Handel Cossham
Handel Cossham | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Thornbury, England |
| Died | April 23, 1890 (aged 66) |
| Occupation(s) | Coal mine proprietor, lay preacher, politician |
| Years active | 1845–1890 |
| Known for | Member of Parliament for Bristol East (1885–1890), coal industry leadership, local governance |
Handel Cossham (31 March 1824 – 23 April 1890) was a British coal mine proprietor, lay preacher, and Liberal politician who played an active role in local governance and served as a member of the House of Commons from 1885 until his death in 1890.
Early life
Born on High Street in Thornbury, Cossham entered the world in the same residence where his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had also been born. His father, Jesse Cossham, a skilled carpenter and builder, chose to name him after the composer George Frederic Handel. A commemorative plaque at his birthplace honors him as a "non-conformist Preacher, Industrialist, Geologist, Politician, Educationalist and Public Benefactor."
Career
Cossham began his involvement in the coal industry in 1845 at the Yate colliery. Three years later, in 1848, he married Elizabeth Wethered and soon formed a business alliance with her family, leading to the establishment of Parkfield Colliery at Pucklechurch in 1851. Demonstrating commitment to his workforce, he constructed housing and a school for employees. The enterprise grew to include multiple pits under the company Cossham and Wethered Ltd, which was renamed Kingswood Coal and Iron Company Ltd in 1867. Following 1879, control of Kingswood and Parkfield Colliery Company Ltd was shared between Handel Cossham and Charles S. Wills. In addition to his industrial pursuits, Cossham founded the British School in Thornbury in 1862, an institution that remains operational today. In 1888, he acquired Cossham Hall—formerly a Wesleyan chapel—and gifted it to the town of Thornbury.
Political life
During the 1860s, Cossham served as a Liberal councillor representing St. Paul's ward on Bristol City Council. He made several attempts to enter Parliament but was unsuccessful at Nottingham in 1866, Dewsbury in 1868, and Chippenham in 1874. Between 1882 and 1885, he held the office of Mayor of Bath. He secured election as MP for the newly formed Bristol East constituency during the 1885 general election and successfully retained this seat in 1886.
Death
In April 1890, while present in the library at the Palace of Westminster, Cossham became unwell and passed away the following day at age 66. His funeral procession attracted around 50,000 mourners who lined the streets. At his death, his estate was valued at £59,127. In 1900, his mining interests were sold by auction for £61,000. The Cossham Memorial Hospital located in Kingswood, Bristol stands as a tribute to him; its construction was financed according to instructions laid out in his will.
Personal papers
Documents concerning Cossham’s coal mining operations and property holdings are preserved at Bristol Archives (Reference: 9492).