Wednesday Regency: Banking

There's a scene in Improper Match where Selina needs to take money from the bank. However, women weren't allowed to do so. Even though two separate banks were owned and very successfully run by women, the laws of the time forbade them from actually retrieving their own money (theirs or their husband's) themselves.

I know, I know. But this was 200+ years ago. And for those who love the Regency Era, we love how our women work around these rules!

I learned much of this from Michelle Styles's guest post, but then did my own research. It's so interesting, how these brilliant women worked around the laws of the time.

Sarah Villiers, Countess of Jersey and patronesses of Almack's also happened to inherit primary legatee of the bank Child & Co from her maternal grandfather, Robert Child.

Harriot Beauclerk, Duchess of St Albans, actress on Drury Lane was also the wife of banker Thomas Coutts and upon his death, inherited his entire fortune including controlling interest in Coutts Bank where the royal family continued to bank today.

Upon Harriot's death, "her property and fortune went to her step-granddaughter, carefully selected as heir after careful scrutiny of the possible recipients, who as a condition of the inheritance adapted her name to Angela Burdett-Coutts." (wiki page)