George Head Head

George Head Head
Born	c. 1795 Carlisle, England
Died	12 December 1876
Occupation(s)	Banker, mine proprietor, magistrate, mayor
Known for	Principal shareholder of Greenside Mine; attendance at 1840 World's Anti-Slavery Convention; High Sheriff of Cumberland (1851); Deputy Lieutenant (1852)

George Head Head (circa 1795 – 12 December 1876) was a prominent figure in Carlisle, known for his roles as a mayor, magistrate, banker, and mine proprietor. He expanded the family banking enterprise, which had been established by his father, overseeing significant reconstruction during his leadership. In 1840, he participated in the World's Anti-Slavery Convention, an event later immortalized by a commemorative painting.

Biography

Born to J.M. Head, the founder of J.M.Head and Co., a private banking institution that began in a grocery store, George Head Head maintained operations at the bank’s original premises on Botchergate in Carlisle. He was responsible for commissioning the first building in the area specifically designed to house a bank.

From 1835 until his passing, he held the position of principal shareholder in the lucrative Greenside Mine, a lead mining operation located near Glenridding within Westmorland.

In June 1840, Head journeyed to London to attend the World's Anti-Slavery Convention, joining representatives from numerous nations.

His public service included appointment as High Sheriff of Cumberland in 1851, followed by his designation as a Deputy Lieutenant in 1852.

His first spouse, Maria Woodrouffe Head, passed away in 1854. On 1 May 1858, he entered into marriage with Sarah Gurney in West Ham. Sarah was the daughter of Samuel Gurney, famously known as "The Bankers' Banker," from Upton, Essex.

The family bank ceased to exist as an independent entity in 1865 when it merged with the Cumberland Union Bank, after which its building was demolished.

He possessed Rickerby Hall—currently incorporated into Rickerby Park—and commissioned an octagonal folly there that endures as a distinctive local feature.

An avid bibliophile and advocate for abolition, Head passed away in 1876. His adopted successor, Justice of the Peace Miles MacInnes, inherited the Rickerby estate. MacInnes, related distantly to Head’s wives, was bequeathed £160,000 and the estate under the stipulation he assume Head’s surname and coat of arms; nevertheless, he chose not to adopt the surname while retaining the inheritance.

Head is commemorated with a monument inside Carlisle St Michael’s church, where plaques honoring his wives are also designated as grade two listed.