Sir Francis Eyles

Born in a merchant family, Francis was apprenticed to Thomas Cooper, a London haberdasher becoming a freeman of the company in 1667. Together with his older brother John, he served as a commission agent in the Atlantic sugar trade with the special interests in trade with Barbados.

Besides being active as a merchant, Francis also held several important positions. He was director of the Bank of England from 1697 until 1715, its deputy governor (1705-1707) and governor (1707 and 1709). During his business career, Francis also acted as an assistant for the Levant Company and director both of the Old East India Company (1709-1710) and New East India Company (1702-1705, 1706-1709). His moneylending activities recorded already in 1689 when the brothers Eyles provided a loan to the government became more extensive in the following period. Namely, the larger part of their fortune is made during the French wars when they acted as financiers supplying bills of exchange to maintain the army in Flanders.

Because of his merits, Francis was elected one of the first Hanoverian baronets in 1714. He was also active in the public life of London serving as an alderman and sheriff.