One of the oldest City banks, the partnership originated c1650 with Henry Pinckney, a goldsmith banker trading from the sign of the three squirrels in Fleet Street, London. The firm was led subsequently by the Chambers family. In 1794 Benjamin Sharpe became a partner and from that date the customary name of the business was Goslings and Sharpe, the Sharpes remaining as junior partners with no right to nominate their successors. In 1742 Sir Francis Gosling joined the firm and thereafter the Goslings name predominated in the partnership. The Goslings' original trade was that of stationers.
In 1896 Goslings was one of 20 banks (all but one being private partnerships) that came together to create the new joint stock bank of Barclay & Company Limited, in a merger that was said to be the largest yet seen in Britain.
Two of the senior partners joined the board of Barclays as directors, and all but one became local directors, the ancient banking house at 19, Fleet Street being designated as one of the original local head offices of the new company.
From the guide to the Goslings and Sharpe: private bankers, Fleet Street (London): branch records including customer ledgers, 1717-1972, (Barclays Group Archives (BGA))
