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Edward Backwell (c. 1619 - 1683), goldsmith and banker  Edward
was the son of Barnaby Backwell, a yeoman of Leighton Buzzard.
He was apprenticed as a goldsmith in 1635 to Thomas Vyner, a
leading figure in that trade. He received his freedom of the
Goldsmith's Company in 1651 and later, in 1660, he became a
prime warden.  During the time of the English republic, Edward
was deeply involved in credit finance, and dealt in former Crown
property that had been put on the market, e.g. during the
Commonwealth he purchased the park at Hampton Court and then
resold to the state, at a profit, during the protectorate.  In
the 1650s he was involved in bullion transactions and in 1657
helped Thomas Vyner to handle captured Spanish plate. He was
also very actively involved as treasu