John Twells (1776–1866) was an English banker who was partner in private bank Spooner, Attwood & Co and deputy chairman of the London & Greenwich Railway.
[2][3][4] Twells was the initial deputy chairman of the London & Greenwich Railway in 1834, resigning in 1837.
[5] He gave evidence to the 1857 Parliamentary Select Committee on the working of the Bank Charter Act 1844.
[4] On early colonial scrip, Twells commented that "In a bad hour, the British Parliament took away from America its representative money [...]"[7]Karl Marx picked up on his comment that the 1844 Act had been profitable for bankers, while disadvantaging merchants and those in business in a small way.
[14] Philip Mellor Twells was a Birmingham brass and copper tube manufacturer.