january february english mill owner social reformer liberal politician born brought entered family cotton business seven year period working bank having originally opposed trade unions mason mill owner creating colony workers associated facilities ensuring experienced good conditions 1860s refused cut workers wages common practice mason liberal elected councillor mayor council retired local politics conflict party mason returned liberals stood election member parliament voted supported progressive policies included women suffrage making unpopular party died aged amassed million early life business career born christened youngest children textile manager mary daughter family moved working manager mill thomas established business partnership town rapid growth enterprise saw expand 1820s 1830s age hugh working mill education consisted attending methodist sunday schools spending years private school leaving school age mason got job district bank attended night school spare time worked left age join family cotton business driving force business business early 1850s mason family built state art cotton mills area known oxford mills able purchase ancestral seat lord house workers mills mason began construction workers colony colony provided terrace houses housing estimated people leisure facilities library swimming pool gymnasium reading room mason built saw model industrial community according mason annual death rate significantly lower rest residents expected adhere strict moral code discouraged use public houses estimated establishing settlement cost year maintain today maintain leadership company prospered number use mills increased brothers henry booth worked company retired respectively father remained active company retired leaving hugh sole owner set mason success cotton industry led chairman beginning winding began concluded purpose company increase number producers cotton important american market closed american civil war causing mason served president came hold interests coal iron companies having initially opposed trade unions factory legislation mason changed mind 1850s workers treated believing welfare employees impacted welfare employer popular workers things local employer workers saturday refused cut workers wages common period stated work people employed work lend money pocket apply relief poor rate pound pay high poor rate necessary contributed equivalent today borough cotton famine relief tumultuous 1870s 1880s mason kept workforce fully employed continued invest mills wages mills higher employees working fewer hours noted wealthy manufacturers lancashire devote hours occupied business service fellow men accustomed leading public improvements long political chief unpopular mars virtues self assertion stamps conduct invite affection fellow securing physical social employees highly built admirable cottages swimming lecture halls acts secure popularity manner sympathy nature qualities mason lacks mason staunch liberal local party figure familiar free trade meetings citizens manchester fail receive enthusiasm working men hail appearance applause reward efforts frequent cheers political career local influenced father liberal politics strongly opposed injustice prejudice supporter political representation supported repeal corn laws early 19th century area poorly represented parliament major urban centres manchester combined population million represented county mps lancashire case comparison half mps elected total voters political representation led calls reform eventually hugh said father life honest industry example commercial high christian character training early years wise owe god position society claimed reluctant enter politics liberal elected councillor november represented portland place ward retirement politics mason quickly impression elected mayor consecutive years happened supported progressive measures opening public park providing public libraries addressing conditions parts mason policies led come constant clashes conservative members council popular party financed newspaper news convey views provide competition pro liberal reporter conflict liberals drove mason early retirement local politics age councillor mason elected local magistrate time office deal bread riots march caused cotton famine murphy riots anti catholic demonstrations fueled irish nationalist organisation lancashire led personally went mob murphy riots read riot act face face appointed deputy lieutenant lancaster june significance manchester appointed president years time governor city mason appointed member harbour national mason group advanced liberals supporting founding members manchester political club founded liberals supporters despite retiring local politics conflict liberals favour liberal encouraging mason stand parliamentary election popular candidate initially reluctant forward stood parliament campaign march april involved attacks local april elected beating opponent votes lived square member mason supported bills spokesman proposed motions women suffrage defeated occasions led women suffrage movement illness forced retreat public life temporarily defeat ascribed support issue irish home rule illness lost conservative votes mason demanded increased majority vote succumbed illness died result announced personal life married daughter father cotton mill owner went millionaire businessman landowner child arnold born sarah died age mason married sarah sister illegal marry sister law england time overcome problem married denmark june marriage approved special licence held children born sydney died birth sydney mason married time annie daughter died days birthday february home death amassed fortune worth worth person statue protected grade listed building erected honour financed public subscription immediately mason death
Hugh Mason