“ HEATHCOTE, SIR GILBERT (c. 1651–1733) , lord mayor of London, belonged to an old Derbyshire family and was educated at Christ’s College, Cambridge, afterwards becoming a merchant in London. His trading ventures were very successful; he was one of the promoters of the new East India company and he emerged victorious from a contest between himself and the old East India company in 1693; he was also one of the founders and first directors of the bank of England. In 1702 he became an alderman of the city of London and was knighted ”