Davison, Noel, Templer, Middleton & Wedgwood

Davison, Noel, Templer, Middleton & Wedgwood (1792-1816), established in London, was a past constituent of Coutts & Co.

Brief history

This private bank was established in 1792 at Stratford Place, Oxford Street, in London’s West End, under the title of Edwards, Smith, Templer, Middleton, Johnson & Wedgwood, and was otherwise known as London & Middlesex Bank. George Templer had amassed a fortune in India; John Wedgwood was the son of the potter Josiah Wedgwood; and the senior partner, Gerard Noel Edwards of Exton Park, Rutland, was a connection of the Earls of Gainsborough.

The firm got into difficulties in 1803 and was rescued by a £100,000 advance from Alexander Davison, a British government contractor. In 1804 the business, then generally known as Davison, Noel, Templer, Middleton, Johnson & Wedgwood, moved to Pall Mall. By 1806 it was known as Davison, Noel, Templer, Middleton & Wedgwood.

The bank's financial difficulties persisted despite capital injections by Lord Barham and Josiah Wedgwood, and in 1816 the business was wound up. It was recommended to customers that they transfer their accounts to Thomas Coutts & Co.

Published histories

  • FG Hilton Price, A handbook of London bankers (London, Chatto & Windus, 1876)

Summary of our archive holdings

For more information about these records, or to enquire about using them for research, please contact the Coutts Archivist: tracey.earl@coutts.com.

For help understanding words used here, check our glossary of banking record types (PDF 68 KB).

  • papers re partners 1794-1816
  • customer list 1816
  • customer ledger 1816
  • John Wedgwood oubliette (i.e. papers of the London & Middlesex Bank, Newton Abbot Office) 1801-16

Summary of archive holdings elsewhere