William Hulton
Encyclopedia
William Hulton was an English landowner and magistrate.
William Hulton was the son of William Hulton and Jane (née Brooke) of Hulton Park
, then in the historic county of Lancashire
, England. He was educated at Brasenose College, Oxford
. In 1808 he married his cousin Maria Ford with whom he had 13 children, 10 of whom survived to maturity.
. In this capacity he ordered the arrest of 12 men, Luddites, for arson at Westhoughton Mill
in Westhoughton town centre. Four of the offenders were hanged outside Lancaster Castle
, including a boy aged 12. Hulton gained a reputation as being tough on crime and political dissent and in 1819 was made chairman of the Lancashire and Cheshire Magistrates, a body set up for dealing with the civil unrest endemic in the area.
In 1819 he summoned the local Yeomanry to deal with a large crowd in St Peter's Square
in Manchester which had gathered to hear the political agitator Henry Hunt
. The Yeomanry, on horseback with sabres drawn, forced its way through the crowd to break up the rally and allow Hunt to be arrested. Twelve people died from sabre and musket wounds or trampling and the event became known as the Peterloo Massacre
. Hulton was vilified by the local population and was obliged to decline a safe parliamentary seat offered to him in 1820.
under the park or nearby and in 1824 became chairman of the Bolton and Leigh Railway
Company, which planned and built the first public railway in Lancashire. The line ran to the west of his estate from Bolton
to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
in Leigh
, enabling him to deliver his coal to market more cheaply. The line was connected to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
in 1830 giving him and other local businessmen access to the Port of Liverpool
.
Until 1831 Hulton paid his workers with tokens or vouchers
that could only be redeemed in his company shop, a practice outlawed by the passing of the Truck Act 1831
.
In 1843 Hulton paid his colliers the poorest wages in Lancashire. He remained opposed to permitting the right to free assembly and was vehemently opposed to miners congregating with the object of forming a union
. He established the Hulton Colliery Company
in 1858.
William Hulton was the son of William Hulton and Jane (née Brooke) of Hulton Park
Over Hulton
Over Hulton is a suburb of Westhoughton within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester,England.It lies south west of Bolton.-History:...
, then in the historic county of 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...
, England. He was educated at Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
. In 1808 he married his cousin Maria Ford with whom he had 13 children, 10 of whom survived to maturity.
Magistrate
In 1811 he was appointed High Sheriff of LancashireHigh Sheriff of Lancashire
The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient officer, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales...
. In this capacity he ordered the arrest of 12 men, Luddites, for arson at Westhoughton Mill
Westhoughton Mill
Westhoughton Mill , situated in Mill Street in the town of Westhoughton, near Bolton in Lancashire, was in 1812 the site of a Luddite arson attack. It had been built in 1804 by Richard Johnson Lockett, a Macclesfield man who had bought and lived in Westhoughton Hall, and leased out in 1808 to...
in Westhoughton town centre. Four of the offenders were hanged outside Lancaster Castle
Lancaster Castle
Lancaster Castle is a medieval castle located in Lancaster in the English county of Lancashire. Its early history is unclear, but may have been founded in the 11th century on the site of a Roman fort overlooking a crossing of the River Lune. In 1164, the Honour of Lancaster, including the...
, including a boy aged 12. Hulton gained a reputation as being tough on crime and political dissent and in 1819 was made chairman of the Lancashire and Cheshire Magistrates, a body set up for dealing with the civil unrest endemic in the area.
In 1819 he summoned the local Yeomanry to deal with a large crowd in St Peter's Square
St Peter's Square, Manchester
St Peter's Square Metrolink station is a Manchester Metrolink station located on St Peter's Square, Manchester city centre.Metrolink trams from Altrincham and Eccles serve two platforms in the west of the square which are located directly in front of Manchester Central Library...
in Manchester which had gathered to hear the political agitator Henry Hunt
Henry Hunt (politician)
Henry "Orator" Hunt was a British radical speaker and agitator remembered as a pioneer of working-class radicalism and an important influence on the later Chartist movement. He advocated parliamentary reform and the repeal of the Corn Laws.Hunt was born in Upavon, Wiltshire and became a prosperous...
. The Yeomanry, on horseback with sabres drawn, forced its way through the crowd to break up the rally and allow Hunt to be arrested. Twelve people died from sabre and musket wounds or trampling and the event became known as 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....
. Hulton was vilified by the local population and was obliged to decline a safe parliamentary seat offered to him in 1820.
Coal
As the owner of Hulton Park he derived income from the seven collieries working the coal measuresCoal Measures
The Coal Measures is a lithostratigraphical term for the coal-bearing part of the Upper Carboniferous System. It represents the remains of fluvio-deltaic sediment, and consists mainly of clastic rocks interstratified with the beds of coal...
under the park or nearby and in 1824 became chairman of the Bolton and Leigh Railway
Bolton and Leigh Railway
The Bolton and Leigh Railway was the first public railway in the historic county of Lancashire, England. It opened in 1828 for goods.-History:...
Company, which planned and built the first public railway in Lancashire. The line ran to the west of his estate from Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
in Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
, enabling him to deliver his coal to market more cheaply. The line was connected to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
Liverpool and Manchester Railway
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North...
in 1830 giving him and other local businessmen access to the Port of Liverpool
Port of Liverpool
The Port of Liverpool is the name for the enclosed 7.5 mile dock system that runs from Brunswick Dock in Liverpool to Seaforth Dock, Seaforth, on the east side of the River Mersey and the Birkenhead Docks between Birkenhead and Wallasey on the west side of the river...
.
Until 1831 Hulton paid his workers with tokens or vouchers
Truck system
A truck system is an arrangement in which employees are paid in commodities or some currency substitute , rather than with standard money. This limits employees' ability to choose how to spend their earnings—generally to the benefit of the employer...
that could only be redeemed in his company shop, a practice outlawed by the passing of the Truck Act 1831
Truck Acts
Truck Acts is the name given to legislation that outlaws truck systems, which are also known as "company store" systems, or debt bondage. Such laws date back in Britain to the 15th century but have also been implemented in other countries.-History:...
.
In 1843 Hulton paid his colliers the poorest wages in Lancashire. He remained opposed to permitting the right to free assembly and was vehemently opposed to miners congregating with the object of forming a union
Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' Federation
The Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' Federation was a trade union which operated on the Lancashire Coalfield in North West England.-Background:...
. He established the Hulton Colliery Company
Hulton Colliery Company
The Hulton Colliery Company was a coal mining company operating on the Lancashire Coalfield from the mid 19th century in Over Hulton and Westhoughton, then in the historic county of Lancashire, England....
in 1858.