DOCSLIB.ORG

Liberal Democrat History Group News

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Liberal Democrat History Group News rEviews Railwayman and MP Adrian Vaughan, Samuel Morton Peto: A Victorian Entrepreneur (Ian Allan Publishing, 2009) Reviewed by Robert Ingham amuel Morton Peto The book’s readability is (1809–89) was Liberal MP derived from the author’s strong Sfor Norwich from 1847 to views on Peto’s life and character. 1854, for Finsbury from 1859 to Peto became a Baptist when he 1865, and for Bristol from 1865 married his second wife and was a to 1868. As a political figure he renowned benefactor of noncon- made little impact, but as a con- formist churches and the Church tractor for railways and public of England. Vaughan, clearly not works he left a lasting impression a religious man, regards Peto as a on the UK. His firm built numer- hypocrite, who used the church ous London landmarks, including as a tool for self-promotion and Nelson’s Column and the Reform to develop a strong work ethic Club, and was substantially in his labourers. Similarly, Peto’s involved with the building of the political career is described by Palace of Westminster. Peto also Vaughan as an offshoot of his carried out a number of major business life, providing him with railway projects at home and contacts, status and influence overseas, including developing over the legislation then neces- Victoria Station in London. sary to build railways. He was Peto was largely self-made. an infrequent attender of parlia- His father was a farmer, and at ment; broke a promise to his although the digitisation of Han- fourteen Peto was apprenticed electorate in Norwich to scale sard and the forthcoming digitisa- to his uncle, a building contrac- back his business interests once tion of the Mirror of Parliament tor, learning the various building he was elected; unseated a good and the Victorian division lists trades. When his uncle died, in local MP in Finsbury; and had no should help place MPs like Peto 1830, Peto and a cousin inher- local connections with Finsbury in proper context. By combin- ited the business. Concentrat- or Bristol. Vaughan also finds ing religious tolerance, commit- ing at first on major building little to admire in Peto’s business ment to free trade, and concern projects, Peto took advantage of methods, which were sometimes for working men, Peto would the railway boom of the 1840s to unlawful, although he was prob- seem to be representative of the expand his business. By the 1860s, ably typical of his age. party to which he belonged, but however, Peto had overextended Vaughan argues that Peto was whether he helped shape that himself and he was declared a Liberal because he stood to ben- party or was shaped by it is an bankrupt. His political career was efit financially from free trade. unaswered question. over and his attempts to return to There is, no doubt, some truth business achieved little. He died in this, but Peto was a radical, Robert Ingham is the Biographies in 1889. speaking out for working men Editor of the Journal of Liberal Adrian Vaughan’s entertain- in parliament and regarded as a History. ing biography of Peto is a short philanthropic employer. His close (190 pages) and lively read, which connection with working men makes extensive use of privately during his apprenticeship seems held family letters. Inevitably, to have coloured his political out- its focus is on Peto’s business look: he was no Gradgrind. career, charting the dizzying Assessing Peto’s place in the ascent and sudden collapse of his mid-Victorian Liberal Party is Liberal Democrat History Group fortunes. The clarity of the narra- beyond the scope of Vaughan’s tive is sometimes lost as Vaughan book. Was he typical of many news describes in detail the geographic MPs, in parliament to pursue a Join our email mailing list for news of History Group and commercial arrangements of business career not to contribute meetings and publications – the fastest and earliest way to Peto’s various railway projects. to the government of the nation? find out what we’re doing. The book would have benefited Did he consistently vote in the To join the list, send a blank email to from a glossary so that any reader same way as his leaders? Did he [email protected]. unfamiliar with the minutiae of only vote whenever he was in mid-Victorian railway companies town or could he be summoned Also see us on the web at: could distinguish the OWWR by the Chief Whip to the most • www.liberalhistory.org.uk from the W&FR. Maps would important divisions? These are • www.facebook.com/LibDemHistoryGroup also be of assistance. largely unanswered questions, • act.libdems.org.uk/group/libdemhistory Journal of Liberal History 68 Autumn 2010 47 .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Electric Telegraph
    To Mark, Karen and Paul CONTENTS page ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENTS TO 1837 13 Early experiments—Francis Ronalds—Cooke and Wheatstone—successful experiment on the London & Birmingham Railway 2 `THE CORDS THAT HUNG TAWELL' 29 Use on the Great Western and Blackwall railways—the Tawell murder—incorporation of the Electric Tele- graph Company—end of the pioneering stage 3 DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE COMPANIES 46 Early difficulties—rivalry between the Electric and the Magnetic—the telegraph in London—the overhouse system—private telegraphs and the press 4 AN ANALYSIS OF THE TELEGRAPH INDUSTRY TO 1868 73 The inland network—sources of capital—the railway interest—analysis of shareholdings—instruments- working expenses—employment of women—risks of submarine telegraphy—investment rating 5 ACHIEVEMENT IN SUBMARINE TELEGRAPHY I o The first cross-Channel links—the Atlantic cable— links with India—submarine cable maintenance com- panies 6 THE CASE FOR PUBLIC ENTERPRISE 119 Background to the nationalisation debate—public attitudes—the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce— Frank Ives. Scudamore reports—comparison with continental telegraph systems 7 NATIONALISATION 1868 138 Background to the Telegraph Bill 1868—tactics of the 7 8 CONTENTS Page companies—attitudes of the press—the political situa- tion—the Select Committee of 1868—agreement with the companies 8 THE TELEGRAPH ACTS 154 Terms granted to the telegraph and railway companies under the 1868 Act—implications of the 1869 telegraph monopoly 9 THE POST OFFICE TELEGRAPH 176 The period 87o-1914—reorganisation of the
    [Show full text]
  • Baptist Members of Parliament 1847-1914
    Baptist Members of Parliament 1847-1914 RELATIVELY few Baptists have reached the House of Commons. It is hard to give a precise total. Too little evidence survives, especially from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, for any catalogue to be definitive, but a rough calculation would put their number over the centuries at about eighty. Of these, some thirty-eight, about half, sat in the parliaments of the period from 1847 to 1914.1 Before 1847 there had been no Baptist M.P.s at all for over sixty years, but from the parliament of that year they began to be returned in ones and twos. The trend was steadily upwards in the second half of the nineteenth century. This was both because the number of Baptists in the population was increasing and because more Baptists had achieved the social standing that was expected of a parliamentary candidate. The climax of the process came in 1906, when Baptists shared in the electoral triumph that brought some 180 Nonconformists into the Commons. There were therefore far more Baptist M.P.s towards the end of the period than near its beginning. They may be divided into three groups. First there is the handful who entered parliament before the Second Reform Act of 1867; secondly there is the larger number who were first returned between 1868 and 1899; and thirdly there is the sizable ·body of men elected between 1900 and 1914. Each group had characteristics stamped on them by their period, but each included men of outstanding individuality. This paper attempts to bring out something of what members of the groups had in common and also some of the personal qualities, even eccentricities, that marked them.
    [Show full text]
  • South Lowestoft Conservation Area Appraisal
    SOUTH LOWESTOFT Conservation Area Written by the Heritage Team of Scott Wilson Ltd Character Appraisal and the Waveney District Council Conservation Team ———— Published June 2007 Contents Page 1: Introduction Page 2: Map of existing North Lowestoft Conservation Area and listed buildings Page 3: Assessment of Special Interest Page 4: Historic Development and Archaeology Page 6: A reconstructed plan of the Waveney Road from the South Pier Town of Lowestoft c.1618 Page 8: Barnes’ map of Lowestoft in 1830 Page 12: Chamber’s plan of Lowestoft and Kirkley, 1878 Page 19: Spatial Analysis Page 22: Character Areas within the South Lowestoft Conservation Area Page 23: Character Analysis Page 23: The Harbour Character Area Page 34: The Seafront Character Area St Peter’s Road Page 46: London Road South Character Area Page 56: St Peter’s Church Character Area Page 63: Special Interest of South Lowestoft Conservation Area Page 64: Community Consultation Page a1/1: Appendix 1: Building Descriptions Page a2/1: Appendix 2: Bibliography Page a3/1: Appendix 3: Useful Information Waveney Dock and Outer Page a4/1: Proposed Extensions to the South Lowestoft Conservation Area Page a4/2: Appendix 4: Suggested Boundary Changes Page a5/1: Appendix 5: Management Proposals Page a5/2: Acknowledgements Mapping reproduced from Ordnance Survey digital data (c) Crown copyright 2007. All rights reserved. License number 0100042052 London Road South South Lowestoft Conservation Area Designation as a conservation area is not Character Appraisal intended to prevent new development or Introduction stifle the area’s economic life or The historic environment is all around us potential, though it is expected that a in the form of buildings, landscapes, high degree of attention will be paid to archaeology and historic areas; it is a design, repair and maintenance in such precious and irreplaceable asset.
    [Show full text]
  • Morton Peto Have Been Very Scanty
    E N O T . T HE m ater ials for the followin g b rief sketch of the f career o Sir Morton Peto have been very scanty . He left no papers for reference . His letters before his stay at Pesth were written hastily on hi s t n . journeys , and sometimes between Board mee i gs He dictated some notes as to his early days , of n which use has been made so far as possible . I his business and Parliamentary career newspaper ’ s reports of meetings and works , and Hansard ’ i Debates , have been the chief sources of nforma T I e tion . o Mr . Forrest am greatly ind bted for access to the Lib rary at the Institution of Civil n . n E gineers , and to Messrs Curry and La kester for information kindly given as to railway and t - o her works . The two portraits facing title page an d at page 1 1 2 represent Sir Morton respectively i n n d n middle age a in his closi g years . H . P . C N T E N T O S . I. E A R LY DAYS I I. IN BUSIN E SS I I I IN P A . R LI AM E N T IV . P E R SO N A L V . A P P E N DIX E R R AT UM . P a e 1 line 5 fr om foot r ead E ast er n C ounties R ailwa Lon don g 7 , , y ( o Y r m outh 1 2 1 m iles w ith ranc hes it was di ided in t o t a , 2 , b ) v ‘ se t ions c .
    [Show full text]
  • Lowestoft Pocket Guide
    5 From Beaches … LOWESTOFT MAPS, WALKS & INFO Whether you want to be king of the sand- castle, ace of seaside spades or just enjoy some DISCOVER LOWESTOFT traditional downtime in the deckchair, Lowestoft’s brilliant collection of award-winning Fa Golden sands, glorious green spaces & history all around beaches has something for everyone. Feel the mil LOWESTOFT Edged by brilliant award-winning beaches, the Broads National Park and an super-soft, golden sand between your toes on Ga y M South Beach by the piers, alongside the colourful cabins at its F Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the north Suffolk home of Britain’s most a t un Victoria Beach ri E e easterly resort really is an all-round breath of fresh air. , or stroll south to discover the rural calm and ngl t w im curvaceous charm of the boat-dotted beach at * The Guide to Pocket a Enjoy bucket-loads of traditional seaside fun. Ride rollercoasters. Meet Pakefield T . a y t e Similar to o Corton/Gunton Sands n north of town, its vegetated meerkats. Go time-travelling on vintage vehicles. Explore architectural gems and w d H o sand and shingle-scapes seem worlds away from the gentle 1920s ’ s n t ancient alleyways. Taste fresh fish and chips. Savour quiet moments by Morton i s M h t elegance of Kensington Gardens back around the Kirkley Cliff corner. & o Peto’s historic Lowestoft quayside. Watch boats by Oulton Broad, or the birds by e os r Further south sand-dune and shingle stretches at Co B y the marshes maybe? Discover the elegant tranquillity of Lowestoft’s heritage Kessingland seem wilder t r & still, home to yellow sea poppies, sea peas and nesting Little terns.
    [Show full text]
  • Bloomsbury Chapel and Mercantile Morality the Case of Sir Morton Peto
    210 BLOOMSBURY CHAPEL AND MERCANTILE MORALITY THE CASE OF SIR MORTON PETO Many Victorian chapel-goers were businessmen. Nonconformist piety fostered industry and integrity; honest hard work often made for commercial success. Or Bebbington recently observed "The nineteenth century was a time when success in business was the chief avenue to eminence for Baptists".l Those who pros­ pered were respected, and, as rich men, had the means to do great good when social welfare depended on philanthropy_ Such acceptance of financial success demanded that it be achieved honestZy. Misdemeanours in business were not to be tolerated in church members, neither petty pilfering by the humble em­ ployee nor malpractice at the top. Cases which came to the attention of the church were carefully investigated. Morton Peto was an eminently successful Baptist businessman. He became one of the first deacons at Bloomsbury Chapel, opened in 1848 as a result of his vision and generosity. The other early deacons were almost all in business, though not on Peto's scale. Peto built other chapels, but he made Bloomsbury his spiritual home and took his duties there seriously, amid the pressures of his life as an international railway contractor and as an M.P. When Peto's firm failed in 1866-67, the church duly investi­ gated his case, his special position notwithstanding. In most disciplinary cases only the barest details survive, but in Peto's we have the comprehensive report prepared for the church and a record of the subsequent discussions. While he was suc­ cessful no-one tried to work out a Baptist attitude to his business activities.
    [Show full text]
  • Railway Adventures and Anecdotes
    LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN BOOKSTACKS /: RAILWAY ADVENTURES AND ANECDOTES: Extending over more than Fifty Years. EDITED BY RICHARD PIKE. in " Soon shall thy arm. unconquer'd steam, afar Drag the slow barge, or drive the rapid car." — Dr. Darwin's Botanic Garden, 1789. LONDON: HAMILTON, ADAM^, AND CO. NOTTINGHAM : J. DERRY. 1884. NOTTINGHAM I GATE J. DERRY, PRINTER, ALBERT STREET AND HOUNDS 385 P63r PREFACE Although railways are comparatively of recent date we are so accustomed to them that it is difficult to realize the ro condition of the country before their introduction. How 5 different are the present day ideas as to speed in travelling ^ to those entertained in the good old times. The celebrated historian, Niebuhr, who was in England in 1798, thus describes the rapid travelling of that period: —"Four horses drawing a coach with six persons inside, four on the roof, a sort of conductor besides the coachman, and overladen with luggage, have to get over seven English miles in the hour and as the coach on ; goes without ever stopping except at the principal stages, it is not surprising that you can traverse the whole extent of the country in so . few days. But for any length of time this rapid motion is too 4, quite unnatural. You can only get a very piece-meal view of the country from the windows, and with the tremendous speed at which you go can keep no object long in are unable also to at sight ; you stop any place." Near C the same the time late Lord Campbell, travelling for the first time A by coach from Scotland to London, was seriously advised to stay a day at York, as the rapidity of motion miles per hour) had caused several through-going passengers to die of apoplexy.
    [Show full text]
  • Samuel Morton Peto
    THE' LIFE OF BAPTIST NOEL 411 '" Payne, Baptist Union, p. 100. 15. ibid., p. 96. lO. Joseph Angus, Baptists: their existence a present necessity, a con­ scientious conviction, a representative, and a defence of important spiritual truth, London, 1866, p. 3. 101 Landels, William Landels, p. 223. 162 Payne, Baptist Union, p. 101. ItJ:J The Baptist Handbook, 1870, p. 16. ,64 Buckland, D.N.B., Vo!. XLI, p. 89. 105 The only exception, a recent one,.is K. R. M. Short, "Baptist Wriothesley Noel", Baptist Quarterly, Vo!. XX, No. 2, Apr. 1963. ". H. S. Skeats and C. S. Miall, History of the Free Churches of England, p. Slot . 167 Sunday at Home, Jun. 1868, p. 409. 168 G. R. Balleine, A History of the Evangelical Party in the Church of England, p. 185. W. H. B. Proby, Annals of the Low-Church Party in England, London, 1888, Vo!. I, pp. 336,448,508. 16. B. W. Noel, Letter to the' Rev. C. H. Spurgeon; p. 10. D. W. BEBBINGTON. Samuel Morton Peto: A Note AMUEL MORTON PETO, in his heyday one of the wealthiest Sof BaptiSts, was considered.an embarrassment by mWly within the denomination after his firm. became bankrupt during the general financial difficulties of the mid 1860s. None of our present day mem­ bers has been more jealous for the reputation of Peto than the Rev. J. L. Chown of WolveI'hampton. Peto, born 4th August, 1809, at Whitmore House, Sutton, became in his youth a draughtsman of some distinction, showing in addition an ability in design.
    [Show full text]
  • Durham E-Theses
    Durham E-Theses The last of the railway kings: the life and work of sir Edward Watkin, 1819 - 1901 Greaves, John Neville How to cite: Greaves, John Neville (2002) The last of the railway kings: the life and work of sir Edward Watkin, 1819 - 1901, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3947/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 THE LAST OF THE RAILWAY KINGS; THE LIFE AND WORK OF SIR EDWARD WATKIN, 1819- 1901 JOHN NEVILLE GREAVES DEGREE OF MASTER OF LETTERS THE UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM, DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY 2002 The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Contents 1. Social Background 4 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Distant Writing 2008
    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Distant Writing A History of the Telegraph Companies in Britain between 1838 and 1868 © Steven Roberts 2006 - 2012 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CONTENTS l. Glossary 327 Chapter Page m. Love’s Telegraph 329 Introduction 3 n. Perceptions of the Telegraph Companies 329 1. Cooke & Wheatstone 4 o. Sources 331 2. The Electric Telegraph Company 14 p. Index to Web Illustrations 336 3. Competitors and Allies 71 List of Tables British Electric Telegraph Company 1. Growth of the Railways 1800-1850 13 English & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company 2. Cooke & Wheatstone’s Business 1845 15 European Telegraph Company 3. The Telegraph and the Railways 1846 16 Submarine Telegraph Company 4. The Telegraph and the Railways 1847 21 Electric Telegraph Company of Ireland 5. The Telegraph and the Railways 1852 38 Irish Sub-Marine Telegraph Company 6. Statistics on the Telegraphs in the International Telegraph Company United Kingdom 1852 47 British & Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company 7. Electric Telegraph Co – Four Years of London District Telegraph Company Growth 1851 - 1854 51 United Kingdom Electric Telegraph Company 8. The Telegraph and the Railways 1854 52 Bonelli’s Electric Telegraph Company 9. Electric Telegraph Co – Station Staffing Economic Telegraph Company and Total of Employees 1854 54 Reuter’s Telegram Company 10. Electric Telegraph Co – Growth 1850 – 1859 56 Great Northern Telegraph Company 11. Electric Telegraph Co - Profits 1850 – 1859 59 Indo-European Telegraph Company 12. Electric Telegraph Co - Growth in Message Other active companies Traffic 1851 - 1859 60 4. The Universal Telegraph 126 13. Electric Telegraph Co – Message rates, The Universal Private Telegraph Company revenue sources, circuit revenues 62 5.
    [Show full text]
  • The Reformed Parliament 1832-1918
    The Reformed Parliament 1832-1918 General 9590. Abrahams, Lionel. "Sir I. L. Goldsmid and the admission of the Jews of England to Parliament." Transactions of the Jewish Historical Society of England 4 (1889-1901): 116-76. 9591. Alden, Percy. "Great Britain's lawmakers." Outlook [NY] 61 (Jan.-April 1899): 519-29. 9592. Alderman, Geoffrey. "The railway interest, 1873-1913." Ph.D., University of Oxford, 1969. [On the railway interest in Parliament.] 9593. ---. The railway interest. Leicester: Leicester University Press, 1973. 344p. [Reprinted in 1993 by Gregg Revivals of Aldershot.] 9594. Alford, B. W. E. "Government expenditure and the growth of the printing industry in the nineteenth century." Economic History Review 2nd ser., 17 (1964-65): 96-112. 9595. Al-Ghailany, Yusuf A. M. "Parliament and the control of British foreign policy 1900-1914: with special reference to the European alliance systems." M.A., University of Durham, 1992. 9596. Allyn, Emily. "Lords versus Commons: a century of conflict and compromise, 1830-1930." Ph.D., Pennsylvania University, 1927. 9597. ---. Lords versus Commons: a century of conflict and compromise, 1830-1930. London: Century, 1931. ix, 266p. 9598. Anderson, Nancy F. "The 'Marriage with a Deceased Wife's Sister Bill' controversy: incest anxiety and the defence of family purity in Victorian England." Journal of British Studies 21 (1982): 67-86. 9599. Anderson, Robert. "Morality by act of Parliament." Contemporary Review 59 (Jan.-June 1891): 77-88. [Criminal law.] 9600. Andrén, Georg. Parliamentarism och partier i England under Minoritetsregeringarnas tid 1846-1852. Utgiven med understöd fran Vilhelm Ekmans Universitetsfond. Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksells, 1929. xi, 709p.
    [Show full text]
  • The Craftsmen Week Commencing 5Th October 2020 Issue Number Twenty Seven
    The Craftsmen Week Commencing 5th October 2020 Issue Number Twenty Seven Welcome to the twenty seventh edition of the Ross Masonic Club Weekly Round-Up. A great big thank you to our two regular contributors to this issue, Patrick and Harry. I am sure we all appreciate your efforts each week. This week we have: • Patrick and Harry continue the story of their varied careers • A reminder of the question from Dennis in last week’s ‘Would I know, did I know’ on the significance of the gavel • Two new regular features; 1. ‘When I were a lad’ - do you know who is in the picture? 2. How I became a Mason, where John Mole tells his story • An article on the Railway coming to Ross by David Hudson. All thoughts and suggestions for future articles welcomed. Please keep your input coming with, once again, a special thank you to all those that contributed. Keep safe Brethren and keep in contact. The Craftsmen Newsletter Page 1 Keeping in Contact and Staying Sharp Facebook We have set up a Facebook Group for Ross Masonic Club. We currently have 28 members across the Lodges and Chapter. Any members of Lodges or Chapter that meet at Ross Masonic Hall are welcome to join in. Would I know the answer? Did I know the answer? By W.Bro. Dennis W. Roberts, PAGDC Group Leader Information and Guidance Group A reminder that last week I asked: What is the significance of the Gavel? You can always check your thoughts by visiting ‘Solomon’ of course! https://solomon.ugle.org.uk Dennis Roberts - Group Leader Information and Guidance Group e-mail: [email protected] To Autumn Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun; Conspiring with him how to load and bless With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run; To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees, And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core; To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells With a sweet kernel; to set budding more, And still more, later flowers for the bees, Until they think warm days will never cease, For summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.
    [Show full text]