Thomas Horsfall
Encyclopedia
Thomas Berry Horsfall was a Conservative Party
politician in England
. He was a Member of Parliament
(MP) for over 15 years, and was Lord Mayor of Liverpool
from 1847 to 1848.
Horsfall was born in Liverpool
to Dorothy Hall Berry (1784–1846) and Charles Horsfall (1776–1846), a former Mayor of Liverpool.. He married twice, firstly Jane Anne Marsh in 1834, and latterly Mary Cox in 1847.
He became a magistrate
for Lancashire
, and also Mayor of Liverpool in 1847 and 1848. In 1848 he was the Head of the Liverpool Architectural and Archaeological Society. He was also elected President of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce on its foundation in 1849.
He was elected in 1852 as the MP for Derby
, but the election was declared void in March 1953. In 1853 he was elected as Member of Parliament for Liverpool
, and held the seat until 1868. A Conservative, he was opposed to the re-imposition of a duty on foreign corn, and generally all duties on "the necessaries of life". He opposed the Maynooth Grant
and taxes upon income
, but not on property. He was in favour of remodelling the Boards of Custom and Excise, extensive Chancery reform and a moderate Parliamentary reform.
In later years Horsfall owned and resided at Bellamour Hall, Colton, Staffordshire
. During his lifetime Horsfall made considerable additions to the estate and improved its general appearance. In the village he was esteemed for the interest he took in its inhabitants. The village schools were erected at his expense and were endowed by him. The cemetery adjoining, known as the Closed Burial Ground, was presented by him to the village as a free gift and he also took a very active part in the erection of the District Hospital in Rugeley
. Horsfall also built the Reading Room in the village. Bellamour hall was demolished in the 1920s.
His third wife was Sophia Leeke, daughter of William Leeke
, the Waterloo
historian. They married in 1863.
He died on 22 December 1878 in Newton Abbot
, Devon, of "a softening of the brain, paralysis arthesis" and was buried in St. Mary's Church, Colton, Staffordshire.
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 in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was a 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,...
(MP) for over 15 years, and was Lord Mayor of Liverpool
Lord Mayor of Liverpool
The office of Mayor of Liverpool has existed since the foundation of Liverpool as a borough by the Royal Charter of King John in 1207. This changed, however, some time after Liverpool was granted city status in 1880 when it was deemed necessary for the "second city of the Empire" to have a Lord Mayor...
from 1847 to 1848.
Horsfall was born in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
to Dorothy Hall Berry (1784–1846) and Charles Horsfall (1776–1846), a former Mayor of Liverpool.. He married twice, firstly Jane Anne Marsh in 1834, and latterly Mary Cox in 1847.
He became a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
for 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...
, and also Mayor of Liverpool in 1847 and 1848. In 1848 he was the Head of the Liverpool Architectural and Archaeological Society. He was also elected President of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce on its foundation in 1849.
He was elected in 1852 as the MP for Derby
Derby (UK Parliament constituency)
Derby is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It 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 1950. It was represented by two Members of...
, but the election was declared void in March 1953. In 1853 he was elected as Member of Parliament for Liverpool
Liverpool (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool was a Borough constituency in the county of Lancashire of the House of Commons for the Parliament of England to 1706 then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885. It was represented by two Members of Parliament...
, and held the seat until 1868. A Conservative, he was opposed to the re-imposition of a duty on foreign corn, and generally all duties on "the necessaries of life". He opposed the Maynooth Grant
Maynooth Grant
The Maynooth Grant was a major British political controversy of the 1840s which arose partly due to the general anti-Irish and anti-Catholic feelings of the British population....
and taxes upon income
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
, but not on property. He was in favour of remodelling the Boards of Custom and Excise, extensive Chancery reform and a moderate Parliamentary reform.
In later years Horsfall owned and resided at Bellamour Hall, Colton, Staffordshire
Colton, Staffordshire
Colton is a village and civil parish in Lichfield District, Staffordshire, England. It is situated just outside the town of Rugeley.Colton is the home to Border Collie Trust GB, a registered charity rescuing and rehoming Border Collies and Collie crosses throughout the UK.There is also a village...
. During his lifetime Horsfall made considerable additions to the estate and improved its general appearance. In the village he was esteemed for the interest he took in its inhabitants. The village schools were erected at his expense and were endowed by him. The cemetery adjoining, known as the Closed Burial Ground, was presented by him to the village as a free gift and he also took a very active part in the erection of the District Hospital in Rugeley
Rugeley
Rugeley is a historic market town in the county of Staffordshire, England. It lies on the northern edge of Cannock Chase, and is situated roughly midway between the towns of Stafford, Cannock, Lichfield and Uttoxeter...
. Horsfall also built the Reading Room in the village. Bellamour hall was demolished in the 1920s.
His third wife was Sophia Leeke, daughter of William Leeke
William Leeke
William Leeke was a British Army officer and clergyman, known for his published reminiscences of the Waterloo Campaign, which form a primary source for many modern histories of the campaign.-Early life:...
, the Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
historian. They married in 1863.
He died on 22 December 1878 in Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580....
, Devon, of "a softening of the brain, paralysis arthesis" and was buried in St. Mary's Church, Colton, Staffordshire.