John Stephenson Rowntree
Encyclopedia
John Stephenson Rowntree (2 May 1834 – 13 April 1907) was a Director of Rowntree's
, the York
confectionery
company and a reformer
of the Quaker movement in the United Kingdom
.
He was the eldest son of Joseph Rowntree
(1801 – 1859) and Sarah Stephenson (1807 – 1888), his wife. He was born on 2 May 1834.
He married Elizabeth Hotham (1835–1875) on 25 August 1858. They had nine children. Following her death, he married, on 10 April 1878, Helen Doncaster (1833–1920).
His book, Quakerism Past and Present (1859), written at the age of 24, analyses the state of nineteenth-century British Quakerism and was a cause of some essential reforms. He supported Quaker education in York and the training of women teachers and the higher education of women, in general. He was editor of The Friend from 1875 to 1878.
He was an ardent botanist, a keen archaeologist, and well versed in the history of York. He was elected lord mayor in 1880 and during his aldermanship devoted himself to putting the city's unsatisfactory finances on to a sound basis.
He died in London on 13 April 1907. After his death, some of his writings were collected and published by Phoebe Doncaster, together with a memoir, as John Stephenson Rowntree, his life and work.
Rowntree's
Rowntree's was a confectionery business based in York, England. It is now a historic brand owned by Nestlé, used to market a range of fruit gums and pastilles formerly owned by Rowntree's. Following a merger with John Mackintosh & Co., the Company became known as Rowntree Mackintosh, was listed on...
, the York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
company and a reformer
Reform movement
A reform movement is a kind of social movement that aims to make gradual change, or change in certain aspects of society, rather than rapid or fundamental changes...
of the Quaker movement in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
He was the eldest son of Joseph Rowntree
Joseph Rowntree (educationist)
Joseph Rowntree was an English educationist and shopkeeper.Rowntree was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, England, the son of the Quakers John Rowntree and his wife, Elizabeth Lotherington . In 1822 he started a grocery shop in York. The business was successful...
(1801 – 1859) and Sarah Stephenson (1807 – 1888), his wife. He was born on 2 May 1834.
He married Elizabeth Hotham (1835–1875) on 25 August 1858. They had nine children. Following her death, he married, on 10 April 1878, Helen Doncaster (1833–1920).
His book, Quakerism Past and Present (1859), written at the age of 24, analyses the state of nineteenth-century British Quakerism and was a cause of some essential reforms. He supported Quaker education in York and the training of women teachers and the higher education of women, in general. He was editor of The Friend from 1875 to 1878.
He was an ardent botanist, a keen archaeologist, and well versed in the history of York. He was elected lord mayor in 1880 and during his aldermanship devoted himself to putting the city's unsatisfactory finances on to a sound basis.
He died in London on 13 April 1907. After his death, some of his writings were collected and published by Phoebe Doncaster, together with a memoir, as John Stephenson Rowntree, his life and work.