George Philips
Encyclopedia
Sir George Philips, 1st Baronet (24 March 1766 – 3 October 1847), later Sir George Philips MP.
family that had held manors there since the reign of Edward VI of England
, and were seated at Heath House in the same county since the early seventeenth century, that continued to be lived in by his cousins. George's father, Thomas Philips (1728–1811) of Sedgley, Lancashire
, established a cotton manufacturing company in Manchester.
George was brought up in the dissenting tradition. Towards the end of the eighteenth century he joined forces with Samuel Boddington
and "Conversation" Sharp (alias Richard Sharp (politician)
) to form the West India company of 'Boddington, Sharp and Philips' which was based at 15 Mark Lane, London.
As his wealth grew (Sydney Smith
teasingly nicknamed him 'King Cotton'), Philips quit the family home in Manchester, Sedgely Hall, and built a new home, Weston House in Warwickshire (now demolished). This was very much in the style of Holland House which, when Sharp firsty saw it, declared it to be "more like a University" than a private residence! He also kept a handsome house in London in Grafton Street.
As fellow Dissenters, the three partners shared many common interests. Philips enjoyed writing poetry and he was especially pleased with his Epistle from Windemere to Richd. Sharp Esq., which was proudly shown to such friends as James Mackintosh
, Samuel Rogers
, and William Wordsworth
.
Boddington and Philips followed Sharp's example by becoming dissenting Whig Members of Parliament and in time Philips gained a reputation for his fine oratory, speaking in the House on one occasion in favour of abolishing slavery in the Colonies.
In Parliament he sat as a Whig
and represented Ilchester
1812, Steyning
1818-1820, Wootton Bassett
1820-30. Philips was an MP for Warwickshire South following the Reform Act
until 1835. He is pictured in a commemorative painting by Sir George Hayter
of the 1833 parliament.
Biography
Philips came from an old StaffordshireStaffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
family that had held manors there since the reign of Edward VI of England
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
, and were seated at Heath House in the same county since the early seventeenth century, that continued to be lived in by his cousins. George's father, Thomas Philips (1728–1811) of Sedgley, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, established a cotton manufacturing company in Manchester.
George was brought up in the dissenting tradition. Towards the end of the eighteenth century he joined forces with Samuel Boddington
Samuel Boddington
Samuel Boddington was an Irish politician. He was Member of Parliament for Tralee from January to May 1807....
and "Conversation" Sharp (alias Richard Sharp (politician)
Richard Sharp (politician)
Richard Sharp, FRS, FSA , also known as "Conversation" Sharp, was a hat-maker, banker, merchant, poet, critic, British politician, but above all - doyen of the conversationalists.-Family background:...
) to form the West India company of 'Boddington, Sharp and Philips' which was based at 15 Mark Lane, London.
As his wealth grew (Sydney Smith
Sydney Smith
Sydney Smith was an English writer and Anglican cleric. -Life:Born in Woodford, Essex, England, Smith was the son of merchant Robert Smith and Maria Olier , who suffered from epilepsy...
teasingly nicknamed him 'King Cotton'), Philips quit the family home in Manchester, Sedgely Hall, and built a new home, Weston House in Warwickshire (now demolished). This was very much in the style of Holland House which, when Sharp firsty saw it, declared it to be "more like a University" than a private residence! He also kept a handsome house in London in Grafton Street.
As fellow Dissenters, the three partners shared many common interests. Philips enjoyed writing poetry and he was especially pleased with his Epistle from Windemere to Richd. Sharp Esq., which was proudly shown to such friends as James Mackintosh
James Mackintosh
Sir James Mackintosh was a Scottish jurist, politician and historian. His studies and sympathies embraced many interests. He was trained as a doctor and barrister, and worked also as a journalist, judge, administrator, professor, philosopher and politician.-Early life:Mackintosh was born at...
, Samuel Rogers
Samuel Rogers
Samuel Rogers was an English poet, during his lifetime one of the most celebrated, although his fame has long since been eclipsed by his Romantic colleagues and friends Wordsworth, Coleridge and Byron...
, and William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
.
Boddington and Philips followed Sharp's example by becoming dissenting Whig Members of Parliament and in time Philips gained a reputation for his fine oratory, speaking in the House on one occasion in favour of abolishing slavery in the Colonies.
In Parliament he sat as a Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
and represented Ilchester
Ilchester (UK Parliament constituency)
Ilchester was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament until 1832...
1812, Steyning
Steyning (UK Parliament constituency)
Steyning was a parliamentary borough in Sussex, England, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons sporadically from 1298 and continuously from 1467 until 1832...
1818-1820, Wootton Bassett
Wootton Bassett (UK Parliament constituency)
Wootton Bassett was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1447 until 1832, when the rotten borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
1820-30. Philips was an MP for Warwickshire South following the Reform Act
Reform Act
In the United Kingdom, Reform Act is a generic term used for legislation concerning electoral matters. It is most commonly used for laws passed to enfranchise new groups of voters and to redistribute seats in the British House of Commons...
until 1835. He is pictured in a commemorative painting by Sir George Hayter
George Hayter
Sir George Hayter was a notable English painter, specialising in portraits and large works involving in some cases several hundred individual portraits...
of the 1833 parliament.