Sir William Jackson, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Jackson, 1st Baronet (28 April 1805 – 31 January 1876) was an English industrialist, railway entrepreneur and Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1847 and 1868.
and his wife Sarah Mather. His father was a surgeon, man-midwife and pharmacist and a respected member of the business community of Warrington, but died in 1811 leaving his large family impoverished. Peter Jackson had been the seventh son of an enterprising Middlewich businessman, James Jackson and his wife Martha Pickmore. The family, hailing from Cheshire, was originally called Oulton, but became 'Jackson' through marriage with a woman of property in the 17th century. Jackson's mother was descended from the Mathers of Lowton whose family included Cotton Mather
and Richard Mather
.
before he was twelve. There he had the chance to read and develop his own education, as well as buying up the shop when the business went bankrupt. The shop was only a few doors away from the home of the artist William Daniels. Jackson became a generous patron of art in Birkenhead and originated the associate of artists. Jackson became an African merchant trading in palm oil and made his first fortune by 1832. He played a major part in the development of Birkenhead and was one of the principal originators of the Birkenhead Docks. He was chairman of Birkenhead Improvement commissioners from 1842 to 1846 and invited Joseph Paxton
to Birkenhead to design a park. Jackson's marriage to Elizabeth Hughes in 1828 was instrumental in his early fortunes as his father-in law, Thomas Hughes owned the Woodside Ferry and had various industrial interests in the locality. He and his older brother, John Somerville Jackson, went into partnership and gradually bought up land in and around Birkenhead. his interests in the locality led him into partnership with the celebrated Thomas Brassey, and with the financial help of Frederick Huth, the partnership of Jackson, Brassey, Peto and Betts was born. More of an ideas man than an engineer, Jackson was the salesman of the partnership. This created friction but made Jackson another fortune. His interests diverged to Newspapers ( he was heavily involved in the London press at one time, collieries ( he went into partnership with Robert Stephenson on his project at Claycross in Derbyshire) and heavy industry (metal and locomotives, as well as into politics.
Jackson was elected as one of the two Members of Parliament
(MPs) for Newcastle-under-Lyme
. He held the seat at three further elections, until 1865. At the 1865 general election
he was returned unopposed as one of the two MPs for the Northern division of Derbyshire
. However he was defeated in North Derbyshire at the 1868 general election
, and did not stand again.
He was a parliamentary reformer and an uncompromising advocate of free trade. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
for Cheshire in 1852 and was created baronet
of the Manor House, Birkenhead in 1869 - he had been offered a peerage but had refused it (Hansards).
, a company held by his family until 1966. He was once described as the ' richest commoner of England' although he only left £700,000 in his will as he had divested himself of many of his assets beforehand, settling estates and large sums to his large family. He also left £50 to his great friend John Bright
to drink to his health!
Jackson had ships sailing on almost every sea, and held commercial relations with nearly every country on the globe. He was in partnership with Thomas Brassey
in building the Grand Trunk Railway
of Canada in 1852 and was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Jackson died aged 70 and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son Henry Mather Jackson
.
Jackson married Elizabeth Hughes, daughter of Thomas Hughes, on 30 October 1829. Their third son, Thomas Hughes Jackson, also continued in enterprise.
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 who sat in the House of Commons between 1847 and 1868.
Early life
Jackson was the 7th son of Peter Jackson of WarringtonWarrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
and his wife Sarah Mather. His father was a surgeon, man-midwife and pharmacist and a respected member of the business community of Warrington, but died in 1811 leaving his large family impoverished. Peter Jackson had been the seventh son of an enterprising Middlewich businessman, James Jackson and his wife Martha Pickmore. The family, hailing from Cheshire, was originally called Oulton, but became 'Jackson' through marriage with a woman of property in the 17th century. Jackson's mother was descended from the Mathers of Lowton whose family included Cotton Mather
Cotton Mather
Cotton Mather, FRS was a socially and politically influential New England Puritan minister, prolific author and pamphleteer; he is often remembered for his role in the Salem witch trials...
and Richard Mather
Richard Mather
Richard Mather , was a Puritan clergyman in colonial Boston, Massachusetts. He was father to Increase Mather and grandfather to Cotton Mather, both celebrated Boston divines.-Biography:...
.
Business career
Jackson was sent to work at an ironmongers in Ranelagh street in BirkenheadBirkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
before he was twelve. There he had the chance to read and develop his own education, as well as buying up the shop when the business went bankrupt. The shop was only a few doors away from the home of the artist William Daniels. Jackson became a generous patron of art in Birkenhead and originated the associate of artists. Jackson became an African merchant trading in palm oil and made his first fortune by 1832. He played a major part in the development of Birkenhead and was one of the principal originators of the Birkenhead Docks. He was chairman of Birkenhead Improvement commissioners from 1842 to 1846 and invited Joseph Paxton
Joseph Paxton
Sir Joseph Paxton was an English gardener and architect, best known for designing The Crystal Palace.-Early life:...
to Birkenhead to design a park. Jackson's marriage to Elizabeth Hughes in 1828 was instrumental in his early fortunes as his father-in law, Thomas Hughes owned the Woodside Ferry and had various industrial interests in the locality. He and his older brother, John Somerville Jackson, went into partnership and gradually bought up land in and around Birkenhead. his interests in the locality led him into partnership with the celebrated Thomas Brassey, and with the financial help of Frederick Huth, the partnership of Jackson, Brassey, Peto and Betts was born. More of an ideas man than an engineer, Jackson was the salesman of the partnership. This created friction but made Jackson another fortune. His interests diverged to Newspapers ( he was heavily involved in the London press at one time, collieries ( he went into partnership with Robert Stephenson on his project at Claycross in Derbyshire) and heavy industry (metal and locomotives, as well as into politics.
Political career
At the 1847 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1847
-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 *...
Jackson was elected as one of the two 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,...
(MPs) for Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme (UK Parliament constituency)
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
. He held the seat at three further elections, until 1865. At the 1865 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1865
The 1865 United Kingdom general election saw the Liberals, led by Lord Palmerston, increase their large majority over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives to more than 80. The Whig Party changed its name to the Liberal Party between the previous election and this one.Palmerston died later in the same...
he was returned unopposed as one of the two MPs for the Northern division of Derbyshire
North Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency)
North Derbyshire was a Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom constituencies. It originally returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
. However he was defeated in North Derbyshire at the 1868 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1868
The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom...
, and did not stand again.
He was a parliamentary reformer and an uncompromising advocate of free trade. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Cheshire in 1852 and was created baronet
Jackson Baronets
There have been eight Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Jackson, one in the Baronetage of England, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and six in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
of the Manor House, Birkenhead in 1869 - he had been offered a peerage but had refused it (Hansards).
Later life
Jackson remained a good friend of Joseph Paxton and eventually became the sole proprietor of the Clay Cross CompanyClay Cross
Clay Cross is a former mining town and civil parish in the North East Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England, about six miles south of Chesterfield. It is directly on the A61, the former Roman road Ryknield Street...
, a company held by his family until 1966. He was once described as the ' richest commoner of England' although he only left £700,000 in his will as he had divested himself of many of his assets beforehand, settling estates and large sums to his large family. He also left £50 to his great friend John Bright
John Bright
John Bright , Quaker, was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with Richard Cobden in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League. He was one of the greatest orators of his generation, and a strong critic of British foreign policy...
to drink to his health!
Jackson had ships sailing on almost every sea, and held commercial relations with nearly every country on the globe. He was in partnership with Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey was an English civil engineering contractor and manufacturer of building materials who was responsible for building much of the world's railways in the 19th century. By 1847, he had built about one-third of the railways in Britain, and by time of his death in 1870 he had built one...
in building the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
of Canada in 1852 and was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Jackson died aged 70 and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son Henry Mather Jackson
Sir Henry Jackson, 2nd Baronet
Sir Henry Mather Jackson, 2nd Baronet, KC, DL was a British Liberal Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Coventry from 1867 to 1868, and from 1874 to 1881, when he became a High Court judge.-Early life:...
.
Jackson married Elizabeth Hughes, daughter of Thomas Hughes, on 30 October 1829. Their third son, Thomas Hughes Jackson, also continued in enterprise.