Sir Thomas Bazley, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Bazley, 1st Baronet (27 May 1797 – 18 March 1885) was a British
industrialist and Liberal
politician.
He was born at Gilnow, near Bolton
, Lancashire
. His father, also Thomas, was a cotton manufacturer, mathematician and journalist. Following education at Bolton Grammar School, Bazley was apprenticed to the cotton-spinning business of Messrs Ainsworth and Company. He subsequently went into business on his own account as a yarn merchant in Bolton. In 1826 he went into partnership with Robert Gardner, and they took over mills in Manchester
and Halliwell
. At Halliwell they established Barrow Bridge as a model non-sectarian industrial community. Bazley became the sole owner of Barrow Bridge in 1847, and the company became the world's largest manufacturer of fine cotton and lace thread. He was a major employer who also built schools and reading rooms for his employees.
In 1828 he married Mary Maria Sarah Nash, and they had one son, born in 1829.
From the 1830s Bazley was an active member of the Anti Corn Law League, and from 1845 to 1860 was president of the Manchester Chamber of Trade, and was appointed as Deputy Lieutenant of the County Palatine of Lancaster
.
His expertise on the cotton industry led to his appointment as one of the commissioners of the Great Exhibition of 1851 and of the Paris International Exhibition
of 1855. From 1853 to 1855 he was a member of the Royal Commission
on assimilating the mercantile laws of the United Kingdom.
In 1858 he was elected unopposed as one the members of parliament
for the Parliamentary Borough of Manchester
in the Liberal interest. He held the seat at subsequent elections until 1880
. Due to the pressure of parliamentary work, he retired from business, selling his concern to William Romaine Callender
in 1861. Callender was later to become one of Bazley's colleagues as MP
for Manchester.
In the 1860s he acquired estates in Gloucestershire
, Hertfordshire
and Oxfordshire
. In 1870 he moved permanently to his Gloucestershire estates near Fairford
.
In 1867 he was admitted to the French Légion d'honneur
. In 1869 he was created a baronet
"of Hatherop
in the County of Gloucester" for his services to public life and the cotton industry on the advice of the Prime Minister
, William Ewart Gladstone
.
Sir Thomas Bazley died suddenly at his summer residence "Riversleigh", Lytham, Lancashire in March 1885 aged 88. He was buried next to his father at St John's Church, Deansgate, Manchester.
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...
industrialist 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.
He was born at Gilnow, near Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, 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...
. His father, also Thomas, was a cotton manufacturer, mathematician and journalist. Following education at Bolton Grammar School, Bazley was apprenticed to the cotton-spinning business of Messrs Ainsworth and Company. He subsequently went into business on his own account as a yarn merchant in Bolton. In 1826 he went into partnership with Robert Gardner, and they took over mills in 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...
and Halliwell
Halliwell, Greater Manchester
Halliwell is predominantly a residential area of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. It gives its name to an electoral ward of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Bolton. Halliwell lies about to the north west of Bolton town centre and is bounded by Tonge Moor to the east and Heaton to the south...
. At Halliwell they established Barrow Bridge as a model non-sectarian industrial community. Bazley became the sole owner of Barrow Bridge in 1847, and the company became the world's largest manufacturer of fine cotton and lace thread. He was a major employer who also built schools and reading rooms for his employees.
In 1828 he married Mary Maria Sarah Nash, and they had one son, born in 1829.
From the 1830s Bazley was an active member of the Anti Corn Law League, and from 1845 to 1860 was president of the Manchester Chamber of Trade, and was appointed as Deputy Lieutenant of the County Palatine of Lancaster
Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire.-References:* The Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire, Lancashire County Council...
.
His expertise on the cotton industry led to his appointment as one of the commissioners of the Great Exhibition of 1851 and of the Paris International Exhibition
Exposition Universelle (1855)
The Exposition Universelle of 1855 was an International Exhibition held on the Champs-Elysées in Paris from May 15 to November 15, 1855. Its full official title was the Exposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855.The exposition was a major...
of 1855. From 1853 to 1855 he was a member of the Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
on assimilating the mercantile laws of the United Kingdom.
In 1858 he was elected unopposed as one the members 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 the Parliamentary Borough of Manchester
Manchester (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester was a Parliamentary borough constituency in the county of Lancashire which was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its territory consisted of the city of Manchester.- History :...
in the Liberal interest. He held the seat at subsequent elections until 1880
United Kingdom general election, 1880
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
. Due to the pressure of parliamentary work, he retired from business, selling his concern to William Romaine Callender
William Romaine Callender
William Romaine Callender was a British businessman and Conservative politician.He was the son of William Romaine Callender of Mauldeth Hall near Manchester and his wife, Hannah Pope of London...
in 1861. Callender was later to become one of Bazley's colleagues as MP
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 Manchester.
In the 1860s he acquired estates in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. In 1870 he moved permanently to his Gloucestershire estates near Fairford
Fairford
Fairford is a small town in Gloucestershire, England. The town lies in the Cotswolds on the River Coln, about east of Cirencester, west of Lechlade and north of Swindon. Nearby are RAF Fairford and the Cotswold Water Park.-Schools:...
.
In 1867 he was admitted to the French Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
. In 1869 he was created a baronet
Bazley Baronets
The Bazley Baronetcy, of Hatherop in the County of Gloucester, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 30 November 1869 for Thomas Bazley. He was a cotton spinner and also sat as Liberal Member of Parliament for Manchester from 1857 to 1880. He was succeeded by his...
"of Hatherop
Hatherop
Hatherop is a village and civil parish in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, about north of Fairford in Gloucestershire. The River Coln forms part of the western boundary of the parish.-History:...
in the County of Gloucester" for his services to public life and the cotton industry on the advice of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
.
Sir Thomas Bazley died suddenly at his summer residence "Riversleigh", Lytham, Lancashire in March 1885 aged 88. He was buried next to his father at St John's Church, Deansgate, Manchester.