Ann Alexander

Ann Alexander née Ann Barber (1770 – 15 January 1861) was a British Quaker, banker and bill broker. She was unusual because she was a woman running the financial company A.M.Alexander and A. and G.W.Alexander.

Life She was born in Eckington, Derbyshire. She was a milliner when she met and married the Quaker William Alexander in Doncaster on 13 February 1801. They were to have nine children. Her husband was a bank clerk, but in time he started to deal on his own, and in time, he had a thriving business which relied on trust.

Alexander invested the life assurance paid out from her husband's death into the business and took over the leadership. Her husband's executors were convinced by her talents and the business became A.M.Alexander. When her eldest son became an adult in 1823, he was taken into the business, and the following year the business was renamed A. and G.W.Alexander. Her son was however not the leading partner, and he took a third of the profits while she took two thirds.

Alexander died in Reigate and left c. £14,000.