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45 Packer Joseph and Seebohm Rowntree JOSEPH AND SEEBOHM ROWNTREE Ian Packer analyses the interwoven careers of two committed Liberals: Joseph Rowntree(–), founder of the family confectionary firm and the Trusts that still bear his name; and his son, Seebohm Rowntree (–), the businessman and social investigator, best known as the author of Poverty: a Study of Town Life (Macmillan, ). Unique and many- sided individuals, there was nobody else quite like them – though their enthusiasm for the collection and analysis of statistics helped to usher in a time when social investigation would be professionalised and impossible to combine with running a major industrial enterprise. Joseph Rowntree, on the cliffs at Scarborough, c. 1918; Seebohm Rowntree in his study, 1930s. All pictures accompanying this article kindly supplied by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 4 Journal of Liberal History 45 Winter 2004–05 JOSEPH AND SEEBOHM ROWNTREE he name Rowntree A family firm learning to master and refine the was familiar in two Joseph Rowntree was born at production process. contrasting places for York on May . He was Joseph was obsessive about the much of the twenti- the second son of another Joseph quality of his products, urging eth century. The first Rowntree, a relatively wealthy his office staff to ‘Have a nibble, Twas as the manufacturer’s name and well-respected wholesale now and again’ to test them. The on some of Britain’s best-selling grocer in the city, and Sarah turning point for the firm was sweets and drinks, such as Elect Stephenson, whose family came the decision to manufacture fruit cocoa, Rowntree’s pastilles and from Manchester. Both of young pastilles in – then a novelty fruit gums and, from the s, Joseph’s parents were Quakers and in Britain. By the late s the well-known chocolates like Kit he was brought up in their faith, The two business was expanding rapidly Kat, Aero and Smarties. The sec- attending the Quaker institution, men’s and a new site on the outskirts ond place was on the covers of Bootham School in York, until of York was purchased in . serious-minded investigations he was fifteen, when he became multi-sided The s proved to be boom of social conditions in weighty an apprentice in his father’s busi- years for Joseph, and his business books and reports. The two were ness. Joseph and his elder brother activities started to compete in some of the linked together by the remark- inherited this concern on their biggest consumer markets, espe- able figures of Joseph Rowntree father’s death in , but Joseph touched cially through its promotion of and his son, Seebohm. Joseph was left ten years later to go into busi- some of Elect cocoa as a quality product the effective founder of the fam- ness with his younger brother for the masses. In the firm ily firm of cocoa, chocolate and Henry, who had bought the the most had over two thousand workers sweet manufacturers and of the cocoa and chocolate manufactur- and was becoming a well-known Joseph Rowntree Trusts that have ing side of another firm of York important brand name throughout Britain. become well known for their Quakers, Tuke & Co., in . By this time Joseph was sharing charitable and political donations Henry’s business was small- areas of the control of the business with and contributions to social policy scale and concentrated on mak- twentieth- a younger generation of Rown- and research. His son, Seebohm, ing Rowntree’s Prize Medal trees. He had married twice. His succeeded him as chairman of the Rock Cocoa. He employed only century first marriage, on August , firm and became one of the most a dozen or so workers, plus a tem- was to Julia Seebohm, the daugh- famous pioneers of social inves- peramental donkey for deliveries life and ter of a German Quaker who tigation, particularly in the field and a parrot, whose duties were had settled in England. She died of poverty. Lady Megan Lloyd unspecified. Henry also seems thought in , leaving a daughter who George even called him ‘the Ein- to have been in some financial and inter- did not survive childhood. When stein of the Welfare State’ in a trouble when Joseph agreed to Joseph married again, on broadcast on March . But sink his capital in the firm and sected November , it was to Julia’s these are only the best known of become a partner. Joseph was cousin, Emma Antoinette See- the two men’s multi-sided activi- soon the driving force in the closely bohm (–). In contrast to ties, which touched some of the business, even before the easy- her cousin, Emma only became most important areas of twenti- going Henry’s death in . He with devel- a Quaker on her marriage and eth-century life and thought and gradually built the firm up, rely- opments in was entirely German by birth intersected closely with develop- ing on his formidable accounting and upbringing. She and Joseph ments in Liberalism. skills to control costs and slowly Liberalism. had four sons and two daughters. Journal of Liberal History 45 Winter 2004–05 5 JOSEPH AND SEEBOHM ROWNTREE All four sons eventually joined tended to assign the younger Joseph Rowntree shared his father’s unobtrusive their father in the business, as Rowntrees to particular areas of in 1862 and 1878 Quaker commitment and, as the did three of Joseph’s nephews the business and he intended See- first head of the firm’s labour and both his sons-in-law, allow- bohm to take charge of research department, a post he kept until ing him to keep its expanding and development. Seebohm his retirement, he was closely operations strictly under family started work for his father in this involved in all these develop- control. When Joseph turned his capacity in and became a ments. In themselves they were firm into a limited company in director in when the firm not unique. Many confection- , Rowntree & Co. had only became a limited company. In the ary manufacturers in Europe and one non-family director. Joseph’s latter year he married Lydia Potter North America (like the Rown- heir was expected to be his eld- (–), a member of a well- trees’ rivals and fellow-Quakers, est son, John Wilhelm Rowntree known family of Middlesbrough the Cadburys) had reputations (–), but ill-health forced Quakers. She and Seebohm had as ‘good’ employers because it his retirement in , leaving his four sons and a daughter, though made economic sense to develop second son, Benjamin Seebohm only the eldest son, Peter (– an experienced and committed Rowntree, as his father’s deputy ), followed the family tradition workforce in a consumer indus- and heir-apparent – though and became a director of Rown- try that produced for the domes- Joseph did not finally retire until tree & Co. tic market and was not subject to , at the age of eighty-seven. Joseph was always known as violent fluctuations of demand. He died two years later, on an employer whose deeply felt Joseph and Seebohm contin- February , at his home in Quaker faith motivated him to ued to develop their welfare poli- York. show a genuine concern for his cies to adapt to changing times. Seebohm (as he was always employees and their welfare. As Works councils were introduced known) was born in York on the firm grew he could no longer in , a form of unemployment July . He followed his father maintain a personal interest in all insurance in and profit-shar- to Bootham School between his workers and his beliefs were ing in . These policies were and , and then spent translated into an early form of maintained despite increasing five terms (though he did not corporate welfare. An eight-hour financial difficulties for Rowntree take a degree) studying chemistry day was introduced in , a & Co. in the depression of the at Owen’s College, the forerunner works doctor in and a pen- s. The company did not turn of Manchester University. Joseph sion scheme in . Seebohm the corner until the development 6 Journal of Liberal History 45 Winter 2004–05 JOSEPH AND SEEBOHM ROWNTREE of new lines of chocolate bars in and crime.5 At this time Joseph and was a leading light of the the next decade. got no further than blaming the National Anti-Gambling League. Seebohm did not keep devel- Established Church for social ills, In one of his later publications he opments in the firm’s welfare but he returned to the questions inveighed against the cinema and policies to himself. During the he had raised when he had more the dance hall as part of ‘a new inter-war period, as well as run- time on his hands in the s. social problem which urgently ning Rowntree & Co. from Joseph, like many late Victo- calls for solution’. until his retirement as managing rian Nonconformists, had gradu- Both Joseph and Seebohm director in , he became one ally become a total abstainer from believed, in a way typical of Non- of the first and foremost expo- alcohol (probably in the s) conformists of their era, that lei- nents of theories of management and a passionate believer that sure should be used for moral and labour relations. His most Many con- drink was an important cause of and practical improvement, not important publication in this field poverty and misery. This opin- wasted on harmful self-indul- was The Human Factor in Business fectionary ion was widely shared in the late gence. Joseph’s home contained a (Longmans, ), which urged nineteenth century Liberal Party, great many books, but very few the importance not just of good manufac- which became closely associated pictures, and he had no interest wages and conditions, but atten- turers had with the attempt to impose leg- in music.
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