sir 1st sir 1st february july british chemical industrialist politician works rose position general manager met later formed partnership create chemical company initially making process member parliament represented employer politician supported irish home rule trade unions free trade welfare reforms leading world war sympathetic stance germany prominent generous towns constituency great grandfather early life career born liverpool fourth child second son june swiss september originated daughter wife father established school road known house teach children lines advocated mother died aged father married business sense gave credit teaching skills practical matters educated father school age decided follow career commerce spent years shipping house liverpool found exciting lucrative decided change career took clerical post works older brother henry working technical manager rose position general manager shortly starting work met german born chemist company formed partnership founded initial capital million borrowed april belgium meet negotiate terms manufacture process developed process produced ash established process raw materials easily produced fewer waste products gentlemen agreement global markets company having exclusive rights united_states british isles decided build factory near land owned lord stanley sited river allowed transport raw materials finished products works lord stanley insisted selling house surrounding land deal purchase completed time lived separately wings hall early years extremely difficult initially getting plant work efficiently selling ash success achieved competitors producing products partnership converted limited company capital assets listed million founders managing directors life chairman retained position april months death duties increasingly performed son slow start wealthiest british chemical company late 19th century merger british chemical companies form market million million chemical given times employer went great lengths improve situation employees measures introduced shorter working hours sickness injury insurance holidays pay politics years working developing political interests joined chapter secretary gave opportunity come contact liberals liverpool parts country soon moving practically involved education locally particular town later served board governors local authority result parliamentary constituency created offered candidate speech position expressed support church_of_england reform property laws irish home rule compensation properties damaged pumping salt mines area campaign foreign sounding responded father swiss mother woman born liverpool nurse welsh general election december beat conservative rival majority won seats party election insufficient form majority government leaving holding balance power proved impossible form stable government general election called june meantime split formed opponent election brother robert standing election held july defeated votes november embarked world tour accompanied wife son stephen return july greeted great celebration extremely popular town regarded kind sympathetic employer generous weeks return died election called opponent lord standing time election august won majority general election opponent conservative cotton manufacturer returned increased majority election beat conservative votes general election held boer war opposed retained seat reduced majority general election opponent conservative colonel fought boer war increased majority continued member parliament general election january decided stand partly health concern wife health subsequently moved surrey continued play politics elected division liberal supported irish home rule trade unions free trade welfare reforms leading world war argued britain adopt sympathetic approach germany including naval war break opinion fought won addition production factories making chemicals use explosives built new factory generous gifts included provision schools social clubs provided free library endowed sir purchased disused chapel presented town trades unions nearby village bought disused school gave local community serve village hall endowed chairs economics physical chemistry abroad gave gifts provided hospital switzerland founded john lodge following year honoured rank england created chairman bridge company million construction plus loan million personal guarantee bank loan million building bridge complete opened king unable attend performed ceremony apparent bridge operate loss assigned interest corporation times stated action amounted virtual gift million personal life june married daughter liverpool merchant children died january following year married daughter physician children marriage children daughters born moved hall suburb liverpool offices held vice president deputy lieutenant pro chancellor awarded honorary degree doctor laws member council declined offers died home estate amounted million addition given married daughters transferred investments sons passed eldest son descendants include elder son daughter born married grandson britain king george daughter younger son married member reigning dynasty
Sir John Brunner, 1st Baronet