Benjamin Heywood
Sir Benjamin Heywood, 1st Baronet | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date St Ann's Square, Manchester, England |
| Died | August 11, 1865 (aged 71) |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, benefactor |
| Known for | Banking, philanthropy, Member of Parliament for Lancashire (1831–1832), president of Manchester Mechanics' Institute (1825–1840) |
Sir Benjamin Heywood, 1st Baronet (12 December 1793 – 11 August 1865) was a notable English banker and benefactor.
Early life
Heywood was born in St Ann's Square, Manchester, as the grandson of Thomas Percival and the son of Nathaniel Heywood and Ann Percival. He was sibling to Thomas Heywood and James Heywood, and his uncle was Samuel Heywood. He lived at "Claremont" located in Irlams o' th' Height and completed his education at the University of Glasgow.
Career
He entered his father's banking firm, becoming a partner in 1814 and later assuming full ownership by 1828. A strong advocate for education among workers, Heywood helped establish the Manchester Mechanics' Institute and held the position of president from 1825 until 1840. His political career included a brief tenure as a Member of Parliament for Lancashire between 1831 and 1832. In recognition of his support for the 1832 Reform Bill, he was granted a baronetcy. Additionally, Heywood was involved with the Manchester Statistical Society.
Personal life
The Heywood family retained connections to south Derbyshire and Staffordshire, owning a summer residence called Dove Leys near Denstone. This association is reflected in street names within the Claremont district of Pendleton, Salford. He was the father of three sons: Sir Thomas Percival Heywood, 2nd Baronet; Oliver Heywood; and Reverend R.H. Heywood.
Philanthropy
In 1864, Heywood contributed £100 to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to support the construction of a boathouse at the new lifeboat station in Blackpool. Situated at the intersection of Lytham Road and Bolton Street, this facility served the RNLI until 1936 and remains standing today.
Honours
- Created a Baronet in 1838
- Became a member of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society on 27 January 1815; acted as Treasurer from 1815 through 1850
- Elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1843
See also
Bibliography
- Heywood, T. A Memoir of Sir Benjamin Heywood, 1888
- McConnell, A. (2004) "Heywood, Sir Benjamin, first baronet (1793–1865)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press
- English bankers
- English philanthropists
- Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
- Whig (British political party) MPs for English constituencies
- Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Lancashire
- Fellows of the Royal Society
- Politicians from Manchester
- UK MPs 1831–1832
- 1793 births
- 1865 deaths
- Heywood family
- 19th-century British philanthropists
- Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society
- 19th-century English businesspeople