Nicholas Loney

Who was Nicholas Loney?

Nicholas Loney was a British businessman and Vice Consul in the Philippines.

The younger son of Admiral Loney of the Royal Navy, Nicholas Loney left home at 16. He first went to Latin America where he traveled extensively and learned Spanish for a few years. He then turned home to Plymouth, England but stayed only a short time before departing for Asia. He eventually ended up in Singapore where he worked for Ker & Co., a merchant house. As the Philippines, opened to international trade, Ker & Co. sent him to Manila where he became a popular figure among the business community. When Iloilo City was opened to international trade in 1856, he was appointed as first British Vice Consul in Iloilo. Sugar production was increasing due to growing price of sugar in Manila and Loney helped the plantation owners and farmers by providing loans and purchasing modern machinery from Europe through his firm, Loney & Ker Co., which helped increased the efficiency of sugar production in Iloilo. He also encouraged improvements in infrastructure at the port of Iloilo, reclamation of the western bank of Iloilo River and the construction of the Calle Progreso which became the location of numerous sugar warehouses.