William Rathbone VI
Encyclopedia
William Rathbone VI was an English merchant and businessman noted for his philanthropic
and public work. He was an English Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1868 and 1895.
of Greenbank, Liverpool and his wife Elizabeth Greg daughter of Samuel Greg of Quarry Bank, Cheshire. He was a member of the noted Rathbone family
. Rathbone spent some time with various companies in Liverpool and London and in 1842 became a partner in the family company Rathbone Brothers and Co., general merchants of Liverpool. He remained a partner until 1885. He is said to have regarded wealth and business success chiefly as a means to the achievement of public and philanthropic work. He was a Deputy Lieutenant
and J.P.
for Lancashire.
led to a close friendship. In 1862, the Liverpool Training School and Home for Nurses was established, from which basis a district nursing system was implemented in Liverpool through the 1860s and spread throughout the country. His involvement with this scheme also made him aware of the poor state of the workhouse
hospitals, and he did much to assist in the reform of nursing in workhouses.
Rathbone was elected as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Liverpool
in 1868, and sat for the city until 1880. In 1881 he was elected MP for Carnarvonshire
and held the seat until 1885. He was then elected MP for Arfon
and held the seat until 1895.
Rathbone was closely involved in the formation of University College Liverpool (1882), which later became the University of Liverpool
, founding a Professorship in English with his two brothers, and serving as president of the college in 1892. He also played an important part in the establishment of the University College of North Wales in 1884, and served as president from 1891. He was made Freeman
of the City of Liverpool on October 21, 1891.
Rathbone died on 6 March 1902 at his home, Greenbank House
in Liverpool
.
Rathbone re-married on 6 February 1862 to Esther Emily Acheson Lyle (c.1832 - 19 March 1918), daughter of Acheson Lyle of Derry
. They had six children, including the campaigner and politician, Eleanor Rathbone
and Emily Evelyn (Evie) (1865 - 1954) who married Hugh Reynolds Rathbone
.
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
and public work. He was an English 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 who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1868 and 1895.
Background and early life
Rathbone was the eldest son of William RathboneWilliam Rathbone V
-Life:A member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool, he was the eldest son of William Rathbone IV and Hannah Mary . He was a Liverpool merchant in partnership with Richard Rathbone, his brother....
of Greenbank, Liverpool and his wife Elizabeth Greg daughter of Samuel Greg of Quarry Bank, Cheshire. He was a member of the noted Rathbone family
Rathbone family
The Rathbone family of Liverpool, England, were a family of non-conformist merchants and shipowners, whose sense of high social consciousness led to a fine tradition of philanthropy and public service....
. Rathbone spent some time with various companies in Liverpool and London and in 1842 became a partner in the family company Rathbone Brothers and Co., general merchants of Liverpool. He remained a partner until 1885. He is said to have regarded wealth and business success chiefly as a means to the achievement of public and philanthropic work. He was 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....
and J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Lancashire.
Political and philanthropic work
When Rathbone's first wife Lucretia was dying in 1859, the care given by a nurse, prompted him to campaign for a system of district nursing to enable the poor to benefit from similar care. The involvement of Florence NightingaleFlorence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
led to a close friendship. In 1862, the Liverpool Training School and Home for Nurses was established, from which basis a district nursing system was implemented in Liverpool through the 1860s and spread throughout the country. His involvement with this scheme also made him aware of the poor state of the workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
hospitals, and he did much to assist in the reform of nursing in workhouses.
Rathbone was elected as 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 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...
in 1868, and sat for the city until 1880. In 1881 he was elected MP for Carnarvonshire
Caernarvonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Caernarvonshire 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 1885 and from 1918 until 1950. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post...
and held the seat until 1885. He was then elected MP for Arfon
Arfon (UK Parliament constituency)
Arfon is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Although the constituency is relatively large by geographical area, it is a predominantly urban rather than rural seat, with the majority of the population living in the two towns on which the constituency is...
and held the seat until 1895.
Rathbone was closely involved in the formation of University College Liverpool (1882), which later became the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
, founding a Professorship in English with his two brothers, and serving as president of the college in 1892. He also played an important part in the establishment of the University College of North Wales in 1884, and served as president from 1891. He was made Freeman
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of the City of Liverpool on October 21, 1891.
Rathbone died on 6 March 1902 at his home, Greenbank House
Greenbank House
Greenbank House, is a Grade II listed building, located in Liverpool, England. It stands within the University of Liverpool's Greenbank Halls of Residence site, between Greenbank Road and Greenbank Lane.- Original House :...
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...
.
Family life
Rathbone married firstly Lucretia Wainwright Gair (c.1823 - 27 May 1859), daughter of Samuel Stillman Gair of Liverpool in 1847. They had five children, but Lucretia died shortly after the birth of the fifth, Ted, who was drowned in a sailing accident on Derwent water in 1886.Rathbone re-married on 6 February 1862 to Esther Emily Acheson Lyle (c.1832 - 19 March 1918), daughter of Acheson Lyle of Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
. They had six children, including the campaigner and politician, Eleanor Rathbone
Eleanor Rathbone
Eleanor Florence Rathbone was an independent British Member of Parliament and long-term campaigner for women's rights. She was a member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool.-Life:...
and Emily Evelyn (Evie) (1865 - 1954) who married Hugh Reynolds Rathbone
Hugh Reynolds Rathbone
Hugh Reynolds Rathbone was a British merchant and politician, who sat as a Member of Parliament and was a member of the noted Rathbone family....
.