Fordhams in Hertfordshire

George Fordham, nephew to Edward King Fordham, was a supporter of William Cobbett and actively participated in reformist politics locally. During an 1822 assembly focused on rural hardship that included figures like Thomas Brand, 20th Baron Dacre and MP William Lamb, George advocated for a more assertive reform petition. However, Lamb and Sir John Sebright opposed yielding to reformers’ demands. Edward King Fordham backed retracting this amendment, criticizing his nephews’ radical approach as potentially divisive.

Connections

Archibald Forbes Macdonald (1808–1886) served as minister at Royston's Unitarian chapel from 1833 until shortly after Fordham’s passing. It is probable that Fordham was Macdonald’s chief financial patron. Macdonald later gained prominence as a progressive Radical figure.

Family Background

In 1785, Fordham married Sarah Chantry but died without leaving surviving children. Their memory is honored by a marble plaque in Kelshall church.

Together with his brother George (1752–1840), he acquired the Odsey estate from William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire in 1793. Two additional brothers were Elias (1762–1838), who served as a Unitarian minister, and John (1747–1830). Elias Pym Fordham was Elias’s son with Ann Clapton. Property holdings at Sandon, Hertfordshire were partly obtained through Elias.

Fordham’s sister Elizabeth (1765–1846) married brewer Richard Flower, sibling of Benjamin Flower. Their son Edward Fordham Flower was Edward King Fordham’s nephew, while the later Edward King Fordham of the late nineteenth century was his great-nephew.