William Rathbone IV
Encyclopedia
William Rathbone IV was a member of the noted Rathbone family
of Liverpool
, England
. He was the son of William Rathbone III
and Rachel Rutter, and was a Liverpool
ship-owner and merchant
, involved in the organisation of American trade with Liverpool.
Originally a member of the Society of Friends, he felt compelled to write a Narrative of Events in Ireland among the Quakers in 1786 in protest against religious intolerance in the Society, for which he was disowned from the Society in 1805. He would never join another religious body, though he occasionally worshiped with local Unitarian
congregations.
As a committed opponent to slavery
, he was a founder member of the Liverpool Committee for the Aboliton of the Slave Trade.
He married Hannah Mary, (1761–1839) daughter of Richard Reynolds of Bristol and Hannah (née Darby) at the Friends Meeting House, Shrewsbury. They had eight children:
In 1788, he leased the family house and estate of Greenbank
, then part of the Toxteth Park estate, to serve as a country retreat for his young family, and purchased the freehold of the house in 1809.
Rathbone died on 11 February 1809, and was buried at Liverpool Friends' Burial Ground.
Rathbone family
The Rathbone family of Liverpool, England, were a family of non-conformist merchants and shipowners, whose sense of high social consciousness led to a fine tradition of philanthropy and public service....
of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was the son of William Rathbone III
William Rathbone III
William Rathbone III was a member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool.The eldest son of William Rathbone II, he was a merchant and ship-owner within Liverpool. A devout Quaker, and committed opponent of the slave trade, he married twice, fathering eleven children, including William Rathbone...
and Rachel Rutter, and was a Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
ship-owner and merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, involved in the organisation of American trade with Liverpool.
Originally a member of the Society of Friends, he felt compelled to write a Narrative of Events in Ireland among the Quakers in 1786 in protest against religious intolerance in the Society, for which he was disowned from the Society in 1805. He would never join another religious body, though he occasionally worshiped with local Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
congregations.
As a committed opponent to slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, he was a founder member of the Liverpool Committee for the Aboliton of the Slave Trade.
He married Hannah Mary, (1761–1839) daughter of Richard Reynolds of Bristol and Hannah (née Darby) at the Friends Meeting House, Shrewsbury. They had eight children:
- William Rathbone VWilliam Rathbone V-Life:A member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool, he was the eldest son of William Rathbone IV and Hannah Mary . He was a Liverpool merchant in partnership with Richard Rathbone, his brother....
(1787–1868) - Richard RathboneRichard RathboneRichard Rathbone was a member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool in England. He was the second son of William Rathbone IV. Richard was a commission merchant, setting up in partnership with his brother, William Rathbone V in 1809.He retired in 1835...
(1788–1860) - Hannah Mary (1791–1865)
- Joseph (1793–1794)
- Theophilus (1795–1798)
- Theodore Woolman (1798–1863)
- Benson (1800–1834)
- Basil (1802–1804)
In 1788, he leased the family house and estate of Greenbank
Greenbank House
Greenbank House, is a Grade II listed building, located in Liverpool, England. It stands within the University of Liverpool's Greenbank Halls of Residence site, between Greenbank Road and Greenbank Lane.- Original House :...
, then part of the Toxteth Park estate, to serve as a country retreat for his young family, and purchased the freehold of the house in 1809.
Rathbone died on 11 February 1809, and was buried at Liverpool Friends' Burial Ground.