Sir Alfred Hickman, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Alfred Hickman was an industrialist and Conservative
politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1885 and 1906.
Hickman was the son of George Rushbury Hickman of Tipton
, Staffordshire
and his wife Mary Haden. His father was the owner of the Moat Colliery in Tipton. Hickman was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham
. He became a colliery proprietor and ironmaster, as the family acquired Springvale Furnace in 1866. He was a director of Lloyd's Staffordshire Proving House, a Member of Council of Mining Association of Great Britain, and chairman of Staffordshire Railway and Canal Freighter's Association. In 1882 he formed the Staffordshire Steel Ingot & Iron Company Ltd to produce steel using the Bessemer process.
Hickman stood for parliament for the Conservatives at Wolverhampton
in 1880 but was defeated. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
the Wolverhampton constituency was divided and in the 1885 general election, Hickman was elected Member of Parliament
for Wolverhampton West
. He lost the seat in 1886, regained it in 1892 and held it until 1906.
Hickman was created a baronet
in 1892. He was President of the British Iron Trades Council and President of Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce. In 1902 he was given the honorary freedom of the borough of Wolverhampton. In 1906 he became Chairman of the newly formed Tarmac
Ltd, the company used large quantities of his waste slag. The Staffordshire Steel Ingot & Iron Company later became part of Stewarts & Lloyds
.
On his death in 1910, he bequeathed a park (Hickman Park) to the people of Bilston.
Hickman married Lucy Owen Smith in 1850. His son Alfred succeeded to the baronetcy.
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...
politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1885 and 1906.
Hickman was the son of George Rushbury Hickman of Tipton
Tipton
Tipton is a town in the Sandwell borough of the West Midlands, England, with a population of around 47,000. Tipton is located about halfway between Birmingham and Wolverhampton. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is a part of the Black Country....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
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...
and his wife Mary Haden. His father was the owner of the Moat Colliery in Tipton. Hickman was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School, Birmingham
King Edward's School is an independent secondary school in Birmingham, England, founded by King Edward VI in 1552. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham, and is widely regarded as one of the most academically successful schools in the country, according to...
. He became a colliery proprietor and ironmaster, as the family acquired Springvale Furnace in 1866. He was a director of Lloyd's Staffordshire Proving House, a Member of Council of Mining Association of Great Britain, and chairman of Staffordshire Railway and Canal Freighter's Association. In 1882 he formed the Staffordshire Steel Ingot & Iron Company Ltd to produce steel using the Bessemer process.
Hickman stood for parliament for the Conservatives at Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Wolverhampton was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Wolverhampton in Staffordshire. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
in 1880 but was defeated. Under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
the Wolverhampton constituency was divided and in the 1885 general election, Hickman was elected 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,...
for Wolverhampton West
Wolverhampton West (UK Parliament constituency)
Wolverhampton West was a borough constituency in the town of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands of England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-History:...
. He lost the seat in 1886, regained it in 1892 and held it until 1906.
Hickman was created a baronet
Hickman Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Hickman, one in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom....
in 1892. He was President of the British Iron Trades Council and President of Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce. In 1902 he was given the honorary freedom of the borough of Wolverhampton. In 1906 he became Chairman of the newly formed Tarmac
Tarmac (company)
Tarmac is a company that is based in Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom and operates internationally. The company produces aggregates and road-surfacing materials, including tarmacadam, from which the company's name is derived...
Ltd, the company used large quantities of his waste slag. The Staffordshire Steel Ingot & Iron Company later became part of Stewarts & Lloyds
Stewarts & Lloyds
Stewarts & Lloyds was a steel tube manufacturer with its headquarters based at Corby, Northamptonshire, England. The company was created in 1903 by the amalgamation of two of the largest iron and steel makers in Britain, A. & J. Stewart & Menzies Ltd, Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Scotland and...
.
On his death in 1910, he bequeathed a park (Hickman Park) to the people of Bilston.
Hickman married Lucy Owen Smith in 1850. His son Alfred succeeded to the baronetcy.