John Twells Explained

John Twells
Birth Date:27 June 1776
Nationality:English
Occupation:Banker
Spouse:Mary Line
Children:2

John Twells (1776–1866) was an English banker who was partner in private bank Spooner, Attwood & Co and deputy chairman of the London & Greenwich Railway.

Life

He was born on 27 June 1776.[1] On his own account, he went into banking in 1801. He became a partner in the private bank Spooner, Attwood & Co. of Gracechurch Street, London, around 1816 together with Isaac Spooner.[2] [3] [4]

Twells was the initial deputy chairman of the London & Greenwich Railway in 1834, resigning in 1837.[5] He gave evidence to the 1857 Parliamentary Select Committee on the working of the Bank Charter Act 1844.[6] He approved of the Bank Restriction Act 1797.[4] On early colonial scrip, Twells commented that

"In a bad hour, the British Parliament took away from America its representative money [...]"[7]

Karl Marx picked up on his comment that the 1844 Act had been profitable for bankers, while disadvantaging merchants and those in business in a small way.[8]

Twells died on 10 March 1866.[1] How can paper money increase the wealth of a nation? (1867, anonymous)[9] was by his son John.[10]

Family and connections

Twells married Mary Line, daughter of Joseph Line of Alum Rock, Worcestershire, and they had two sons, the Rev. John Twells and Philip Twells M.P.[1] [11] Matthias Attwood M.P. was a connection in the London & Greenwich, where he was treasurer, and in the bank.[3] He was also a connection by marriage, having married Susanna Twells, daughter of Twells's brother William.[12]

Twells & Co., the Birmingham manufacturers, proprietor Philip M. Twells, were related. They supplied a locomotive to the London & Greenwich, No. 8 Thames, in 1838, thought to be a one-off.[13] It has been suggested that they acted only as agents.[14] Philip Mellor Twells was a Birmingham brass and copper tube manufacturer.[15] Edward Twells was son of Philip Mellor Twells of Ashted.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: southwellchurches.nottingham.ac.uk/, Gamston - Glass. 21 September 2017.
  2. Book: Orbell, John. British Banking: A Guide to Historical Records. 21 September 2017. 2017-07-05. Taylor & Francis. 9781351954686. 498.
  3. Book: Ronald Henry George Thomas. London's First Railway: The London and Greenwich. 1986. B. T. Batsford Limited. 978-0-7134-5414-7. 26.
  4. Book: Commons, Great Britain. Parliament. House of. Reports from Committees. 21 September 2017. 1857. Ordered to be printed. 475.
  5. Book: Ronald Henry George Thomas. London's First Railway: The London and Greenwich. 1986. B. T. Batsford Limited. 978-0-7134-5414-7. 70.
  6. Book: Twells, John. Evidence of John Twells ...: Given Before the Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Bank Charter Act, the Seventeenth Day of July, 1857. 21 September 2017. 1857. Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans, & Roberts.
  7. Book: Kirchubel, Michael A.. Vile Acts of Evil - Volume 1 - Banking in America. 21 September 2017. 2009-07-04. Mike Kirchubel. 9781448642250. 12.
  8. Book: Marx. Karl. Engels. Friedrich. Delphi Collected Works of Karl Marx (Illustrated). 21 September 2017. 2016-12-14. Delphi Classics. 9781786560629. 2798.
  9. Book: Halkett, Samuel. Dictionary of Anonymous and Pseudonymous English Literature. 21 September 2017. 1926. Ardent Media. 109.
  10. Book: Twells, John. How Can Paper Money Increase the Wealth of a Nation?.. 21 September 2017. 1867. W. Skeffington, 163, Piccadilly. And A. Metcalf, Retford.. 1.
  11. Book: The Illustrated London News. 1874. Illustrated London News & Sketch Limited. 249.
  12. Web site: The Attwood family: with historic notes & pedigrees . Robinson . John, of Sunderland . Thomas Arthur Carless Atwood . 1903 . . Hills and Company . 287 chart . 21 September 2017 . Sunderland.
  13. Book: Ronald Henry George Thomas. London's First Railway: The London and Greenwich. 1986. B. T. Batsford Limited. 978-0-7134-5414-7. 183.
  14. Web site: Twells and Co - Graces Guide. 21 September 2017.
  15. Book: Corporation general and trades directory of Birmingham ... and Wolverhampton. 1861. 326.

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