George Warde Norman

George Warde Norman (1793–1882) was an English director of the Bank of England, known as a writer on finance.

Early life He was born at Bromley Common, Kent, on 20 September 1793, the son of George Norman, a merchant in the Norway timber trade, and Charlotte, third daughter of Edward Beadon, rector of North Stoneham, Hampshire. He was educated at Eton College from 1805 to 1810, and then was in business with his father, spending time in 1819 to 1821 in Norway. His father retired in 1824, and he remained in the timber trade till 1830, when he transferred it to Sewell & Co., his brother Richard Norman becoming a partner in the new firm.

Financial interests From 1821 to 1872 Norman was a director of the Bank of England, and in 1826 played a role in the establishment of its branch offices. About 1840 he was appointed a member of the committee of the treasury at the bank. During the commercial crisis of 1847 he spent much of his time at the bank, and conferred daily with Sir Charles Wood, Chancellor of the Exchequer, in Downing Street. In 1832 he was examined before Lord Althorp's committee of the House of Commons inquiry into currency, and in 1840 he gave evidence for six days before Sir Charles Wood's committee on matters connected with circulation. In 1848 he was examined before a committee of the House of Lords on currency matters. He scored a total of 81 runs with a highest score of 37 not out. He was one of the founders of Prince's Plain Club which played on Bromley Common and retained his association with the club after it moved to Chislehurst and became the West Kent Cricket Club, serving as the club's president from 1832 until his death in 1882 and authoring a history of the club. Norman's brother, Henry Norman also played for Kent and the Gentlemen of Kent, as did his son Frederick Norman. Another son, Philip Norman played a single match for the Gentlemen of Kent and other members of his family played, including a grandson, Maurice Bonham-Carter, who played a single match for Kent in the early 20th century. An influential pamphlet, it was criticised by Samuel Jones Loyd, John Horsley Palmer, and Robert Torrens, and was republished under somewhat new name in 1838. His other major work, was An Examination of some prevailing Opinions as to the Pressure of Taxation in this and other Countries (1850, 4th edition, 1864), in which he combated the view that the increase of public expenditure was a proof of heavier taxation. Other works were: The elder daughter Sibella Charlotte married the barrister Henry Bonham Carter.