Ernest Terah Hooley
Encyclopedia
Ernest Terah Hooley was an English financier and developer of the Trafford Park
industrial estate in the outskirts of Manchester.
, Nottinghamshire, the only child of Terah Hooley, a lacemaker, and his wife Elizabeth. He joined his father's lace business and in 1881 married baker's daughter Annie Maria, with whom he had four daughters and three sons. Possibly with the assistance of an inheritance from his mother, Hooley bought Risley Hall
in Derbyshire for £5,000 in 1888, and in the following year set himself up as a stockbroker in Nottingham
.
Hooley moved his business to London in 1896 and began to affect "a lavish lifestyle". The rise in his fortunes coincided with the boom in bicycles that year, and until the 1898 slump in that business he had promoted 26 manufacturers with a total nominal capital of £18.6 million; to impress investors he populated the boards of his companies with members of the aristocracy. One of his most profitable deals was the purchase of the Trafford Park
estate from Sir Humphrey Francis de Trafford
in 1896. Hooley's original plan was to convert the park into a high-class residential area containing 500 grand villas, a racecourse, and an industrial fringe along the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal
, but he was persuaded instead to develop the site as an industrial estate, the first in the world and still the largest in Europe.
In 1895 he purchased Papworth
Hall in Cambridgeshire
. He was appointed High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire for 1897.
In 1897 he was selected by the Conservative Party
as their candidate to contest the parliamentary constituency of Ilkeston
, Derbyshire at the next general election. His bankruptcy in the following year made him ineligible to stand however.
By 1911 he was in serious legal and financial difficulties. He spent a month in Brixton Gaol for contempt of court
and later in the same year received a twelve-month sentence for obtaining money on false pretences as part of a land deal. In the following year he was judged bankrupt
for the second time. He re-entered business as an estate
agent, but by 1921 was again bankrupt, and in 1922 was convicted of fraud and sentenced to three years imprisonment. Following his release, Hooley returned to the business of property sales, continuing to work until his eighties. He was made bankrupt for a fourth time in 1939.
He died at Long Eaton
, Derbyshire
aged 88.
Trafford Park
Trafford Park is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located opposite Salford Quays, on the southern side of the Manchester Ship Canal, it is west-southwest of Manchester city centre, and north of Stretford. Until the late 19th century it was the...
industrial estate in the outskirts of Manchester.
Biography
Hooley was born in SneintonSneinton
Sneinton is a south-eastern suburb of Nottingham, England. The area is bounded by Carlton to the north, Colwick to the south, Meadow Lane to the southwest and Bakersfield to the east.-Description:...
, Nottinghamshire, the only child of Terah Hooley, a lacemaker, and his wife Elizabeth. He joined his father's lace business and in 1881 married baker's daughter Annie Maria, with whom he had four daughters and three sons. Possibly with the assistance of an inheritance from his mother, Hooley bought Risley Hall
Risley Hall (Derbyshire, England)
Risley Hall is an 11th century country house hotel and spa set in of private landscaped grounds in the Derbyshire countryside, close to Junction 25 of the M1...
in Derbyshire for £5,000 in 1888, and in the following year set himself up as a stockbroker in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
.
Hooley moved his business to London in 1896 and began to affect "a lavish lifestyle". The rise in his fortunes coincided with the boom in bicycles that year, and until the 1898 slump in that business he had promoted 26 manufacturers with a total nominal capital of £18.6 million; to impress investors he populated the boards of his companies with members of the aristocracy. One of his most profitable deals was the purchase of the Trafford Park
Trafford Park
Trafford Park is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located opposite Salford Quays, on the southern side of the Manchester Ship Canal, it is west-southwest of Manchester city centre, and north of Stretford. Until the late 19th century it was the...
estate from Sir Humphrey Francis de Trafford
Sir Humphrey de Trafford, 3rd Baronet
Sir Humphrey Francis de Trafford was an English landowner and racehorse breeder. He was the son of Sir Humphrey de Trafford, 2nd Baronet and Lady Annette Mary Talbot....
in 1896. Hooley's original plan was to convert the park into a high-class residential area containing 500 grand villas, a racecourse, and an industrial fringe along the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
, but he was persuaded instead to develop the site as an industrial estate, the first in the world and still the largest in Europe.
In 1895 he purchased Papworth
Papworth
Papworth may refer to:* Papworth Everard, a village in Cambridgeshire in England* Papworth Hospital, a heart hospital in Papworth Everard* Papworth method, a specific diaphragmatic breathing technique developed at Papworth Hospital...
Hall in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
. He was appointed High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire for 1897.
In 1897 he was selected by the Conservative Party
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...
as their candidate to contest the parliamentary constituency of Ilkeston
Ilkeston (UK Parliament constituency)
Ilkeston is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was represented by one Member of Parliament...
, Derbyshire at the next general election. His bankruptcy in the following year made him ineligible to stand however.
By 1911 he was in serious legal and financial difficulties. He spent a month in Brixton Gaol for contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
and later in the same year received a twelve-month sentence for obtaining money on false pretences as part of a land deal. In the following year he was judged bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
for the second time. He re-entered business as an estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
agent, but by 1921 was again bankrupt, and in 1922 was convicted of fraud and sentenced to three years imprisonment. Following his release, Hooley returned to the business of property sales, continuing to work until his eighties. He was made bankrupt for a fourth time in 1939.
He died at Long Eaton
Long Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
aged 88.