George Samuel Ford
George Samuel Ford was a bill discounter and solicitor who took interest in the financial affairs of many gentlemen of the period including the Lords Lichfield, Chesterfield, Suffield and the Count d'Orsay. A passionate follower of the turf, he was known in horseracing circles as "Lawyer Ford".
Background information
Ford's offices were at 8 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London; his residential properties were in Stratton Street, London and Brunswick Square, Brighton. He was born in St Clement Danes, London, and in 1816 married Hanna Bramah at St George's, Hanover Square, daughter of civil engineer Joseph Bramah. Their children included Sir Theodore Thomas Ford, who became Chief Justice for the Straits Settlements, Horace Alfred Ford, one of the greatest target archers of all time, William Augustus Ford, who followed Ford into the business and was a cricketer who played for the MCC, and George Ford who was also a cricketer and became a clergyman. Ford's grandchildren included Francis Ford, a good cricketer who played for his country, Lionel Ford who became headmaster of Harrow and the painter Henry Justice Ford.Ford kept horseracing stables and a stud in Newmarket and had interests in Epsom.
Money lending and bill discounting
In 1844 the affairs of James Gibbs, attorney of Jermyn Street, came under public scrutiny. He had been acting as a money scrivener, investing clients' money in worthless schemes, or using the money to bolster his failing business. Over a period of 20 years he slipped deeper into debt and borrowed money at exorbitant interest rates to avoid insolvency. Gibbs was eventually forced into bankruptcy, and this resulted in public exposure of the bill discounters' activities – including those of Ford. He had been dealing with Gibbs for many years and lending at rates of 25%, although his rates were not the highest as others were charging up to 60%.Charles Hallowell Hallowell Carew, came into contact with Ford through his association with horse racing. Ford's attendance at the track made him an easy point of contact for those who had suffered losses in the betting market. In 1851 Ford lent Carew of Beddington Park £2,000 on the security of a note and warrant of attorney. This was followed by a further £3,000 in exchange for a bill of sale for his furniture and horses. When Ford attempted to collect these assets he discovered that they had already been seized by other creditors. Court cases ensued and Carew agreed to Ford managing his financial affairs. In 1856 Carew signed away all rights to his Beddington Park properties to new owners, one of whom was Ford's son William Augustus. The property had been in the Carew family for some 500 years.
Lord Huntingtower was a "client" of Ford who faced financial difficulties. Huntingtower borrowed large sums of money during his minority and was unable to meet the repayments. At this period bankruptcy laws applied only to traders, whereas non-traders in debt were classed as insolvent, subject to imprisonment and seizure of their belongings. To avoid this happening, Lord Huntingtower claimed he was a trader. Ford, who was a creditor, disputed this and brought a case to annul the fiat, but lost this on a technicality. Huntingtower did spend a period in Debtors' prison, but admitted at a later bankruptcy hearing that if he had acted on Ford's advice earlier, he would not have been placed in such an unfortunate position.
Lord Brownlow Thomas Montagu Cecil was another of Ford's clients to end up in jail for debt. He had applied to Ford for a loan during his minority, but Ford would not agree to this without a promissory note from his father the Marquis. However, Ford did lend a lower sum but Cecil left the country without honouring his debts. When he returned in 1854 he was arrested. Cecil applied to be discharged from custody and at the end of the hearing Ford removed his objection so that Cecil could be released. In later life Colonel Lord Brownlow Thomas Montagu Cecil was again subject of insolvency proceedings in 1894.
Sir Robert Juckes Clifton: Before he came of age in 1847, his gambling and horse racing activities placed him in debt to Ford and, like Cecil, was forced to live abroad. When he came of age he returned to England and Ford sued for his money. Clifton's father applied for an injunction against Ford but lost the case, however, the judge had little sympathy for Ford saying: "If a man would assist a boy of 19 or 20 to run extravagantly into debt, it was to be wished he would lose his money"
Sir Simeon Stuart borrowed money from Ford against his property. However, unbeknown to Ford, Sir Simeon had made a separate arrangement on this property at an earlier date. Ford went to the courts claiming he had precedence over this earlier arrangement but lost the case.
Sir Massy Stanley: On another occasion, Ford was delivering a cash loan to Sir Massy Stanley at an Ascot race meeting, when he was robbed of a reported £7000 by a pickpocket. By using underworld connections he was able to recover some of the money but had to pay a substantial "reward" to the villains.