Henry Ashworth (nonconformist)
Henry Ashworth | |
---|---|
Quaker Cotton Manufacturer | |
Political party | Liberal |
Henry Ashworth (4 September 1794 – 17 May 1880) was an English
Early life and business career
Henry Ashworth was born on 4 September 1794 into a prominent Quaker farming family at Birtenshaw, then an outlying hamlet to the north of Bolton, Lancashire. His father was John Ashworth, who supplemented his income by buying cotton and selling it to local cottage weavers, buying back the finished cloth to sell in Manchester and who in 1793 had built the water powered New Eagley cotton spinning mill on the banks of the Eagley brook.[1]
He was sent to
Benevolent employers, they established schools, a library and a reading room. Ashworth was a staunch nonconformist, and refused to pay
Anti-Corn Law activity
He was a founder of the Anti-Corn Law League, and was one of its major supporters. He had met Richard Cobden in 1837, and became a firm friend.[2]
In 1840 he was one of a deputation that waited upon
In 1843, in company with John Bright and Cobden, he visited County Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, and East Lothian, to survey agriculture—they were sometimes mentioned as the ABC of the League. At the large meeting held in Manchester 23 December 1845, Ashworth proposed that £250,000 should be raised for the purpose of the agitation. The corn laws were repealed, and the final meeting of the League was held in the Manchester Town Hall on 2 July 1846. Ashworth defended Cobden at the meeting held in Manchester after the incident in the House of Commons, when Peel charged the leader of the League with connivance at assassination. He also assisted Cobden in the negotiation of the Cobden–Chevalier Treaty.[2]
Later life
During a long life he was an advocate of peace, retrenchment, and reform; and enjoyed shooting. He made several continental tours, and in February 1880 left his house, The Oaks, Turton, to winter in Italy, as he had usually done for some years. Whilst travelling from Rome he caught a chill, and at Florence was laid up with
Family
Henry married Letitia Binns of Liverpool and with her had 11 children, 6 sons and 5 daughters. Of his sons George Binns, John and Henry were involved in the New Eagley business; two others died in childhood.[1]
Works
His major work is Recollections of Richard Cobden and the Anti-Corn Law League (two editions, London 1876 and 1881), written with John Watts.[3] He also wrote:
- Statistical Illustrations of Lancaster, 1842.
- A Tour in the United States and Canada, 1861.
- An account of the Preston strike of 1853–1854; and some pamphlets.[2]
See also
References
- ^ a b Boyson, Rhodes. The Ashworth Cotton Enterprise.
- ^ a b c d e f Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. .
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/795. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1885). "Ashworth, Henry (1794-1880)". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 2. London: Smith, Elder & Co.