Christopher Needham
Encyclopedia
Sir Christopher Thomas Needham (30 August 1866 – 29 April 1944) was a British
businessman and Liberal
politician.
Needham was educated at Manchester Grammar School
and the University of Manchester
. He was to maintain a link with the university throughout his life, becoming a governor in 1908, a chairman of the council from 1936 to 1941. He became a partner in the family company, John Needham and Sons of Manchester
, iron and steel merchants.
He stood as Liberal candidate for the constituency of Manchester South West
at the January 1910 general election, but was defeated by the Conservative
, Arthur Colefax
. The position was reversed at the ensuing election in December, when Needham unseated Colefax to become a member of parliament
. He held the seat until 1918.
After leaving parliament, Needham was knighted in 1919, and expanded his business interests. He became chairman of the Manchester and Liverpool District Banking Company in 1922. He remained chairman of the company (renamed the District Bank
) until 1936. He was chairman of the National Boiler and General Insurance Company and was also a director of the London and North Eastern Railway
, the Manchester Ship Canal
and the Alliance Assurance company. Outside of business, he was chairman of Lancashire County Cricket Club
from 1941 to 1943.
He married Florence White in 1902, and they had one daughter before her death in 1905. Sir Christopher Needham died at his home in West Didsbury in 1944, aged 77.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessman and Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
Needham was educated at Manchester Grammar School
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...
and the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. He was to maintain a link with the university throughout his life, becoming a governor in 1908, a chairman of the council from 1936 to 1941. He became a partner in the family company, John Needham and Sons of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, iron and steel merchants.
He stood as Liberal candidate for the constituency of Manchester South West
Manchester South West (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester South West was one of six single-member Parliamentary constituencies created in 1885 by the division of the existing three-member Parliamentary Borough of Manchester...
at the January 1910 general election, but was defeated by the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, Arthur Colefax
Arthur Colefax
Sir Henry "Arthur" Colefax, KC was a British patent lawyer and Conservative Party politician.Colefax was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, and was the son of J S Colefax, a woollen merchant...
. The position was reversed at the ensuing election in December, when Needham unseated Colefax to become a member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. He held the seat until 1918.
After leaving parliament, Needham was knighted in 1919, and expanded his business interests. He became chairman of the Manchester and Liverpool District Banking Company in 1922. He remained chairman of the company (renamed the District Bank
District Bank
District Bank was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1829 until its merger into the National Westminster Bank in 1970; it remains a registered company but is dormant...
) until 1936. He was chairman of the National Boiler and General Insurance Company and was also a director of the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
, the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
and the Alliance Assurance company. Outside of business, he was chairman of Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
from 1941 to 1943.
He married Florence White in 1902, and they had one daughter before her death in 1905. Sir Christopher Needham died at his home in West Didsbury in 1944, aged 77.