| Code | DS/UK/696 |
| Surname | Paterson |
| Forenames | William |
| Dates | 1658 – 1719 |
| Epithet | Director (1694 - 1695) |
| Activity | Banking projector who was among the first directors of the Bank of England when it was chartered in 1694. He resigned in 1695.
Paterson was involved in the failed Darien scheme of July 1698 (an unsuccessful colony in Panama). An act of the Scottish parliament of 26 June 1695 'for a Company Tradeing to Affrica and the Indies' named Paterson as one of ten London directors of the company. He subscribed for £3000 of company stock and in July 1696 was instrumental in persuading the company to create a free port and colony in Darien. Paterson eventually accompanied the first, ill-fated, Scottish voyage to Darien in July 1698. After the collapse of a second expedition, and in the face of both Spanish and English opposition, the Scots abandoned the colony. |
| Source | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ODNB) – : https://www.oxforddnb.com/ |
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