George Muskett
George Alfred Muskett | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1785 |
| Died | 1843-01-31 |
| Occupation(s) | Financier, parliamentarian |
| Years active | 1808–1843 |
| Known for | Member of Parliament for St Albans (1837–1841), founder of Bank of St Albans |
George Alfred Muskett (1785 – 31 January 1843) was a British financier and parliamentarian who represented St Albans as a Member of Parliament between 1837 and 1841.
Initially, Muskett was involved as a partner in a chemical manufacturing enterprise located in Southwark, specializing in the production of dyes and varnishes. In 1808, he eloped with Mary Ann Hapgood, an heiress under court guardianship, which led to his incarceration in the Fleet. With legal assistance from Samuel Romilly, Muskett negotiated a settlement that secured his release. Following Mary Ann’s death in 1809, her estate passed to Muskett. He remarried in 1811 to Sarah Cook, a cousin of his first wife, and they had two daughters together. Utilizing the wealth inherited from Mary Ann, Muskett broadened his commercial ventures by acquiring multiple properties across London, tin mining operations in Cornwall, and the Cilgwyn quarry situated in Wales. Additionally, he purchased a manor estate in Rickmansworth.
Muskett’s principal enterprise was the establishment of the Bank of St Albans in 1834. The bank’s chief clerk, Henry Edwards, acted as the Liberal party’s election agent, while Thomas Ward Blagg, the town clerk, provided professional counsel. It is possible that Muskett encountered financial challenges at the bank’s launch; subsequently, Blagg was implicated in misappropriating funds from local businesses and charitable organizations to support the bank’s finances.
Winning election as a Liberal MP during the 1837 general election, Muskett was defeated in 1841. He held membership in the Reform Club. There are claims that his initial parliamentary victory involved bribery financed through his banking institution.
In late 1842, a controversy emerged when Charles Muskett faced charges related to operating a brothel; the Times newspaper erroneously identified George Muskett as involved. George pursued legal action for libel, but the case was dismissed. Soon after these events, he passed away unexpectedly on 31 January 1843 while visiting his brother in London. Contemporary accounts attributed his death partly to the strain caused by the lawsuit; modern scholars have also proposed suicide as a possibility. After his demise, the Bank of St Albans failed with debts approaching £20,000.