Thomas Barnes (MP)

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For other people named Thomas Barnes, see Thomas Barnes (disambiguation).

Thomas Barnes (1812 - 24 April 1897) was a

Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolton who had substantial business interests, including cotton manufacturing in Farnworth, as Thomas Barnes & Co. Ltd., and as chairman of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
. He was elected an MP on three occasions.

Early life

Thomas Barnes was born in 1812.[1] He was one of three sons of James Rothwell Barnes who, along with Thomas Bonsor Crompton, was a significant figure in the development of Farnworth. Barnes senior established the first steam-powered weaving mill in Farnworth and later, in 1832, brought cotton spinning to the town.[2]

Business

Barnes junior had many business interests aside from his cotton-manufacturing business, Thomas Barnes & Co. Ltd.,[3] in Farnworth. These included significant involvement in the Assam Railways and Trading Company, the Bank of Bolton, the Farnworth and Kearsley Gas Company, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, the Provincial Insurance Company, the Royal Sardinian Railways, a Welsh slate quarry, and the Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway.[4][a]

Politics

Barnes resigned his chairmanship of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway but remained a director and major shareholder after becoming a Liberal MP for Bolton in

Deputy Lieutenant of the Duchy of Lancaster.[16]

Other interests

Barnes was a

cotton plantation in Jamaica with the intention of showing that it was possible to produce the raw material without using slave labour.[6][18]

Around 1858, Barnes purchased an estate near to

Congregationalist chapel at Weston Rhyn, near to his estate, and he preached there when no other preacher was available.[1][6][20] He also donated around 4.5 hectares (11 acres) of land on his Birch Hall estate, as well as money, for development of Farnworth Park, which was opened amid great festivities in October 1864 by William Ewart Gladstone. This latter gift was to commemorate his father and celebrate the coming of age of his only child, James Richardson Barnes, and was inspired by seeing children playing in the dirty, busy streets of the town. Some sources say that around 50,000 people attended the opening,[6] while others indicate 100,000.[21]

Barnes died at The Quinta on 24 April 1897.[3] His wife, Ann,[16] predeceased him in 1880, aged 76.[22]

References

Notes

  1. Diphwys Casson Slate Co.[5]
  2. ^ Barnes replaced another Liberal, Joshua Walmsley, as MP for Bolton in 1852.[7] Walmsley contested the Leicester constituency instead.

Citations

  1. ^ a b "History: Quinta Independent Evangelical Church". Quinta Press. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  2. ^ "Links in a Chain: The Mayors of Bolton: Alfred Barnes". Bolton Council. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Death of a former M. P.". Liverpool Mercury. 26 April 1897. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ISBN 978-0-71901-820-6
    .
  5. ^ The Joint Stock Companies' Directory. Charles Barker and Sons. 1867. pp. 86, 286, 292, 324, 527.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Thomas Barnes, Esq., M.P. for Bolton". North Wales Chronicle. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Election News". Leeds Mercury. 20 March 1852. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ Clegg, James (1888). Annals of Bolton. p. 102.
  9. ^ "General News". Bury Times. 16 February 1861. p. 4 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Testimonial from the Women of Bury to R. N. Philips and Thos. Barnes, Esqrs". Blackburn Standard. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ Clegg, James (1888). Annals of Bolton. p. 106.
  12. ^ Clegg, James (1888). Annals of Bolton. p. 111.
  13. ^ Mair, Robert Henry, ed. (1870). Debrett's Illustrated House of Commons and the Judicial Bench. Dean & Son. p. 303.
  14. ^ "Bolton". Liverpool Mercury. 20 October 1879. p. 7 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ "Election Intelligence: Bolton". Huddersfield Chronicle. 24 October 1879. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^
    ISBN 978-0-80631-314-6
    .
  17. ISBN 978-1-44730-993-2
    .
  18. ^ "Mr. Thomas Barnes, M.P., made a speech to his constituents". The Spectator. 16 January 1864. p. 3.
  19. ISBN 978-0-30012-083-7
    .
  20. ISBN 978-0-30012-083-7
    .
  21. ^ Historic England. "Farnworth Park (1001540)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  22. ^ "Death of Mrs Thomas Barnes". Wrexham Advertiser. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.

Further reading

External links
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