William Herbert Vacher (ca.1826 in London – 1899 in Hastings, England) was a prominent British merchant and banker who was a member of the Shanghai Municipal Council, a chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, founding manager of the London branch of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.
William Herbert Vacher was born in 1826 in London. On 17 November 1855 Vacher married Elizabeth (born about 1833) only daughter of Edward King of Shanghai and previously of Brixton, Surrey, at the Holy Trinity Church in Shanghai, China.[1] Subsequently, Vacher and his wife had seven children, two of whom were born in China.[2]
Career
From 1844 Vacher was resident in Canton, China.[3] By 1846 Vacher had become a member of the firm of Gilman, Bowman & Co. (Tae-ping),[4] a British hong established by Richard James Gilman and Abram Bowman[5] as a tea trader in 1840,[6] (later Gilman & Co. after the retirement of Bowman).[7] In 1850 Vacher was listed as still resident in Canton.[8]
By 1851 Vacher had transferred to Shanghai, where from 9 August he was an authorised representative of Gilmam, Bowman, & Co.[9] Vacher was a member of the Shanghai Municipal Council from 1852 to at least 1856, where he was a member of the Committee to study the erection of a new building for the Shanghai Library in 1852, and also a member of Committee II: Assessments of Foreign-owned property.[10] In August 1855 Vacher was still resident in Shanghai.[11] In May 1856 Vacher and Charles Wills (died in Shanghai in 1857) were assigned the assets of bankrupt British merchant Peter Felix Richards (died in China in 1868), which included the lugger-rigged vessel the Margaret Mitchell, and the Richards Hotel and Restaurant.
Vacher was a leading freemason, who was President of the North China Lodge of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1852 and 1855,[12] presided over the first English Mark Masters Lodge of Shanghai on 15 December 1854.[13] By 1859 Vacher was the chairman of the influential Shanghai British Chamber of Commerce.[14]
In 1859 Vacher is listed as resident in Ningpo.[15] Vacher's interest in Gilman & Co. ceased on 2 July 1860.[16] Vacher retired as a partner in Gilman & Bowman in 1865.[17]
In 1865 Vacher and his family returned to England, where he became the first manager of the London office of the newly established The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation later that year.[18] In 1873 Vacher was forced to resign when it was discovered that he "had made disastrous speculations in South American railways, and had lost both on his own and the bank's account" £81,000.[19]
Vacher died at the age of 73 on 23 February 1899 at 44 Cambridge Gardens, Hastings, Sussex, England.[21]
References
^Notice in Morning Chronicle, 6 February 1856, and according to Denise Cusick, "William Vacher and Elizabeth (maiden name not known) married at Holy Trinity in Shanghai China in about 1855."
^According to Denise Cusick, "At least two of their children (Emily Elizabeth & Ada K.) were born there before their return to England. Once back in England Walter Reginald, Gertrude, Ernest, Leonard, & Florence were born."
^J.H. Haan, "The Shanghai Municipal Council, 1850-1865: Some Biographical Notes", Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 24 (1984):207ff; http://sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/44/4401556.pdf
^The Chinese Repository 15 (Printed for the proprietors., 1846):4.
^Sometimes listed as Abraham. See The Solicitors' Journal & Reporter, Vol. 1 (Law Newspaper Co., 1857):96.
^The Solicitors' Journal & Reporter, Vol. 1 (Law Newspaper Co., 1857):96; Solomon Bard, Traders of Hong Kong: Some Foreign Merchant Houses, 1841-1899 (Urban Council, 1993):60; Dan Waters, "Hong Kong Hongs with Long Histories and British Connections", Paper presented at the 12th Conference of the International Association of Historians of Asia, at Hong Kong University (June 1991): 230-231; Allister Macmillan, Seaports of the Far East, 3rd ed. (W.H. & L. Collingridge, 1926):319; Shinʼichi Yonekawa and Hideki Yoshihara, eds. Business History of General Trading Companies: The International Conference on Business History 13: Proceedings of the Fuji Conference (University of Tokyo Press, 1987):145-146; Stephanie Jones, Two Centuries of Overseas Trading: The Origins and Growth of the Inchcape Group (Studies in Business History) (Macmillan in association with Business History Unit, University of London, 1986):18,31.
^Alexander William Gillman, Searches into the History of the Gillman or Gilman Family (E. Stock, 1895):207.
^Elijah Coleman Bridgman, Samuel Wells Williams, The Chinese Repository, Vols. 1-20 (Maruzen Kabushiki Kaisha, 1850):11.
^J.H. Haan, "The Shanghai Municipal Council, 1850-1865: Some Biographical Notes", Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 24 (1984):207ff; http://sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/44/4401556.pdf.
^Shanghae Almanac for the Bissextile or Leap Year of 1856 and Miscellany, Vol. 5 (Printed at the "North-China Herald" Office., 1856).
^Frederick M. Gratton, Freemasonry in Shanghai and Northern China 2nd ed. (1900):146.
^Great Britain Foreign Office, Correspondence Relative to the Earl of Elgin's Special Missions to China and Japan 1857-1859 (London: Harrison & Son, 1859):457.
^The Hongkong Directory with List of Foreign Residents in China (The Armenian Press, 1859):70.
^The Bankers' Magazine: Journal of the Money Market and Commercial Digest 26 (January to December 1866):550; and Carroll Prescott Lunt, Some Builders of Treatyport China (s.n., 1965):88.
^The Bankers' Magazine: Journal of the Money Market and Commercial Digest 26 (January to December 1866):550; Far Eastern Economic Review 18 (1955):322, 343; Carroll Prescott Lunt, Some Builders of Treatyport China (s.n., 1965):88; Jenna Tong, citing both the 1871 and 1891 UK Censuses, indicates that Vacher returned to the England by 1871, where he was a bank manager
^Robin Hutcheon, China-Yellow (The Chinese University Press, 1996):256; and also Colin N. Crisswell, The Taipans: Hong Kong's Merchant Princes (Oxford University Press, 1981):146-147.
^Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research, Vol. 5 (Society for Psychical Research., 1889):596. Vacher was still a member of the SPR and resident at the same address three years later. See Society for Psychical Research (Great Britain), Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research, Vol. 8 (Society for Psychical Research., 1892):621. Apparently he was still a member of SPR and resident at the same address by 1901. See Society for Psychical Research (Great Britain), Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research, Vol. 15 (Society for Psychical Research, 1901):507.
^National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 and FreeBMD. England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index: 1837-1915. District: Hastings (1837-1977), County: Sussex; Volume: 2b, Page: 19.
March 13, 2023
william, herbert, vacher, 1826, london, 1899, hastings, england, prominent, british, merchant, banker, member, shanghai, municipal, council, chairman, british, chamber, commerce, shanghai, founding, manager, london, branch, hongkong, shanghai, banking, corpora. William Herbert Vacher ca 1826 in London 1899 in Hastings England was a prominent British merchant and banker who was a member of the Shanghai Municipal Council a chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai founding manager of the London branch of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early years and family 1 2 Career 1 3 Later years 2 ReferencesBiography EditEarly years and family Edit William Herbert Vacher was born in 1826 in London On 17 November 1855 Vacher married Elizabeth born about 1833 only daughter of Edward King of Shanghai and previously of Brixton Surrey at the Holy Trinity Church in Shanghai China 1 Subsequently Vacher and his wife had seven children two of whom were born in China 2 Career Edit From 1844 Vacher was resident in Canton China 3 By 1846 Vacher had become a member of the firm of Gilman Bowman amp Co Tae ping 4 a British hong established by Richard James Gilman and Abram Bowman 5 as a tea trader in 1840 6 later Gilman amp Co after the retirement of Bowman 7 In 1850 Vacher was listed as still resident in Canton 8 By 1851 Vacher had transferred to Shanghai where from 9 August he was an authorised representative of Gilmam Bowman amp Co 9 Vacher was a member of the Shanghai Municipal Council from 1852 to at least 1856 where he was a member of the Committee to study the erection of a new building for the Shanghai Library in 1852 and also a member of Committee II Assessments of Foreign owned property 10 In August 1855 Vacher was still resident in Shanghai 11 In May 1856 Vacher and Charles Wills died in Shanghai in 1857 were assigned the assets of bankrupt British merchant Peter Felix Richards died in China in 1868 which included the lugger rigged vessel the Margaret Mitchell and the Richards Hotel and Restaurant Vacher was a leading freemason who was President of the North China Lodge of the United Grand Lodge of England in 1852 and 1855 12 presided over the first English Mark Masters Lodge of Shanghai on 15 December 1854 13 By 1859 Vacher was the chairman of the influential Shanghai British Chamber of Commerce 14 In 1859 Vacher is listed as resident in Ningpo 15 Vacher s interest in Gilman amp Co ceased on 2 July 1860 16 Vacher retired as a partner in Gilman amp Bowman in 1865 17 In 1865 Vacher and his family returned to England where he became the first manager of the London office of the newly established The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation later that year 18 In 1873 Vacher was forced to resign when it was discovered that he had made disastrous speculations in South American railways and had lost both on his own and the bank s account 81 000 19 By 1888 Vacher was a member of the Society for Psychical Research SPR and living at 54 Addison Mansions in Kensington 20 Later years Edit Vacher died at the age of 73 on 23 February 1899 at 44 Cambridge Gardens Hastings Sussex England 21 References Edit Notice in Morning Chronicle 6 February 1856 and according to Denise Cusick William Vacher and Elizabeth maiden name not known married at Holy Trinity in Shanghai China in about 1855 According to Denise Cusick At least two of their children Emily Elizabeth amp Ada K were born there before their return to England Once back in England Walter Reginald Gertrude Ernest Leonard amp Florence were born J H Haan The Shanghai Municipal Council 1850 1865 Some Biographical Notes Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 24 1984 207ff http sunzi1 lib hku hk hkjo view 44 4401556 pdf The Chinese Repository 15 Printed for the proprietors 1846 4 Sometimes listed as Abraham See The Solicitors Journal amp Reporter Vol 1 Law Newspaper Co 1857 96 The Solicitors Journal amp Reporter Vol 1 Law Newspaper Co 1857 96 Solomon Bard Traders of Hong Kong Some Foreign Merchant Houses 1841 1899 Urban Council 1993 60 Dan Waters Hong Kong Hongs with Long Histories and British Connections Paper presented at the 12th Conference of the International Association of Historians of Asia at Hong Kong University June 1991 230 231 Allister Macmillan Seaports of the Far East 3rd ed W H amp L Collingridge 1926 319 Shinʼichi Yonekawa and Hideki Yoshihara eds Business History of General Trading Companies The International Conference on Business History 13 Proceedings of the Fuji Conference University of Tokyo Press 1987 145 146 Stephanie Jones Two Centuries of Overseas Trading The Origins and Growth of the Inchcape Group Studies in Business History Macmillan in association with Business History Unit University of London 1986 18 31 Alexander William Gillman Searches into the History of the Gillman or Gilman Family E Stock 1895 207 Elijah Coleman Bridgman Samuel Wells Williams The Chinese Repository Vols 1 20 Maruzen Kabushiki Kaisha 1850 11 Haan J H Haan The Shanghai Municipal Council 1850 1865 Some Biographical Notes Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 24 1984 207ff http sunzi1 lib hku hk hkjo view 44 4401556 pdf Shanghae Almanac for the Bissextile or Leap Year of 1856 and Miscellany Vol 5 Printed at the North China Herald Office 1856 The Freemason s Monthly Magazine 25 Tuttle amp Bennett 1866 24 Frederick M Gratton Freemasonry in Shanghai and Northern China 2nd ed 1900 146 Great Britain Foreign Office Correspondence Relative to the Earl of Elgin s Special Missions to China and Japan 1857 1859 London Harrison amp Son 1859 457 The Hongkong Directory with List of Foreign Residents in China The Armenian Press 1859 70 Haan The Bankers Magazine Journal of the Money Market and Commercial Digest 26 January to December 1866 550 and Carroll Prescott Lunt Some Builders of Treatyport China s n 1965 88 The Bankers Magazine Journal of the Money Market and Commercial Digest 26 January to December 1866 550 Far Eastern Economic Review 18 1955 322 343 Carroll Prescott Lunt Some Builders of Treatyport China s n 1965 88 Jenna Tong citing both the 1871 and 1891 UK Censuses indicates that Vacher returned to the England by 1871 where he was a bank manager Robin Hutcheon China Yellow The Chinese University Press 1996 256 and also Colin N Crisswell The Taipans Hong Kong s Merchant Princes Oxford University Press 1981 146 147 Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research Vol 5 Society for Psychical Research 1889 596 Vacher was still a member of the SPR and resident at the same address three years later See Society for Psychical Research Great Britain Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research Vol 8 Society for Psychical Research 1892 621 Apparently he was still a member of SPR and resident at the same address by 1901 See Society for Psychical Research Great Britain Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research Vol 15 Society for Psychical Research 1901 507 National Probate Calendar Index of Wills and Administrations 1858 1966 and FreeBMD England amp Wales FreeBMD Death Index 1837 1915 District Hastings 1837 1977 County Sussex Volume 2b Page 19 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Herbert Vacher amp oldid 924601797, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
