Peter Gaussen
Peter Gaussen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1723 Geneva |
| Died | 1788-11-20 |
| Occupation | Banker |
| Years active | Deputy Governor of the Bank of England (1776–1777), Governor of the Bank of England (1777–1779) |
| Known for | Governor of the Bank of England |
Peter Gaussen (1723–1788) held the position of Governor of the Bank of England between 1777 and 1779.
Originally named Jean-Pierre Gaussen, he was born in Geneva to Paul Gaussen, a French Huguenot. He relocated to London in 1739. Prior to his governorship, he acted as Deputy Governor of the Bank of England from 1776 until 1777, succeeding Samuel Beachcroft as governor in 1777. Gaussen was notable as the first individual born outside Britain to assume this role. His term ended in 1779 when Daniel Booth took over. His period in office overlapped with the Bengal bubble crash spanning from 1769 to 1784.
On 16 February 1755, Gaussen married Anna Bosanquet, his second cousin and daughter of Samuel Bosanquet. They had three children: Peter (born 1756), Jane (born 1757), and Samuel Robert (1759–1812). The eldest son, Peter, passed away in 1781. Peter Gaussen died on 20 November 1788 and was interred at St Helen's Church, Bishopsgate.
Their son Samuel Robert Gaussen served as a Member of Parliament for Warwick from 1796 to 1802 and gained recognition as an avid collector of artworks by landscape artist Paul Sandby. In 1786, Peter Gaussen acquired Brookmans Manor in Hertfordshire as a present for Samuel.