Charles Barclay was born in
Cheapside, London on 26 December 1780,[1] the eldest son of
Robert Barclay (1751–1830) and his first wife Rachel
Gurney (1755–1794). The couple, who were married on 10 October 1775,[5] both came from wealthy
Quaker families with interests in the textile trade and banking. Charles' great-grandfather,
David Barclay of Cheapside (1682–1769), was a draper and one of the richest merchants in London, whom after his first wife died wed the much younger daughter of
John Freame (1669–1745), a co-founder of the present
Barclays bank.[6][7][8] Through her great-grandfather
John Gurney (1655–1721), Charles' mother was related to brothers
John (1719–1779) and
Henry Gurney (1721–1777),[9] who together founded
Gurney's Bank of
Norwich in 1770. This became part of Barclays in 1896.[10]
Although brought up a Quaker, Charles volunteered to serve in the local
militia when the country was
threatened with invasion from French forces under
Napoleon.
Charles Barclay died on 5 December 1855,[12] having been involved in a serious riding accident about two weeks previously, when "in consequence of meeting the hounds, he lost command of his horse, and fell to the ground, sustaining so much injury as to result in his death."[13]