Family and Education

b. 6 Dec. 1680, 3rd s. of William Jacomb of St. Mary Aldermary, London, by Mary, da. of Robert Blayney of London. educ. Eton 1692-5. m. (1) Francis Eyre (d. 1716), 1s.; (2) Lucy Pemberton, 1s.

Offices Held

Inspector gen. of accounts of the out ports 1716-20; dep. paymaster gen. 1720-d.

Biography

The son of ‘a quiet country gentleman’,1 Robert Jacomb was a partner in the firm of Gibson, Jacob & Jacomb, scriveners and bankers. He started as a clerk to Thomas Gibson,

who recommended him to Sir Robert Walpole as a man well skilled in funds and government’s accounts, and so Sir Robert finds him, depending on him more than on any other in matters of this nature.2

When Walpole returned to the pay office in 172O, Jacomb became his deputy there, handling his private and official investments during the South Sea crisis. He was the author of the ‘ingraftment scheme’, a proposal to transfer part of the inflated capital of the South Sea Company to the Bank of England and the East India Company, which was adopted by Walpole, passed into law, but never put into operation.3 Brought into Parliament by Walpole’s influence in 1722, he frequently served on the committees appointed each session to prepare the finance bills (see under Kelsall, Henry).4 He died 14 Dec. 1732.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

• 1. H. H. Drake, Hundred of Blackheath, 14.
• 2. HMC Egmont Diary, i. 118.
• 3. J. H. Plumb, Walpole, i. 306, 325-6, 338.
• 4. CJ, xx. 242 et passim.