(especially in reply to Trevor Dunkerley's query and others' comments on
this family of German traders)
(Please be patient a few more months as Metal Bulletin expects to put out a
History of Metal Trading in December (next month) where the subject is
treated in greater detail).
The Hoechstetter (in German with a o and dots on top, in English just with
an o) were from Augsburg. They were contemporaries of the Fugger and
Welser, and acted as general merchants, including in a few metals. Their
"old man" was Ambrosius Hoechstetter. They battled the Fugger but lost; the
firm went into bankruptcy about 1532 when Ambrosius Hoechstetter died in
debtors' prison in Augsburg. His son Joachim escaped to Britain where Henry
VIII named him "Principal Surveyor and Master of all Mines in England and
Ireland" as well as "Overseer of all Mines." Joachim traded wheat, mercury,
kerseys, tin, lead and hides, mostly between Britain and southern Germany.
There was then also Daniel, Ambriosius' grandson, another Ambrosius, son of
the first Ambrosius, and yet another Daniel, but details are hazy.
Regards
Helmut Waszkis
Helmut Waszkis
441 Wickford Point Road
Wickford RI 02852
401.294.2548
|