George Barker (benefactor)
Encyclopedia
George Barker was a benefactor to Birmingham
.
Notwithstanding his arduous duties as a solicitor
, he devoted a large portion of his time both to scientific pursuits and to benevolent and social enterprise
s. He exerted himself with great energy to extend the advantages of the General Hospital
, in behalf of which he was one of the chief promoters of the Birmingham musical festivals. He was the founder of the Birmingham Philosophical Society, and by his lectures on chemistry
gave a considerable impetus to certain special manufactures. From the first he took a special interest in the inventions of Watt and Boulton; and it was chiefly owing to his exertions that an act was obtained for that ‘gigantic absurdity,’ as it was called, ‘the Birmingham railway.’ In recognition of his scientific acquirements he was in 1839 elected a member of the Royal Society
. He died 6 December 1845. His statue in marble is in the General Hospital.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
Notwithstanding his arduous duties as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
, he devoted a large portion of his time both to scientific pursuits and to benevolent and social enterprise
Social enterprise
A social enterprise is an organization that applies business strategies to achieving philanthropic goals. Social enterprises can be structured as a for-profit or non-profit....
s. He exerted himself with great energy to extend the advantages of the General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
, in behalf of which he was one of the chief promoters of the Birmingham musical festivals. He was the founder of the Birmingham Philosophical Society, and by his lectures on chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
gave a considerable impetus to certain special manufactures. From the first he took a special interest in the inventions of Watt and Boulton; and it was chiefly owing to his exertions that an act was obtained for that ‘gigantic absurdity,’ as it was called, ‘the Birmingham railway.’ In recognition of his scientific acquirements he was in 1839 elected a member of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. He died 6 December 1845. His statue in marble is in the General Hospital.