George Courtauld (industrialist, born 1761)

British silk weaver and industrialist (1761–1823)

George Courtauld

Born| (1761-09-19)September 19, 1761

Cornhill, City of London, Kingdom of Great Britain

Died| August 12, 1823(1823-08-12) (aged 61)

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States

Burial place| Allegheny Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Occupations|

* Industrialist
* silk weaver

Known for| Founder of George Courtauld & Co (later, Courtaulds)
Spouse(s)| Ruth Courtauld, née Minton
Children|

* Samuel Courtauld
* Catherine Courtauld
* George Courtauld

Parents|

* Samuel Courtauld, I
* Louisa Courtauld, née Ogier

Family| Courtauld Family

George Courtauld (1761–1823) was a British silk weaver, industrialist and founder of George Courtauld & Co (later, Courtaulds).[1]

## Early life

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George Courtauld was born on the 19 September 1761 in Cornhill, to Louisa Courtauld, née Ogier, and Samuel Courtauld, I.[2][3][4] A member of the Huguenot community in London, Courtauld was baptised on the 8 October 1761 at the French Church on Threadneedle street.[2][5]

## Career

[edit]

Apprenticed to a Spitalfields silk weaver in 1775, George Courtauld first worked on his own as silk throwster.[6] Between 1785 and 1794 he made a number of visits to America.[6] In 1794 he established his own textile business at Pebmarsh under the name George Courtald & Co., which was to become the UK's largest manufacturer of mourning crape.[6] However by 1816 the business was in financial difficulty: that year George's son Samuel took over the business and built it into the UK's largest manufacturer of mourning crape.[6]

Courtauld was an ardent Unitarian, and retired to the United States.[6]

Courtauld is buried at Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh.[6]

## Family

[edit]

George Courtauld married Ruth Minton[7] on 10 July 1789. Their children were:

* Samuel Courtauld (1793–1881)
* Catherine Courtauld (1795-)
* George Courtauld (1802–1861)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Union List of Artist Names. "Courtauld, George (English silk weaver, born 1761)". Getty Research. Los Angeles: Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Trust. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
2. ^ a b "Courtauld, George". England, Births and Christensings, 1538–1975. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch. 2013.
3. ^ Union List of Artist Names. "Courtauld, Samuel, I (English silversmith, 1720-1765)". Getty Research. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Trust. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
4. ^ Union List of Artist Names. "Courtauld, Louisa Perina (British silversmith, ca. 1729-1807)". Getty Research. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Trust. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
5. ^ Forsyth, Will. "The Huguenots of London". Layers of London. London: School of Advanced Study, University of London. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
6. ^ a b c d e f Samuel Courtauld (George Courtauld's son) at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
7. ^ Proceedings of the Huguenot Society of London: Volume 11. Huguenot Society of London. 1917

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

Artists|

* ULAN

Other|

* Yale LUX

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