Jeremiah James Colman
Encyclopedia
Jeremiah James Colman was an English mustard manufacturer and the third member of the family in charge of the eponymous company Colman's
. He was a popular philanthropist in his home town of Norwich
and a Liberal
politician who represented the city in parliament.
in 1851 and from then on the company was called J. & J. Colman. In 1854, the firm employed 200 workers. Jeremiah James was responsible for moving the firm to the larger works at Carrow in 1856. The Carrow site had been bought from the Norwich Railway Company in 1850 and it was well served by road, rail and river transport. The massive expansion of Carrow Works brought steady employment to a depressed and stagnating city. By 1874 he was the master of 1,500 workers. He lived in Carrow House at the heart of the works, devoting his life to the firm and to public interests. In 1866 Jeremiah James Colman was appointed mustard maker to Queen Victoria. He also made it for Napoleon II of France, the Prince of Wales and Victor Emmanuel II of Italy. By 1893 the company had over 2,000 employees.
Colman served as a Norwich councillor from 1859 to 1871 becoming Sheriff in 1862 and Mayor in 1867. He was Leader of the Liberal party in the City, and was elected as MP
for Norwich
in 1871 and held the seat until 1895. He was a City and County magistrate, Deputy Lieutenant in 1880 and an Alderman in 1896.
He served as Governor of Norwich School
in 1858 and as its Chairman in 1890. He was a trustee of the Municipal Charities in 1856 and its Vice-Chairman from 1869 - 1872. In 1893 he was made an Honourary Freeman of the City.
He championed nonconformity, and persistently urged religious freedom. His generosity, kindness and courtesy, gained him the affection and support not just of his business colleagues and employees but all who came into contact with him. On the day of his funeral the city came to a complete halt and thousands were in mourning. His large collection of historical documents about the city was given to the library by his great grandson and his paintings went to the Norwich Castle Museum
In 1856 he married Caroline Cozens-Hardy, the eldest daughter of William Hardy and Sarah Cozens of Letheringsett Hall, who changed their surnames by royal licence in 1842 to Cozens-Hardy. They had six children and after her elder son Russell James Colman recovered from a serious childhood illness in 1863, she became closely associated with the work of the Jenny Lind Hospital for children. She gave her husband much support in his civic and parliamentary duties. She was the central figure behind all the welfare work for the employees of the company. A school was opened in King Street when the company moved to Carrow and in 1864 a new magnificent building was opened on Carrow Hill. The Carrow Works Dispensary was established in 1864 with a doctor and the first industrial nurse in the country. The company owned hundreds of properties around the city. Houses were provided for the workers at Carrow Close in Corton Road and Nightingale Cottages. In 1878, Lakenham Cricket Ground was bought to become not only the focus of Carrow sport, but also home to Norfolk County Cricket Club
. After Caroline died in 1895 Jeremiah James Colman gave a new site for the hospital on the outskirts of the city in her memory. In 1899, the Carrow Works Pension Fund was introduced as a memorial to JJ Colman.
When he was asked how he had made a fortune out of such a humble product, he replied "I make my money from the mustard that people throw away on the sides of their plate".
Colman's
Colman's is a UK manufacturer of mustard and various other sauces, based at Carrow, in Norwich, Norfolk. Presently an operational division of the multinational Unilever company, Colman's is one of the oldest existing food brands, famous for a limited range of products, almost all varieties of...
. He was a popular philanthropist in his home town of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and 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 who represented the city in parliament.
Biography
Colman was the son of James Colman and his wife Mary Burlingham, daughter of John Burlingham of Old Buckenham. He became a partner in the family mustard business at Stoke Holy CrossStoke Holy Cross
Stoke Holy Cross is a village in South Norfolk which lies approximately 4 miles south of Norwich.-Geography:It sits on the River Tas. It covers an area of and had a population of 1,568 in 674 households as of the 2001 census....
in 1851 and from then on the company was called J. & J. Colman. In 1854, the firm employed 200 workers. Jeremiah James was responsible for moving the firm to the larger works at Carrow in 1856. The Carrow site had been bought from the Norwich Railway Company in 1850 and it was well served by road, rail and river transport. The massive expansion of Carrow Works brought steady employment to a depressed and stagnating city. By 1874 he was the master of 1,500 workers. He lived in Carrow House at the heart of the works, devoting his life to the firm and to public interests. In 1866 Jeremiah James Colman was appointed mustard maker to Queen Victoria. He also made it for Napoleon II of France, the Prince of Wales and Victor Emmanuel II of Italy. By 1893 the company had over 2,000 employees.
Colman served as a Norwich councillor from 1859 to 1871 becoming Sheriff in 1862 and Mayor in 1867. He was Leader of the Liberal party in the City, and was elected as MP
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 Norwich
Norwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Norwich was a borough constituency which was represented in the House of Commons of England from 1298 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election...
in 1871 and held the seat until 1895. He was a City and County magistrate, Deputy Lieutenant in 1880 and an Alderman in 1896.
He served as Governor of Norwich School
Norwich School
Norwich School may refer to:*Norwich School of painters*Norwich School , an independent fee-paying school in Norwich, England...
in 1858 and as its Chairman in 1890. He was a trustee of the Municipal Charities in 1856 and its Vice-Chairman from 1869 - 1872. In 1893 he was made an Honourary Freeman of the City.
He championed nonconformity, and persistently urged religious freedom. His generosity, kindness and courtesy, gained him the affection and support not just of his business colleagues and employees but all who came into contact with him. On the day of his funeral the city came to a complete halt and thousands were in mourning. His large collection of historical documents about the city was given to the library by his great grandson and his paintings went to the Norwich Castle Museum
In 1856 he married Caroline Cozens-Hardy, the eldest daughter of William Hardy and Sarah Cozens of Letheringsett Hall, who changed their surnames by royal licence in 1842 to Cozens-Hardy. They had six children and after her elder son Russell James Colman recovered from a serious childhood illness in 1863, she became closely associated with the work of the Jenny Lind Hospital for children. She gave her husband much support in his civic and parliamentary duties. She was the central figure behind all the welfare work for the employees of the company. A school was opened in King Street when the company moved to Carrow and in 1864 a new magnificent building was opened on Carrow Hill. The Carrow Works Dispensary was established in 1864 with a doctor and the first industrial nurse in the country. The company owned hundreds of properties around the city. Houses were provided for the workers at Carrow Close in Corton Road and Nightingale Cottages. In 1878, Lakenham Cricket Ground was bought to become not only the focus of Carrow sport, but also home to Norfolk County Cricket Club
Norfolk County Cricket Club
Norfolk County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Norfolk and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
. After Caroline died in 1895 Jeremiah James Colman gave a new site for the hospital on the outskirts of the city in her memory. In 1899, the Carrow Works Pension Fund was introduced as a memorial to JJ Colman.
When he was asked how he had made a fortune out of such a humble product, he replied "I make my money from the mustard that people throw away on the sides of their plate".