Hollingworth Magniac

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Hollingworth Magniac (1786–1867)

Jardine, Matheson & Co., one of the largest trading houses
in Asia during the 19th century.

Biography

Magniac was born on 15 April 1786 in

Huguenot
(tracing back only to Charles Lewis Magniac b. 1725-??)[3] goldsmith who exported clocks and watches to China.[4] In order to keep an eye on his business interests there, he dispatched his son Charles to Canton where he went into partnership with Daniel Beale, an experienced China merchant, forming Beale, Magniac & Co. sometime before 1814.[5]: 17 

Before the removal of the

East India Company's monopoly on British trade with India and the Far East in 1834, the Scots-born seaman John Reid, a partner in Cox & Beale, discovered a way to circumvent the East India Company's jurisdiction. He took out Austrian citizenship and gained an appointment as Chinese Consul from the Emperor of Austria.[4] As he now had diplomatic residence rights he no longer needed a licence to trade in Canton from the East India Company. Other partners in the firm quickly followed this example. In Hollingworth's case, he became Prussian Vice-Consul under his brother Charles, who was senior to him in the partnership. Charles was killed in Paris in 1824 during a trip to Europe.[4]

Becoming Magniac & Co. after the retirement of Thomas Beale in 1814,

Jardine, Matheson & Co.[10][11] which would go on to become the largest trading company in Asia[12] and later a Fortune 500 listed company.[13]

Magniac married Helen Sampson, daughter of Peter Sampson, in 1827.[1] After his return to England, in 1835 Magniac became a partner in the merchant banking firm of Magniac, Smith & Co. along with partners John Abel Smith and Oswald Smith at 3 Lombard Street, London.[7] Jardine agreed to make them agents for Jardine, Matheson & Co. with the proviso "At no time shall it be expedient that we should give up the option of carrying on transactions with other London houses".[7] In 1841 the bank was renamed Magniac, Jardine & Co.[9] when William Jardine became a partner on his return to England.

Death

Magniac died on 31 March 1867 at age 80 in London, England. He is buried in the Magniac mausoleum in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire. There is a memorial to Magniac and his wife in the local church.[14]

Medieval art collection

Magniac's collection of medieval art included Christ Crowned with Thorns by Hieronymus Bosch, now in the National Gallery in London. He also owned a fake "15th-century" Swiss or German coffer now in the Victoria and Albert Museum[15] as well as the Reliquary from the Shrine of St. Oda which later passed to his son Charles.[16]

Issue

References

  1. ^ a b c Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 3, p. 4138.
  2. ^ https://www.geni.com/people/Col-Francis-Magniac/6000000014311971363
  3. ^ https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/francis-magniac-24-12mxlfc
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7112-2830-6. p.18 Online version at Google books
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-962-209-384-3. {{cite book}}: |first3= has generic name (help
    )
  6. ISSN 1991-7295
    . p. 221
  7. ^
    ISBN 978-0-275-98035-1
    .
  8. ^ "The East India Company's Abkarry and Pilgrim Taxes: Questions of Public Order and Morality or Revenue?" (PDF). Swedish South Asian Studies Network, Lund University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.p. 20
  9. ^ a b c "William Jardine". Stanford University. Archived from the original on 12 August 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  10. ^ "Jardine Matheson Archive". University of Manchester. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  11. ^ "Chinese free trade with Britain and America (英、美在中國的「自由貿易」)" (in Chinese). National Taiwan University. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  12. ISBN 978-0-060-93481-1
    . p. 6
  13. ^ "Fortune 500. 437: Jardine Matheson". Fortune. 2008. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  14. ISBN 0-7478-0518-0. p.11 Online version at Google books
  15. ISBN 978-0-520-07086-8
    .
  16. University of Columbia
    . Retrieved 27 March 2011.
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