John Baring, 2nd Baron Revelstoke

John Baring, 2nd Baron Revelstoke
John Baring, 2nd Baron Revelstoke
Born	Template:Birth date
Died	April 19, 1929 (aged 65)
Occupation(s)	Banker, peer
Known for	Senior partner at Barings Bank, director of the Bank of England

John Baring, 2nd Baron Revelstoke (7 September 1863 – 19 April 1929) served as the senior partner at Barings Bank from the 1890s until his passing. He was the eldest surviving son of Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke and descended from the firm's founder, Francis Baring, 1st Baronet, as his great-grandson.

Career at Barings

At the age of twenty, John departed from Cambridge to enter the family banking enterprise. Following his initial experience in the counting house, he traveled across North and South America to gain insight into Barings' global operations and to build important relationships. He was admitted as a partner in January 1890, just prior to Barings’ near failure during the Panic of 1890. Although not implicated in the financial turmoil, he maintained his partnership and contributed significantly to the firm's recovery efforts. By the time of World War I, under his guidance, Barings had fully regained its standing. Throughout the war, Revelstoke concentrated on securing funds for the Imperial Russian government.

Outside Appointments

Beyond his responsibilities at Barings, Revelstoke held numerous prominent positions. From 1898 until his death, he served as a director of the Bank of England; he was also Receiver General of the Duchy of Cornwall. In 1917, he acted as the British financial representative at the Allied Conference held in Petrograd and later participated as a British delegate on the Committee of Experts concerning German Reparations in 1929. His death occurred shortly before these reparations discussions concluded in Paris, leading to a temporary suspension.

Personal life

From 1904 until his death, Revelstoke lived at 3 Carlton House Terrace, London, and possessed a rural estate in Leicestershire. He remained unmarried but notably proposed marriage to Nancy Langhorne (later Nancy Astor) in 1906. Upon his death, his title was inherited by his younger brother Cecil, who was also a long-serving partner at Barings.

External links

P. Ziegler, The Sixth Great Power: The House of Barings, 1762–1929 (1988)
The Baring Archive