About William Ewer
Lived 1720 – 1789 (aged 68–69). William Ewer was a banker, politician and merchant.
William Ewer (c. 1720 – 23 June 1789) was an English merchant, banker and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1765 and 1789.
Ewer was the son of Henry Ewer of The Lea, Hertfordshire and his wife Hester Vandeput, daughter of Sir Peter Vandeput (1641- 1709). He and his brother Thomas Ewer inherited the grocery business of their uncle Charles Ewer MP in 1742, and continued trading at his premises in London. They were also merchants trading with Turkey.
Ewer became a director of the Bank of England in 1763, holding this post until his death. He was returned unopposed as member of parliament for Dorchester on the interest of his cousin Lord Shaftesbury, governor of the Levant Company, in a by-election in 1765. He retained the seat in contests in the 1768 general election and the 1774 general election. He was appointed Deputy Governor of the Bank of England in 1779. Ewer's tenure as Governor occurred during the Bengal bubble crash (1769–1784).
Ewer was one of the St. Alban's Tavern group, which tried to bring together William Pitt the Younger and Charles James Fox. He was re-elected MP for Dorchester in the 1784 general election. As well as banking he spoke on behalf of the mercantile interest.
Ewer died on 23 June 1789.
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Important facts
People in William Ewer's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William Ewer's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Ewer?
English merchant, banker and politician
When was William Ewer born?
William Ewer was born in 1720 in Hertfordshire.
When did William Ewer die?
William Ewer died on 23 June 1789.
What was William Ewer's occupation?
William Ewer was a banker, politician and merchant.
What nationality was William Ewer?
William Ewer's recorded nationality: English people.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William Ewer (banker)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Ewer. https://biography.guide/william-ewer/
MLA: "William Ewer." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-ewer/.
Chicago: "William Ewer." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-ewer/.
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