The career of Sir Josiah Child, 1st Baronet, transformed from an apprenticeship in a Fleet Street family business to the governorship of the East India Company. A major political and economic figure of the 17th century, he navigated the complex intersections of private commerce and state policy in the Kingdom of England during a period of intense mercantilist expansion.
Early Mercantile Success
Born in London around 1630, Child was the son of a merchant. He began his independent career around age 25 in Portsmouth, serving as a victualler and agent to the Navy Treasurer under the Commonwealth. These early roles provided the foundation for a substantial fortune, eventually allowing him to become a significant shareholder in the East India Company.
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Child rose through the ranks of the East India Company, serving as a Director in 1677 and becoming Governor in 1681. He managed the company with singular authority, often treating its corporate interests as his own. His tenure included the Anglo-Mughal War between 1688 and 1690 against the Emperor Aurangzeb. Although the conflict ultimately failed, the company retained its trading privileges following a massive indemnity.
Political and Economic Influence
Serving in multiple parliaments, including the Third Protectorate Parliament and the Cavalier Parliament, Child became a prominent voice in economic discourse. In works such as Brief Observations concerning Trade and the Interest of Money, he advocated for government-regulated interest rates and restricted colonial trade. While he supported the mercantilist doctrine of the balance of trade, he is sometimes viewed as a precursor to later free-trade theorists.
Estates and Public Standing
In 1673, Child acquired Wanstead Manor in Essex, where he invested heavily in landscaping, including extensive planting of walnut trees. He was created a baronet in 1678 and served as High Sheriff of Essex in 1689. He died in 1699 in London and was buried at St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard in Wanstead.
Fast facts
- Born: 1630, London
- Died: 22 June 1699, London
- Positions: Governor of the East India Company
- Political roles: Member of Parliament, High Sheriff of Essex
- Notable works: A New Discourse of Trade
- Burial place: St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Wanstead
- First marriage: Hannah Boate, 1654
Questions readers ask
Did Sir Josiah Child have any relationship with the bankers of Osterley Park?
No, the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography states he was not related to the Child & Co banking family.
What was the outcome of his war with Mughal India?
Child lost the war against Emperor Aurangzeb between 1688 and 1690, but the company secured the restoration of its trading privileges by paying a massive indemnity.
