George Leeman
Encyclopedia
George Leeman was a lawyer, railwayman and a Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for the City of York in the nineteenth century.
to Robert Henry Anderson's legal practice, and established a legal practice in York in 1835 when he qualified as a solicitor. He became a senior partner in Leeman & Wilkinson of York and Beverley. He was Clerk of the Peace
for the East Riding of Yorkshire from 1845 (and a member of the Society of Clerks of the Peace from November 1849) and a Deputy Lieutenant
for the North Riding.
after Leeman's investigations helped uncover Hudson's illegal share dealing. Leeman was deputy chairman of the successor company, North Eastern Railway
s, from 1855–74 and chairman from 1874—80, having encouraged its formation through mergers in 1854, and he was a chairman of the Railway Association of Great Britain
.
Leeman resigned as chairman of the NER in 1880 after the failure of his mining company reduced his wealth and harmed his health. He remained a member of the board until his death two years later.
for Teeside steel works, co-owning the Rosedale and Ferryhill Iron Company from 1860–77. He was a director of the York Herald and chairman of the Yorkshire Banking Company from 1867–80.
(b. 1842, d. 2 November 1883), became a partner in Leeman and Wilkinson and succeeded George as MP for York. Another son, Francis Lawley Leeman (b. 19 July 1854, d. 1883), attended Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge. George also had at least three daughters, including Priscilla.
He was a member of the Reform Club
and the Yorkshire Philosophical Society from 1844. He died in Scarborough in 1882. A statue of Leeman by local sculptor George Walker Milburn, paid for by public subscription, was unveiled in 1885 and stands outside York railway station; Station Road was renamed Leeman Road at the same time.
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...
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 the City of York in the nineteenth century.
Legal practice
Leeman was articledArticled clerk
An articled clerk, also known as an articling student, is an apprentice in a professional firm in Commonwealth countries. Generally the term arises in the accountancy profession and in the legal profession. The articled clerk signs a contract, known as "articles of clerkship", committing to a...
to Robert Henry Anderson's legal practice, and established a legal practice in York in 1835 when he qualified as a solicitor. He became a senior partner in Leeman & Wilkinson of York and Beverley. He was Clerk of the Peace
Clerk of the Peace
A clerk of the peace held an office in England and Wales whose responsibility was the records of the Quarter Sessions and the framing of presentments and indictments. They had legal training, so that they could advise justices of the peace.-England and Wales:...
for the East Riding of Yorkshire from 1845 (and a member of the Society of Clerks of the Peace from November 1849) and 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....
for the North Riding.
Railwayman
In 1849 he became chairman of the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway, succeeding his rival the 'Railway King' George HudsonGeorge Hudson
George Hudson , English railway financier, known as "The Railway King", was born, the fifth son of a farmer, in Howsham, in the parish of Scrayingham in the East Riding of Yorkshire, north of Stamford Bridge, east of York. He is buried in Scrayingham...
after Leeman's investigations helped uncover Hudson's illegal share dealing. Leeman was deputy chairman of the successor company, North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
s, from 1855–74 and chairman from 1874—80, having encouraged its formation through mergers in 1854, and he was a chairman of the Railway Association of Great Britain
Railway Companies' Association
The Railway Companies' Association was a co-ordinating body for British railway companies from 1867 until nationalization in 1948. Its purpose was to protect the interests of the companies and their shareholders, chiefly against parliamentary interference...
.
Leeman resigned as chairman of the NER in 1880 after the failure of his mining company reduced his wealth and harmed his health. He remained a member of the board until his death two years later.
Other business
He was involved the 1860s in developing iron ore mining at RosedaleRosedale, North Yorkshire
Rosedale is a valley located almost in the centre of the North York Moors national park in North Yorkshire, England. The nearest town is Pickering located some 10 miles to the south. Rosedale is surrounded by some of the most beautiful moorland in England. To the north west sits Blakey Ridge...
for Teeside steel works, co-owning the Rosedale and Ferryhill Iron Company from 1860–77. He was a director of the York Herald and chairman of the Yorkshire Banking Company from 1867–80.
Political career
He became a Liberal councillor for Castlegate Ward in 1836 and for Guildhall Ward in 1839, and was an Alderman for 28 years from 1850. He was elected Lord Mayor of York three times in 1853, 1860, 1870, and was the Member of Parliament for York 1865–8 and 1871–80, having first stood for Parliament in 1852. When Anthony Trollope campaigned in Beverley as a Liberal candidate, Leeman warned him against it; Trollope came last due to corruption and vote-buying.Personal life
Leeman was born to in York, the son of George Leeman, a greengrocer. He lived at The Mount, York, and married twice, first to Jane Johnson in 1835, and second to Eliza, the widow of Rev. Charles Payton, in 1863. One son, William Luther Leeman, attended St. Edmund Hall, Cambridge, and University College, Durham, and was Rector of Middleton St. George, 1874–6, Vicar of Rosedale, Yorkshire, 1877–9, and of Seaforth, Lancashire, 1879–82. His second son, Joseph Johnson LeemanJoseph Johnson Leeman
Joseph Johnson Leeman was an English Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 to 1883.Leeman was the son of George Leeman, previous MP for York, and his wife Jane Johnson daughter of Joseph Johnson of London...
(b. 1842, d. 2 November 1883), became a partner in Leeman and Wilkinson and succeeded George as MP for York. Another son, Francis Lawley Leeman (b. 19 July 1854, d. 1883), attended Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge. George also had at least three daughters, including Priscilla.
He was a member of the Reform Club
Reform Club
The Reform Club is a gentlemen's club on the south side of Pall Mall, in central London. Originally for men only, it changed to include the admission of women in 1981. In 2011 the subscription for membership of the Reform Club as a full UK member is £1,344.00, with a one-off entrance fee of £875.00...
and the Yorkshire Philosophical Society from 1844. He died in Scarborough in 1882. A statue of Leeman by local sculptor George Walker Milburn, paid for by public subscription, was unveiled in 1885 and stands outside York railway station; Station Road was renamed Leeman Road at the same time.