John Pollexfen

John Pollexfen was a British merchant, official and political economist.

John Pollexfen was born as the second son of Andrew Pollexfen of Stancombe Dawney in Sherford, Devon. He started his career as a merchant in wines from the Iberian Peninsula. With the money he earned he bought Walbrooke House and the manor of Wembury.

He also held some offices in the Committee on Trade and Plantations (1657), the Privy Chamber (1678-1685, 1690-1702) and in the Commission for Preventing the Export of Wool (1689-1692). As a member of various economic affairs committees, Pollexfen helped to pass the Tobacco Act. However, his most significant appointment was as a member of the Board of Trade between 1696 and 1709.

In 1677 he served on special commission of the English East India Company and pointed out the negative consequences of its monopoly on the domestic economy. Later he agitated for the establishment of a new national company.

As a result of his long-time engagement in public career, Pollexfen published a series of political and economic essays. Some of them are: “England and East India Inconsistent in their Manufactures”, “A Discourse of Trade and Coyn” and “A Vindication of some Assertions Relating to Coin and Trade”.