George Goodman (MP)
Encyclopedia
Sir George Goodman MP
(ca. 179213 October 1859) was an English
wool-stapler
, a magistrate for the borough and county of Leeds, as well as a Liberal
politician. On 1 January 1836, he was elected the first Mayor
of the City of Leeds
after the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
, and he served as a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Leeds
from 1852 to 1857.
wool merchant. He had at least one sibling, a sister Eleanor (1791–1877).
. His firm acquired other local firms including, in 1846, Thomas Pearson and Sons, manufacturers of worsted
.
He was elected Mayor of Leeds on 1 January 1836, the first Mayor of the City of Leeds after the Municipal Corporations Act. In April, he was presented a gold chain with an inscribed pendant to honour his mayoral election. Following the resignation of C. G. Maclea, Goodman was again elected mayor on 1 January 1847 and left office on 9 November 1847. He was re-elected for a third term on 9 November 1850, and a fourth term on 9 November 1851. He resigned from his position as mayor in March 1852 in order to be eligible to run for Parliament.
A Whig, Goodman was elected to Parliament with Matthew Talbot Baines
in 1852. He was a magistrate of the West Riding of Yorkshire
, and appointed a deputy lieutenant
on 27 January 1853. In 1853, Goodman served as Leeds' civic representative at the 1851 The Great Exhibition
, after which, on 26 February 1852, he was knighted
at Buckingham Palace
, shortly before his resignation as mayor. Goodman sat for the Borough of Leeds
in the House of Commons for five years, beginning at the 1852 general election
, before retiring upon the 1857 dissolution of Parliament
because of poor health brought about by a stroke of paralysis and neuralgia.
. He once made a donation to the Society of fourteen birds from Australia.
Goodman never married. He died at his home in Roundhay
in 1859 at the age of 67. He was a Baptist
, and was interred at Whitkirk
Church. In compliance with Goodman's request, an autopsy was conducted, revealing softened spinal marrow.
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,...
(ca. 179213 October 1859) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
wool-stapler
Wool-stapler
A wool-stapler is a dealer in wool. The wool-stapler buys wool from the producer, sorts and grades it, and sells it on to manufacturers.The expression wool-stapler fell out of use during the 20th century, see the external link below...
, a magistrate for the borough and county of Leeds, as well as a 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. On 1 January 1836, he was elected the 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 the City of Leeds
City of Leeds
The City of Leeds is a local government district of West Yorkshire, England, governed by Leeds City Council, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough. The metropolitan district includes Leeds and the towns of Farsley, Garforth, Guiseley, Horsforth, Morley, Otley, Pudsey, Rothwell,...
after 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...
, and he served as a 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 Leeds
Leeds (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds was a parliamentary borough covering the town of Leeds, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1885....
from 1852 to 1857.
Early years
Goodman was the son of Benjamin Goodman (d. 10 June 1848), a LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
wool merchant. He had at least one sibling, a sister Eleanor (1791–1877).
Career
Goodman started his career learning his father's business and becoming a partner in his father's firm of B. Goodman & Sons at 21 Hunslet Lane, Leeds. He prospered as a wool-stapler in Leeds and Bradford, and was a Director of the Leeds and Bradford RailwayLeeds and Bradford Railway
The Leeds and Bradford Railway was formed in 1843 to bring the railway to Bradford: the line opened on 1 July 1846. The company was always closely allied with the Midland Railway, and within ten years the L&BR had been absorbed into the Midland, and disappeared.-History:The line and the two...
. His firm acquired other local firms including, in 1846, Thomas Pearson and Sons, manufacturers of worsted
Worsted
Worsted , is the name of a yarn, the cloth made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the English county of Norfolk...
.
He was elected Mayor of Leeds on 1 January 1836, the first Mayor of the City of Leeds after the Municipal Corporations Act. In April, he was presented a gold chain with an inscribed pendant to honour his mayoral election. Following the resignation of C. G. Maclea, Goodman was again elected mayor on 1 January 1847 and left office on 9 November 1847. He was re-elected for a third term on 9 November 1850, and a fourth term on 9 November 1851. He resigned from his position as mayor in March 1852 in order to be eligible to run for Parliament.
A Whig, Goodman was elected to Parliament with Matthew Talbot Baines
Matthew Talbot Baines
Matthew Talbot Baines QC, DL was a British lawyer and Liberal politician. He most notably served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in Lord Palmerston's 1855 to 1858 administration.-Background and education:...
in 1852. He was a magistrate of the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
, and appointed 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....
on 27 January 1853. In 1853, Goodman served as Leeds' civic representative at the 1851 The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations or The Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October...
, after which, on 26 February 1852, he was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
, shortly before his resignation as mayor. Goodman sat for the Borough of Leeds
Leeds (UK Parliament constituency)
Leeds was a parliamentary borough covering the town of Leeds, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1832 to 1885....
in the House of Commons for five years, beginning at the 1852 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1852
The July 1852 United Kingdom general election was a watershed election in the formation of the modern political parties of Britain. Following 1852, the Tory/Conservative party became, more completely, the party of the rural aristocracy, while the Whig/Liberal party became the party of the rising...
, before retiring upon the 1857 dissolution of Parliament
United Kingdom general election, 1857
-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 *...
because of poor health brought about by a stroke of paralysis and neuralgia.
Personal life
Goodman was a member of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary SocietyLeeds Philosophical and Literary Society
thumb|rightLeeds Philosophical and Literary Society is a Learned society in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1819, and its museum collection forms the basis of Leeds City Museum, which reopened in September 2008...
. He once made a donation to the Society of fourteen birds from Australia.
Goodman never married. He died at his home in Roundhay
Roundhay
Roundhay is a large suburb and City Council ward of north-east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, largely within the LS8 postcode. The ward boundary is the A6120 ring road on the north and the A58 Wetherby Road on the south and east. The boundary follows Gledhow Valley Road to the west before heading...
in 1859 at the age of 67. He was a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, and was interred at Whitkirk
Whitkirk
Whitkirk is a suburb of east Leeds, situated between Cross Gates to the north, Austhorpe to the east, Killingbeck to the west, Colton to the south-east and Halton to the south-west...
Church. In compliance with Goodman's request, an autopsy was conducted, revealing softened spinal marrow.