 His father sold, among many other commodities, beads, knives, toys, and other trifles which he distributed wholesale among slave traders, and he had also a large mill for rolling silver and for plating purposes.Mark was educated at schools at Yardley, Worcestershire, and Ashbourne, Derbyshire.On the death of his father he inherited a modest fortune, and was articled to Mr. Barber, a solicitor of Birmingham.