Daniel Gurney

From Wikipedia: Daniel Gurney

Daniel Gurney (1791–1880), was an English banker and antiquary from the Gurney family of Norwich.

Life

Gurney was born at Earlham Hall, Earlham Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ 52.6255, 1.2366, near Norwich, on Wednesday, 9 March 1791, as the youngest son of John Gurney (1749–1809) of Earlham, Norfolk, and brother of Elizabeth Fry, the philanthropist, Louisa Gurney Hoare, a writer on education, and Joseph John Gurney and Samuel Gurney. His mother, Catherine Gurney, the daughter of Daniel Bell, died in 1792. He descended directly from a younger branch of the ancient family of Gurney or Gournay, which held manors in Norfolk (in the time of Henry II).

After completing his education Gurney entered the Norwich firm of Gurney's Bank, of which he afterwards headed and for more than 60 years was a partner. He wrote several privately circulated essays on banking. As the head of one of the first banks in the English provinces, he gained social and political influence. His amiability, courtesy and generosity endeared him to his contemporaries. He was main figure behind the foundation of the West Norfolk and Lynn Hospital.

One of Gurney's pursuits was archaeology, as a prominent fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He took a great interest in genealogy. In 1848 he printed in two volumes for private circulation an elaborate Record of the House of Gournay, to which he added a supplement in 1858. The book was valued for its varied antiquarian information and research.

Gurney, a conservative in politics, was a justice of the peace and deputy-lieutenant for the county of Norfolk, and filled the office of High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1853. He married in 1822 Lady Harriet Jemima Hay (1803–1837), daughter of William Hay, 17th Earl of Erroll, by whom he had nine children. Their son Charles Henry Gurney married a daughter of Henry Thoby Prinsep and graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge to become a partner in Saunderson's Bank in London. Daniel Gurney died on Monday, 14 June 1880 at his seat near North Runcton North Runcton Hall, now near 22 Cedar Grove, North Runcton, Norfolk PE33 0QY 52.717894, 0.435926.

From Runcton web: Daniel Gurney

Daniel (Dan) Gurney was born on Wednesday, 9 March 1791, the youngest of 11 children (another child, a first son, had died in infancy). His parents were Catherine Gurney (née Bell) and John Gurney, who came from a long-standing Norwich family of merchants and members of The Society of Friends (the Quakers). In addition to trading, John Gurney had interests in Gurneys Bank, founded by his cousin Barlett. Having previously lived in Magdalen Street, Norwich, the family moved in 1785 to Earlham Hall, outside the city. Their time there, and the children's lives subsequently, are described in The Gurneys of Earlham Volumes I and II by Augustus J.C. Hare, published by George Allen in 1895. Earlham Hall is now part of the University of East Anglia, housing the School of Law.

Daniel's mother died in 1792, when he was not yet two years old, and his eldest sister Catherine, 15 years his senior, brought up the family. His brothers Samuel and Joseph went to a Mr Browne's school (at Wymondham and Hingham), and Dan did likewise. He also studied for some time in Oxford with Mr Rogers, who took a few pupils independently of the University.

By 1809 he was working at the King's Lynn branch of the family bank, sharing a house with his brother John. In this year Dan contracted scarlet fever (he survived, but the long-serving family nurse, who came over from Earlham to care for him, caught the disease and died). This was also the year their father died.

Author of Cambridge University Library: The record of the house of Gournay by Daniel Gurney Published 1848

Author of Cambridge University Library: Supplement to The record of the House of Gournay by Daniel Gurney Published 1858

Image from The Gurneys of Earlham by Augustus John Cuthbert Hare Volume 2 Published 1896 Page 364

From FreeBMD: Registration of death of Daniel Gurney in 1880

April to June 1880: Registration of death of Daniel Gurney; aged 89 [born about 1791]; in Freebridge Lynn, Norfolk (Volume 4b, Page 222)

From British Newspaper Archive: Thetford & Watton Times Saturday, 19 June 1880 Page 8 Lynn: The late Mr. Gurney

The late Mr. Gurney. — The death is announced of Mr. Daniel Gurney, of North Runcton, and of the firm of Gurneys and Co., bankers. The venerable gentleman died on Monday afternoon, 14 June 1880, and his removal from amongst a community in which he has lived for the greater portion of his long life, has given rise to feelings of respectful sympathy and regret.

Mr. Daniel Gurney was always held in the highest esteem and regard in this neighbourhood, for his good qualities, his amiable and benevolent disposition, the generosity with which his affluence was always distributed, and his invariable courtesy and kindness of heart. As the head of the banking firm he wielded much influence in the town, both socially and politically, in his early and later manhood; but for some years past his increasing age has necessarily circumscribed the sphere of his activity, and he has at length been called away at the advanced age of 90 years.

He was married to Lady Harriet Hay, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Errol, and leaves a numerous family of children and grandchildren.

From British Newspaper Archive: Lynn News & County Press Saturday, 19 June 1880 Page 8 The late Mr. Daniel Gurney

Full obituary

From findagrave: Daniel Gurney (1791-1880)

• Name: Daniel Gurney
• Born: 1791, Norfolk, England
• Died: Monday, 14 June 1880 (aged 88–89), North Runcton, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, Norfolk, England
• Buried: [All Saints Churchyard, The Green, North Runcton, Norfolk PE33 0RB 52.71554, 0.43602]