William Scholefield
Encyclopedia
William Scholefield was a British
businessman and Liberal
politician. He was a leading figure in the politics of the rapidly-growing industrial town of Birmingham
in the mid-nineteenth century.
and his wife Mary née Cotterill. His father was an iron manufacturer, merchant and banker who became one of the town
's first members of parliament
in 1832. Following a number of years in Canada
and the United States
, where he had married Jane Matilda Miller of New York
, Scholefield returned to Birmingham in 1837 to work in his father's business.
under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
to create Birmingham a municipal borough
with an elected town council. The government of the town was in hands of a manorial
court leet
, presided over by a high bailiff
. Scholefield became high bailiff in 1837 and was highly supportive of the campaign to incorporate Birmingham. In October 1838 the newly granted charter arrived in Birmingham, and Scholefield was given the task of reciting the text of the charter to the townspeople. He duly acted as returning officer
for the inaugural borough elections in December 1838, and at the meeting of the new town council was unanimiously chosen as first mayor
of Birmingham. His term of office was a difficult one, as Chartist
riots in the Bull Ring led to doubts about the future of the new municipality, with the town's policing taken over by a force controlled by the Home Office
. At the end of his term, he was elected as an alderman
, remaining a member of the town council until he entered parliament.
candidate Richard Spooner
. Three years later a general election
was called, and Scholefield was returned along with the sitting Radical MP, George Frederick Muntz. He retained the seat until his death, alongside Muntz (who died in 1857) and then John Bright
.
In parliament Scholefield championed the expansion of popular democracy, free trade, and freedom of religion. He was one of only 12 MPs who voted in favour of the People's Charter. On occasion he found himself outside the mainstream of Liberal politics, in particular opposing the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, and by supporting the Union States during the American Civil War
.
Scholefield had a large family including Clement Cotterill Scholefield, vicar of Holy Trinity, Knightsbridge
, and composer of hymn
s.
He died at his London residence from heart failure in August 1867. He was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery
, next to his wife who had died in 1843.
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...
businessman 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 a leading figure in the politics of the rapidly-growing industrial town of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
in the mid-nineteenth century.
Early life and family
William was born in Birmingham, and was the second son of Joshua ScholefieldJoshua Scholefield
Joshua Scholefield was a British businessman and Radical politician. He was elected as one of Birmingham's two members of parliament when the town was enfranchised in 1832....
and his wife Mary née Cotterill. His father was an iron manufacturer, merchant and banker who became one of the town
Birmingham (UK Parliament constituency)
Birmingham was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the city of Birmingham, in what is now the West Midlands Metropolitan County, but at the time was Warwickshire.-Boundaries and History:...
's first 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,...
in 1832. Following a number of years in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he had married Jane Matilda Miller of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Scholefield returned to Birmingham in 1837 to work in his father's business.
First Mayor of Birmingham
In 1837 a campaign was launched to secure a charter of incorporationRoyal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
Municipal Corporations Act 1835
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 – sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales...
to create Birmingham a municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
with an elected town council. The government of the town was in hands of a manorial
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
court leet
Court leet
The court leet was a historical court baron of England and Wales and Ireland that exercised the "view of frankpledge" and its attendant police jurisdiction, which was normally restricted to the hundred courts.-History:...
, presided over by a high bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
. Scholefield became high bailiff in 1837 and was highly supportive of the campaign to incorporate Birmingham. In October 1838 the newly granted charter arrived in Birmingham, and Scholefield was given the task of reciting the text of the charter to the townspeople. He duly acted as returning officer
Returning Officer
In various parliamentary systems, a returning officer is responsible for overseeing elections in one or more constituencies.-Australia:In Australia a returning officer is an employee of the Australian Electoral Commission or a State Electoral Commission who heads the local divisional office...
for the inaugural borough elections in December 1838, and at the meeting of the new town council was unanimiously chosen as first mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Birmingham. His term of office was a difficult one, as Chartist
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
riots in the Bull Ring led to doubts about the future of the new municipality, with the town's policing taken over by a force controlled by the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
. At the end of his term, he was elected as an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
, remaining a member of the town council until he entered parliament.
Parliamentary politics
In July 1844 William Scholefield's father died, causing a vacancy in the parliamentary representation of the borough. William contested the resulting by-election, but was defeated by the ConservativeConservative 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...
candidate Richard Spooner
Richard Spooner (MP)
Richard Spooner was a British businessman and politician. In his youth he was a Radical reformer, but in later life he moved to the political right to become an Ultra-Tory.-Early life and family:...
. Three years later a general election
United 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 *...
was called, and Scholefield was returned along with the sitting Radical MP, George Frederick Muntz. He retained the seat until his death, alongside Muntz (who died in 1857) and then 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...
.
In parliament Scholefield championed the expansion of popular democracy, free trade, and freedom of religion. He was one of only 12 MPs who voted in favour of the People's Charter. On occasion he found himself outside the mainstream of Liberal politics, in particular opposing the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, and by supporting the Union States during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Scholefield had a large family including Clement Cotterill Scholefield, vicar of Holy Trinity, Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
, and composer of hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s.
He died at his London residence from heart failure in August 1867. He was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
, next to his wife who had died in 1843.