Two of the greatest financial fiascos of all time took place at the same time and were instigated by two acquaintances: the Mississippi Bubble, on which John Law at first made a vast fortune and gained sway over French finances; and the South Sea Bubble, launched by Law and Thomas Pitt, Jr.,...

Business history forces historians and economists to take a wider view of individuals' actions as economic agents. The risk-managing strategies of Lord Londonderry (also known as 'the Money Pitt') during the financial boom and bust of the South Sea Bubble illustrate this theme well. He dealt in...

Using two sources, Bank of England Transfer Books and Stock Ledgers, this article explores the nature of the customer base for Bank shares during and after the South Sea Bubble. This examination uncovers the nature of individual participation in this early capital market. The Transfer Ledgers...

Cover -- Contents -- Preface -- Cast of Characters -- 1. Storms in the Caribbean Sea and the Life of Lord Londonderry -- 2. The War of the Spanish Succession and the Jacobite Rebellion -- 3. The Diamond Deal -- 4. Learning by Doing: Law and Londonderry Before the Bet -- 5. The Bet of the Bubbles...