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James Howard (agriculturalist)
Encyclopedia
James Howard was an English agriculturalist, Liberal
politician, manufacturer, and Bedfordshire
landowner.
Howard was one of the sons of John Howard, of Cauldwell House, Bedford
, and was educated at Bedford Modern School
.
With his brother Frederick (later Sir Frederick Howard, a Deputy Lieutenant
of Bedfordshire) he founded J. and F. Howard Ironfounders, a company which made agricultural machinery at the Britannia Works in Bedford.
In 1862, Howard bought a large part of the Clapham, Bedfordshire
, estates of Bertram Ashburnham, 4th Earl of Ashburnham
, and established a model farm there, farming his land under new scientific methods.
In 1872, he built Clapham Park, a new Victorian country house
in an Elizabethan style standing on high ground to the south of Clapham Wood.
In 1885, Howard was one of the two vice-presidents of the National Pig Breeders' Association, which had been founded in 1884 and which would later become the British Pig Breeders Association. He wrote in 1881 that over twenty years he had bred thousands of pigs, trying the Large, Middle, and Small Whites and the Berkshires
, and had crossed the Whites with the Berkshire. For rapid growth and profitability his preferred breed was the Large White, but he was "far from decrying the Berkshires".
of Bedford. In 1868, he was elected as one of the two members of parliament
for the Bedford constituency
, but he lost the seat to a Conservative in 1874.
In 1880, he returned to the House of Commons
as member for the Bedfordshire county constituency
, which he represented until it was abolished in 1885.
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On 15 April 1864, while Howard was Mayor of Bedford, Giuseppe Garibaldi
visited the town and was entertained by Howard. In the morning, he visited the Howard brothers' Britannia Works and planted a Giant Sequoia
(then known as the Wellingtonia gigantea) on the lawn there as a memento of his visit. After hearing speeches from the town's Corporation
, Garibaldi proceeded to James Howard's Clapham Park Farm, where he saw a steam-powered plough. Howard then hosted a luncheon for Garibaldi at his house in Caudwell Street, Bedford, the guests including Samuel Whitbread
MP, Lady Antrim, the 3rd Duke of Sutherland
, Lord Albert Leveson-Gower, Lord Alfred Paget, Menotti Garibaldi, and Mr and Mrs Frederick Howard. Garibaldi toasted the Howard brothers: "I am quite happy to be here today and I thank you much for your great kindness I give my thanks to this family of Howard who have done so much for agriculture; and I give thanks also to this good company. I shall never forget you and my visit here: and I will now drink to you". The Giant Sequoia planted by Garibaldi in Bedford was later hit by a lightning strike and now only a stump remains. A local councillor petitioned in 2005 that this remnant be sculpted into a bust of Garibaldi.
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, manufacturer, and Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
landowner.
Life
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, and was educated at Bedford Modern School
Bedford Modern School
Bedford Modern School is a British co-educational independent school in the Harpur area of Bedford, in the county of Bedfordshire, in England.Bedford Modern comprises a junior school and a senior school...
.
With his brother Frederick (later Sir Frederick Howard, 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....
of Bedfordshire) he founded J. and F. Howard Ironfounders, a company which made agricultural machinery at the Britannia Works in Bedford.
In 1862, Howard bought a large part of the Clapham, Bedfordshire
Clapham, Bedfordshire
Clapham is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. It has a population of 3,643.-Facilities:Clapham has numerous public houses and several small shops; including a post office, Chinese and Indian takeaways, fish and chips, a florist, a hairdresser and a small...
, estates of Bertram Ashburnham, 4th Earl of Ashburnham
Earl of Ashburnham
The title Baron Ashburnham , of Ashburnham in the County of Sussex, was created in the Peerage of England in 1689 for John Ashburnham, grandson of the John Ashburnham who assisted King Charles I to escape from Oxford and Hampton Court Palace...
, and established a model farm there, farming his land under new scientific methods.
In 1872, he built Clapham Park, a new Victorian country house
English country house
The English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a London house. This allowed to them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these people, the term distinguished between town and country...
in an Elizabethan style standing on high ground to the south of Clapham Wood.
In 1885, Howard was one of the two vice-presidents of the National Pig Breeders' Association, which had been founded in 1884 and which would later become the British Pig Breeders Association. He wrote in 1881 that over twenty years he had bred thousands of pigs, trying the Large, Middle, and Small Whites and the Berkshires
Berkshire (pig)
Berkshire pigs are a rare breed of pig originating from Berkshire in England.Herds of the breed are still maintained in England by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust at Aldenham Country Park, Hertfordshire, and by the South of England Rare Breeds Centre in Kent. The Berkshire is listed as 'vulnerable',...
, and had crossed the Whites with the Berkshire. For rapid growth and profitability his preferred breed was the Large White, but he was "far from decrying the Berkshires".
Political career
In 1863 and 1864, Howard was MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Bedford. In 1868, he was elected as one of the two members 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,...
for the Bedford constituency
Bedford (UK Parliament constituency)
Bedford is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The seat was established in its current form in 1997, restoring a centuries old name. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election...
, but he lost the seat to a Conservative in 1874.
In 1880, he returned to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
as member for the Bedfordshire county constituency
Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Bedfordshire was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency, which elected two Members of Parliament from 1295 until 1885, when it was divided into two constituencies under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.-History:...
, which he represented until it was abolished in 1885.
Visit of Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
visited the town and was entertained by Howard. In the morning, he visited the Howard brothers' Britannia Works and planted a Giant Sequoia
Sequoiadendron
Sequoiadendron giganteum is the sole living species in the genus Sequoiadendron, and one of three species of coniferous trees known as redwoods, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae, together with Sequoia sempervirens and...
(then known as the Wellingtonia gigantea) on the lawn there as a memento of his visit. After hearing speeches from the town's Corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
, Garibaldi proceeded to James Howard's Clapham Park Farm, where he saw a steam-powered plough. Howard then hosted a luncheon for Garibaldi at his house in Caudwell Street, Bedford, the guests including Samuel Whitbread
Samuel Whitbread (1830–1915)
Samuel Whitbread was an English brewer and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1852 to 1895.-Biography:...
MP, Lady Antrim, the 3rd Duke of Sutherland
George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland
George Granville William Sutherland Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland , styled Viscount Trentham until 1833, Earl Gower in 1833 and Marquess of Stafford between 1833 and 1861, was a British politician.-Background:Sutherland was the son of George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland...
, Lord Albert Leveson-Gower, Lord Alfred Paget, Menotti Garibaldi, and Mr and Mrs Frederick Howard. Garibaldi toasted the Howard brothers: "I am quite happy to be here today and I thank you much for your great kindness I give my thanks to this family of Howard who have done so much for agriculture; and I give thanks also to this good company. I shall never forget you and my visit here: and I will now drink to you". The Giant Sequoia planted by Garibaldi in Bedford was later hit by a lightning strike and now only a stump remains. A local councillor petitioned in 2005 that this remnant be sculpted into a bust of Garibaldi.