Edward Protheroe
Edward Protheroe | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1774 |
| Died | 1856 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, coal mine owner, politician |
| Years active | Late 18th century – mid 19th century |
| Known for | Commerce, iron production, coal mining in the Forest of Dean; Member of Parliament for Bristol (1812–1820) |
Edward Protheroe (1774–1856) was an English entrepreneur involved in commerce, iron production, coal mining within the Forest of Dean, and owned plantations in Jamaica. He represented Bristol as a Member of Parliament between 1812 and 1820.
Early life
Born to Philip Protheroe, a merchant and banker based in Bristol, and Mary Brain, whose father Moses Brain was also a merchant, Edward received his education at Harrow School. In 1792, he became a fellow commoner at Magdalene College, Cambridge, before transferring to Christ's College, Cambridge the following year. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1797.
Family business
As the eldest son of Philip Protheroe I (who died in 1803), Edward had siblings including Sir Henry Protheroe (1777–1840), who owned land and enslaved individuals on Saint Vincent, as well as coal mines in Pembrokeshire and Monmouthshire. Another brother, Philip Protheroe II (1781–1846), managed several West Indian plantations. Philip I began his career in the West Indian sugar industry apprenticed to Mark Davis I, becoming a partner around 1768. From 1776 he collaborated with Mark Davis II until Davis I’s death in 1783, after which Robert Claxton joined to establish Davis, Protheroe & Claxton. Edward entered the partnership in 1796, leading to the firm’s rebranding as Protheroes and Claxton.
Edward departed from the family enterprise in 1808; subsequently, the company divided into Robert Claxton & Son and Protheroe & Savage. The latter included John Savage (1785–1870), a sugar refiner from Bristol. Under the leadership of Philip Protheroe II and their cousin George Protheroe, it operated as Philip & George Protheroe.
Civic Bristol
Protheroe held the position of Sheriff of Bristol during 1797–1798 and served as President of the Anchor Society in 1804. He was appointed Mayor of Bristol for the term 1804–1805 and notably laid the foundation stone for the Bristol Infirmary in 1806.
In politics
During the 1812 election, Protheroe ran for the Bristol parliamentary seat alongside candidates such as Sir Samuel Romilly, who aimed to vacate his Wareham seat, and reformist Henry Hunt. Partnering with Richard Hart Davis—a prominent Bristol merchant, banker, and Tory supporter—Protheroe positioned himself as a moderate contender. Davis invested significantly in their campaign efforts. Romilly received backing from the Bristol Independent Club, while Hunt was supported by William Cobbett. Despite episodes of electoral violence and an extended polling period lasting two weeks, Protheroe finished second with 2,429 votes, trailing Davis’s 2,899 but ahead of Romilly’s 1,677. In Parliament, he cautiously endorsed abolitionist initiatives led by William Wilberforce.
In the subsequent 1818 election, Protheroe encountered opposition from reformers Edward Kentish and Thomas Stocking, as well as Hugh Duncan Baillie, son of Evan Baillie. Once again securing second place behind Davis, he later experienced disputes with his election committee and opted not to contest the 1820 election. His brother Henry published a pamphlet in 1819 defending Edward’s actions during this campaign.
Property, the Forest of Dean and the Neath Valley
Philip Protheroe I bequeathed his estate to his four sons and two daughters, with his son Edward inheriting £20,000 along with property near Bristol and Westbury-on-Trym. In 1807, Edward Protheroe acquired Over Court located in Over, Gloucestershire, a residence formerly leased by the Sitwell family from Derbyshire. Around 1800, Edward’s father had carried out renovations on this estate.
In 1812, Edward Protheroe expanded his holdings by purchasing coal mines and ironworks in the Forest of Dean from his uncle John Protheroe. He made targeted investments in local transport infrastructure, including involvement in the Severn & Wye Railway and the Thames & Severn Canal beginning in 1821. Approximately in 1826, he obtained control of the Bullo Pill Railway and associated mines through the Forest of Dean Railway company he founded. His mining ventures grew further with the opening of new collieries in 1827. Concurrently, Protheroe extended his coal mining enterprises into the Neath Valley, operating sites at Pwllfaron near Glynneath, as well as at Derlwyn Mawr and Blaengwrach-Cwmgwrach.
Family
In 1797, Protheroe married Ann Waterhouse; their son was Edward Davis Protheroe.