James Allanson Picton
Encyclopedia
James Allanson Picton was a British independent minister, author and Liberal
politician.
Picton was born at Liverpool
, the eldest son of Sir James Allanson Picton
and his wife Sarah Pooley. His father was an architect and supporter of the Liverpool Free Library. He was educated at the High School, and at the Mechanics' Institute and joined his father's architectural practice at the age of 16. Three years later he decided to study for the ministry and joined the Lancashire Independent College and Owens College, Manchester
. He achieved a first in classics and in 1855 was awarded MA at the University of London
.
In spite of allegations of heresy, in 1856, he was appointed to Cheetham Hill
congregational church
at Manchester
. There he gave a course of popular lectures to the working classes, but one of his sermons revived the allegation of heresy and in 1862 he went to Gallowtree Gate chapel, Leicester
. In 1869 he became pastor of St. Thomas's Square chapel, Hackney
where he upset orthodox members by delivering lectures on secular themes such as English history and the principles of radical and conservative politics on Sunday afternoons to the working classes. He remained at Hackney until 1879. He wrote much in the press and published many sermons, pamphlets, and volumes on religion and politics.
Picton started to take an active part in public life as an uncompromising radical. He represented Hackney on the London school board from 1870 to 1879 and was chairman of the school management committee for three years. In 1883 he was chosen as a radical candidate for Tower Hamlets
but in June 1884 he stood instead at a by-election for Leicester
. He was elected Member of Parliament
to succeed Peter Alfred Taylor
, most of whose opinions he shared. He retained the seat in the following elections and resigned from the House of Commons in 1894. He was very small in stature, but possessing good oratorical powers, and retaining the manner of the pulpit, he always won the ear of the House of Commons, where he was known as a sincere advocate of extreme views.
After his retirement, Picton built Caerlyr Hall at Penmaenmawr
, North Wales in about 1896 (the name Caerlyr means City of Leicester in Welsh). William Ewart Gladstone
was said to have been a friend of Picton and visited the area frequently. Picton died at Caerlyr Hall aged 77.
Picton married firstly Margaret Beauont, daughter of John Beaumont of Manchester; and secondly Jessie Carr Williams, daughter of Sydney Williams a publisher. He had four sons.
, then an advanced radical organ, and contributed to the Christian World, the Theological Review, the Contemporary Review
, Macmillan's Magazine
, the Examiner
, and other periodicals.
His books included :
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.
Picton was born at Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, the eldest son of Sir James Allanson Picton
James Picton
Sir James Allanson Picton was an English antiquary and architect who played a large part in the public life of Liverpool. He took a particular interest in the establishment of public libraries.-Biography:...
and his wife Sarah Pooley. His father was an architect and supporter of the Liverpool Free Library. He was educated at the High School, and at the Mechanics' Institute and joined his father's architectural practice at the age of 16. Three years later he decided to study for the ministry and joined the Lancashire Independent College and Owens College, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. He achieved a first in classics and in 1855 was awarded MA at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.
In spite of allegations of heresy, in 1856, he was appointed to Cheetham Hill
Cheetham Hill
Cheetham Hill is an inner city area of Manchester, England. As an electoral ward it is known as Cheetham and has a population of 12,846. It lies on the west bank of the River Irk, north-northeast of Manchester city centre and close to the boundary with the City of Salford...
congregational church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
at Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. There he gave a course of popular lectures to the working classes, but one of his sermons revived the allegation of heresy and in 1862 he went to Gallowtree Gate chapel, Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. In 1869 he became pastor of St. Thomas's Square chapel, Hackney
Hackney Central
Hackney Central is the central district of the London Borough of Hackney in London, England. It comprises the area roughly surrounding, and extending north from Mare Street. It is situated north east of Charing Cross...
where he upset orthodox members by delivering lectures on secular themes such as English history and the principles of radical and conservative politics on Sunday afternoons to the working classes. He remained at Hackney until 1879. He wrote much in the press and published many sermons, pamphlets, and volumes on religion and politics.
Picton started to take an active part in public life as an uncompromising radical. He represented Hackney on the London school board from 1870 to 1879 and was chairman of the school management committee for three years. In 1883 he was chosen as a radical candidate for Tower Hamlets
Tower Hamlets (UK Parliament constituency)
Tower Hamlets was a parliamentary borough constituency in, Middlesex, England from 1832 to 1885. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
but in June 1884 he stood instead at a by-election for Leicester
Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)
Leicester was a parliamentary borough in Leicestershire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1918, when it was split into three single-member divisions.-History:...
. He was elected 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,...
to succeed Peter Alfred Taylor
Peter Alfred Taylor
Peter Alfred Taylor was a British politician and radical.He was the son of another Peter Alfred Taylor, a silk merchant, and the nephew of Samuel Courtauld. He was educated at a school in Hove, Sussex, run by J. P. Malleson, his cousin and the Unitarian minister for Brighton. Here he met Clementia...
, most of whose opinions he shared. He retained the seat in the following elections and resigned from the House of Commons in 1894. He was very small in stature, but possessing good oratorical powers, and retaining the manner of the pulpit, he always won the ear of the House of Commons, where he was known as a sincere advocate of extreme views.
After his retirement, Picton built Caerlyr Hall at Penmaenmawr
Penmaenmawr
PenmaenmawrConwyPenmaenmawr is a town in the parish of Dwygyfylchi, in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The population was 3857 in 2001. It is a quarrying town, though the latter is no longer a major employer, on the North Wales coast between Conwy and Llanfairfechan.The town was bypassed by the A55...
, North Wales in about 1896 (the name Caerlyr means City of Leicester in Welsh). William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
was said to have been a friend of Picton and visited the area frequently. Picton died at Caerlyr Hall aged 77.
Picton married firstly Margaret Beauont, daughter of John Beaumont of Manchester; and secondly Jessie Carr Williams, daughter of Sydney Williams a publisher. He had four sons.
Publications
From 1879 to 1884 he wrote leaders in the Weekly DispatchWeekly Dispatch
Weekly Dispatch may refer to:* New York Weekly Dispatch* Weekly Dispatch , London, renamed to Sunday Dispatch in 1928* Richmond Weekly Dispatch, Richmond, VA* South Australian Weekly Dispatch, South Australia...
, then an advanced radical organ, and contributed to the Christian World, the Theological Review, the Contemporary Review
Contemporary Review
-Foundation:It was founded in 1866 by Alexander Strahan and a group of intellectuals anxious to promote intelligent and independent opinion about the great issues of their day. They intended it to be the church-minded counterpart of the resolutely secular Fortnightly Review, which was founded by...
, Macmillan's Magazine
Macmillan's Magazine
Macmillan's Magazine was a monthly British magazine from 1859 to 1907 published by Alexander Macmillan.The magazine was a literary periodical that published fiction and non-fiction works from primarily British authors. Thomas Hughes had convinced Macmillan to found the magazine. The first editor...
, the Examiner
Examiner
The Examiner was a weekly paper founded by Leigh and John Hunt in 1808. For the first fifty years it was a leading intellectual journal expounding radical principles, but from 1865 it repeatedly changed hands and political allegiance, resulting in a rapid decline in readership and loss of...
, and other periodicals.
His books included :
- A Catechism of the Gospels, 1866.
- New Theories and the Old Faith, 1870
- The Mystery of Matter, 1873.
- The Religion of Jesus, 1876.
- Pulpit Discourses, 1879
- Oliver Cromwell: the Man and his Mission, 1882
- Lessons from the English Commonwealth, 1884
- The Conflict of Oligarchy and Democracy, 1885 James Allanson Picton The Conflict of Oligarchy and Democracy
- Sir James A. Picton: a Biography, 1891
- The Bible in School, 1901
- The Religion of the Universe, 1904
- Pantheism 1905
- Spinoza: a Handbook to the Ethics, 1907
- Man and the Bible, 1909.