Hester Pinney facts for kids

Hester Pinney (born July 3, 1658, in Broadwindsor, Dorset – died February 19, 1740) was an English businesswoman. She worked closely with her sister, Rachel Pinney. They were known for trading in lace, just like their other sisters, Sarah Pinney and Jane Hoare. Hester also organized people who worked from home to make lace. Later, she started importing sugar from Nevis. Her brother, Azariah Pinney, had moved there and became very successful in the sugar trade.

Hester Pinney's Early Life and Business

Hester Pinney was the eighth of ten children. Her parents were John Pinney, a minister, and Jane French. When her father was forced to leave his church, the family decided to start a business selling lace. Hester's sisters, Jane Hoare and Sarah Pinney, were already involved in this trade.

In 1682, Hester moved to London and began working with her sister Rachel. They opened a lace shop in a famous place called the Royal Exchange. They sold beautiful laces from Devon and yarn from Antwerp. They also arranged for yarn to be brought in, which was then given to people who made lace at home.

Building a Business Empire

Hester Pinney was especially good at business and negotiating deals. She even helped her brother, Azariah, escape punishment after he was involved in the Monmouth Rebellion. She managed to persuade officials to let him leave the country. He was secretly sent abroad and ended up in Nevis with only a small amount of money. There, he started trading in lace and sugar.

Hester began importing sugar from the West Indies. She also started a school to teach people how to make lace. She even lent money, acting like a banker. Her hard work and clever business decisions made her entire family very rich.

After her father passed away in 1705, Hester became even more independent in her business. She was very successful in making smart investments. It was quite unusual for an unmarried woman during her time to achieve such a high position in the business world. Hester never married, which meant she kept control of her own money and business. She worked closely with a lawyer named George Booth. They did not have any children.

When George Booth died in 1726, Hester had been living in the same house as him for three years. She was the only person he trusted to handle his will. He left her property in West Ham and Houndsditch, and a large estate called the manor of Monken Hadley, which was outside London.

Later Years and Legacy

Hester Pinney passed away on February 19, 1740, in Holborn. She was buried in St Mary the Virgin, Monken Hadley. She left a lot of her wealth to her sister Rachel and her nephew Azariah. She also left money to John Frederick Pinney, a great-nephew from Nevis, who was already wealthy from the family's sugar business there. Some of Hester's letters and business records are kept at Bristol University Library today. They help us learn more about her amazing life as a businesswoman.