Joseph Brotherton
Encyclopedia
Joseph Brotherton was a reforming British
politician, non-conformist minister and pioneering vegetarian.
He was born in Whittington
, near Chesterfield
, Derbyshire
, and was the son of John Brotherton, an excise collector, and his wife Mary. In 1789 the family moved to Salford, Lancashire
, where John Brotherton established a cotton and silk mill.
Joseph received no formal education, instead joining the family firm, of which he became a partner in 1802. On the death of his father in 1809 he went into partnership with his cousin William Harvey. In 1806 he married his business partner's sister, Martha.
, was renamed the Bible Christian Church in 1809. In 1816 Cowherd died, and Brotherton became a minister. The church required abstention from the eating of meat or drinking of alcohol. In 1812 Martha Brotherton was the author of Vegetable Cookery, the first vegetarian cookbook.
In 1819, aged only thirty-six, Brotherton retired from the family business in order to devote his energy to his ministry. He used his position to actively improve the conditions of workers and campaign for reforms. Among his achievements were the building of schools, the opening of a lending library and the establishment of a fund to support the victims of the Peterloo Massacre
. He was also an overseer of the poor
and a justice of the peace
.
s, meeting in the Manchester
home of John Potter. Other members of the group included John Edward Taylor
(founder of The Manchester Guardian
), Archibald Prentice (later editor of the Manchester Times), John Shuttleworth
(industrialist and municipal reformer), Absalom Watkin (parliamentary reformer and anti corn law campaigner), William Cowdray (editor of the Manchester Gazette), Thomas Potter
(later first mayor of Manchester) and Richard Potter (later MP for Wigan
). In 1820 Brotherton, Thomas Potter and Shuttleworth founded the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. In 1830 the group began a campaign for parliamentary reform, calling for the growing industrial towns of Manchester and Salford to be given the right to elect members of parliament
.
. Brotherton was elected as Salford
's first member of parliament
at the ensuing general election
. He was re-elected five times, unopposed on two occasions. In parliament he campaigned against the death penalty, for the abolition of slavery and for free non-demoninational education. He actively supported the Municipal Corporations Bill
, which led to Manchester and Salford having democratically-elected councils. He took an interest in the facilities provided by the new municipalities, and was largely responsible for the opening of Peel Park, Salford
.
towards Salford.
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...
politician, non-conformist minister and pioneering vegetarian.
He was born in Whittington
Old Whittington
Old Whittington is a village in Derbyshire and north of Chesterfield and is/ south-east of Sheffield. The village lies on the River Rother....
, near Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, and was the son of John Brotherton, an excise collector, and his wife Mary. In 1789 the family moved to Salford, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, where John Brotherton established a cotton and silk mill.
Joseph received no formal education, instead joining the family firm, of which he became a partner in 1802. On the death of his father in 1809 he went into partnership with his cousin William Harvey. In 1806 he married his business partner's sister, Martha.
Bible Christian Church
In 1805 he joined the Salford Swedenborgian Church. The church, led by William CowherdWilliam Cowherd
Reverend William Cowherd was a priest serving the town of Salford, immediately west of Manchester, and one of the philosophical forerunners of The Vegetarian Society, founded in 1847. Cowherd advocated and encouraged members of his then small group of followers, known as 'Cowherdites' to abstain...
, was renamed the Bible Christian Church in 1809. In 1816 Cowherd died, and Brotherton became a minister. The church required abstention from the eating of meat or drinking of alcohol. In 1812 Martha Brotherton was the author of Vegetable Cookery, the first vegetarian cookbook.
In 1819, aged only thirty-six, Brotherton retired from the family business in order to devote his energy to his ministry. He used his position to actively improve the conditions of workers and campaign for reforms. Among his achievements were the building of schools, the opening of a lending library and the establishment of a fund to support the victims of the Peterloo Massacre
Peterloo Massacre
The Peterloo Massacre occurred at St Peter's Field, Manchester, England, on 16 August 1819, when cavalry charged into a crowd of 60,000–80,000 that had gathered to demand the reform of parliamentary representation....
. He was also an overseer of the poor
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
and a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
.
The "John Potter" Group
From 1815 Brotherton was a member of a group of Nonconformist LiberalLiberal 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...
s, meeting in the 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...
home of John Potter. Other members of the group included John Edward Taylor
John Edward Taylor
John Edward Taylor was the founder of the Manchester Guardian newspaper, later to become The Guardian.-Biography:...
(founder of The Manchester Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
), Archibald Prentice (later editor of the Manchester Times), John Shuttleworth
John Shuttleworth (industrialist)
John Shuttleworth was an English political activist and campaigner for parliamentary reform in nineteenth century Manchester.-External links:...
(industrialist and municipal reformer), Absalom Watkin (parliamentary reformer and anti corn law campaigner), William Cowdray (editor of the Manchester Gazette), Thomas Potter
Thomas Potter (Mayor of Manchester)
Thomas Potter, was a British industrialist and Liberal politician.-Early life:Born in April 1774 the seventh of nine children of draper John Potter and his wife Anne Hartley. He was born at Tadcaster, Yorkshire.-Personal life:...
(later first mayor of Manchester) and Richard Potter (later MP for Wigan
Wigan (UK Parliament constituency)
Wigan is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
). In 1820 Brotherton, Thomas Potter and Shuttleworth founded the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. In 1830 the group began a campaign for parliamentary reform, calling for the growing industrial towns of Manchester and Salford to be given the right to elect 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,...
.
Salford's first member of parliament
The group's aims were achieved with the passing of the Reform Act 1832Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
. Brotherton was elected as Salford
Salford (UK Parliament constituency)
Salford was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. The borough constituency dated from 1997 and was abolished in 2010.A parliamentary borough of the same...
's first 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,...
at the ensuing general election
United Kingdom general election, 1832
-Seats summary:-Parties and leaders at the general election:The Earl Grey had been Prime Minister since 22 November 1830. His was the first predominantly Whig administration since the Ministry of all the Talents in 1806-1807....
. He was re-elected five times, unopposed on two occasions. In parliament he campaigned against the death penalty, for the abolition of slavery and for free non-demoninational education. He actively supported the Municipal Corporations Bill
Municipal Corporations Act 1835
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 – sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales...
, which led to Manchester and Salford having democratically-elected councils. He took an interest in the facilities provided by the new municipalities, and was largely responsible for the opening of Peel Park, Salford
Peel Park, Salford
Peel Park is a public urban park in Salford, Greater Manchester, England located on the flood plain of the River Irwell below Salford Crescent and adjacent to the University of Salford...
.
Death
Brotherton died suddenly from a heart attack in January 1857, while travelling to a meeting in Manchester. He was buried on 14 January in the New Barnes municipal cemetery, Salford, following a two and a half mile long funeral procession. A Joseph Brotherton Memorial Fund was established, and a statue of Brotherton was erected in Peel Park in 1858. The statue was dismantled in 1954 and sold into private ownership in 1969. It was purchased by Manchester City Council in 1986, and is now sited at Riverside Walk, overlooking the River IrwellRiver Irwell
The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...
towards Salford.