Alexander Baring, 1st Baron Ashburton (1773-1848), Financier

Sitter in 10 portraits
Alexander Baring was brought up in his father's banking business, and spent from 1795 to 1801 in the United States working on various land deals for the firm. On his father's death in 1810 he became head of the family firm, changing its name to Baring Brothers & Co. Baring was an MP from 1806 until 1835 when he was created Baron Ashburton. Initially he sat as a Whig, however he became progressively more conservative. He was opposed to parliamentary reform and his party's support of it led him to move to the Tory benches.