Alexander Fordyce

[3] Alexander was baptized in Belhelvie as the youngest son of George Fordyce of Broadford (1663–Eggie, 1733), six times Provost of Aberdeen who was married twice, had many children but only a few survived.

In 1757, he left and found a situation as outdoor clerk to a banker named Boldero & Co at Lombard Street, London.

In 1768 he stood as a radical candidate for the borough of Colchester at the general election, but four people announced their endorsement in a newspaper.

Under his guidance the firm speculated freely, and gained by obtaining early intelligence of the signature of the preliminaries of the Peace of Paris in 1763.

With the proceeds of these and other speculations in Change Alley Fordyce purchased an estate near Wimbledon now Grove House, Roehampton, where he lived magnificently.

[16][17] Hope had undertaken commissions for Fordyce on the Amsterdam stock exchange involving dealings for the account in shares of the British East India Company.

[18] Fordyce had been speculating successfully and managed to deceive his partners for a while; according to one biographer, "It is said he succeeded in quieting their fears by the simple expedient of showing them a pile of bank notes which he had borrowed for the purpose for a few hours.

"[19] The tide of fortune then turned; he lost heavily at the beginning of 1771 in the fluctuations of the market caused by the dispute with Spain about the Falkland Islands.

Fordyce lost £300,000 shorting East India Company stock, leaving his partners liable for an estimated £243,000 in debts.

[31][32] According to Paul Kosmetatos "lurid tales abounded in the press for a time of merchants cutting their throats, shooting or hanging themselves".

[33] On 24 June 1772 his goods, stocks and country house were seized by The Crown; the whole City of London was in uproar when Fordyce was declared bankrupt.

[34] Neale, James, Fordyce and Down, the largest buyer of Scottish bills of exchange, were forced to declare insolvency.