Thomas Knowles
Encyclopedia
Thomas Knowles was an English businessman and Conservative
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1883.
Knowles was in business in Lancashire with interests in coal mining, cotton spinning and bleaching. He was chairman of Pearson and Knowles Coal and Iron Company and a director of the London and North Western Railway
. He was a J.P.
for Lancashire and Cheshire. In 1864 and 1865, he was mayor of Wigan.
At the 1874 general election
Knowles was elected Member of Parliament
for Wigan
. He held the seat until his death at the age of 59 in 1883.
Knowles married firstly Mary Foster in 1863 and secondly Mary Longworth, daughter of William Longworth of Little Bolton, Lancashire.
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1874 to 1883.
Knowles was in business in Lancashire with interests in coal mining, cotton spinning and bleaching. He was chairman of Pearson and Knowles Coal and Iron Company and a director of the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
. He was a J.P.
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...
for Lancashire and Cheshire. In 1864 and 1865, he was mayor of Wigan.
At the 1874 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1874
-Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
Knowles 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,...
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...
. He held the seat until his death at the age of 59 in 1883.
Knowles married firstly Mary Foster in 1863 and secondly Mary Longworth, daughter of William Longworth of Little Bolton, Lancashire.