C. Hoare & Co

C. Hoare & Co., also known as Hoares, is a British private bank, founded in 1672 by Sir Richard Hoare. A twelfth-generation family business, it is owned by eight of Sir Richard's direct descendants. It is the oldest privately owned bank in the United Kingdom and reputedly the fourth-oldest in continuous operation globally. It is also the second oldest family owned bank in the world after the Berenberg Bank. C. Hoare & Co. provides private banking services that include loans, mortgages and savings accounts. Over the years, its clients have included Samuel Pepys, John Dryden, Jane Austen and numerous members of the aristocracy; today, they are primarily high-net-worth individuals and families. The bank has two branches in London, 37 Fleet Street and 32 Lowndes Street.