Jacob Bright

The Right Honourable Jacob Bright
Jacob Bright
Member of Parliament for Manchester
In office 1867–1874
Preceded by	Thomas Bazley, Edward James
Succeeded by	Thomas Bazley, Hugh Birley, William Romaine Callender
Member of Parliament for Manchester
In office 1876–1885
Preceded by	Thomas Bazley, William Romaine Callender, Hugh Birley
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Member of Parliament for Manchester South West
In office 1886–1895
Preceded by	Lord Frederick Spencer Hamilton
Succeeded by	William Johnson Galloway
Mayor of Rochdale
In office 1856–1857
Preceded by	Post created
Succeeded by	Robert T. Heape
Councillor for Rochdale
In office 1856–1857
Personal details
Born	Jacob Bright 26 May 1821 Rochdale, Lancashire, England
Died	7 November 1899 Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England
Political party	Liberal Party
Spouse	Ursula Mellor Bright
Children	3
Occupation	Politician

The Rt Hon. Jacob Bright (26 May 1821 – 7 November 1899) was a British Liberal politician serving as Mayor of Rochdale and later Member of Parliament for Manchester.

Background

Bright was born at Green Bank near Rochdale, Lancashire. He was the fourth of eleven children of Jacob Bright and Martha Wood. His father was a Quaker and had established a cotton-spinning business at Fieldhouse. His elder brother, John Bright, was a radical politician, and his sister, Priscilla Bright McLaren, campaigned for women's rights.

Jacob Bright was educated at the Friends School in York before entering the family business of John Bright & Brothers, cotton-spinners. Bright and his brother Thomas managed the firm, and by 1885 the business had expanded into carpet manufacture. He was also responsible for introducing the linotype machine to England.

Career

"the Apostle to the Women". Caricature by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1877.

Civic politics

Bright became involved in radical politics and supported Chartism. He was the first mayor of Rochdale on the town's incorporation as a municipal borough. He stood for election in 1865 in Manchester. Although unsuccessful on his first attempt, he won a by-election in 1867. The election was notable because Lilly Maxwell voted for Bright. This vote by a woman was later overturned. Bright was one of the earliest supporters of the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal.

National politics

Bright held his seat at the general election in 1868. He lost his seat at the 1874 general election, but was returned to parliament at the by-election in 1876. When the three-seat Parliamentary Borough of Manchester was divided into eight single-seat constituencies in 1885, Bright was selected as the Liberal candidate for the new Manchester South West constituency. He was defeated in 1885, but successful in the general election in 1886. As a Member of Parliament, Bright was considered an "advanced radical". He was a peace campaigner and supported women's suffrage.

The Bright memorial, St Georges Church, Esher

Bright remained as MP for South West Manchester until 1895. Upon retirement, Bright was sworn into the privy council at the suggestion of Lord Rosebery. Jacob Bright died at midnight on 7/8 November 1899, aged 78, at his residence, "Nunn's Acre", Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. He was cremated without a funeral service. The central committee of the Society for Women's Suffrage passed a resolution recognising his contribution to the movement. There is a memorial for Jacob and Ursula at St George's Church, Esher.

Family

In 1855, Bright married Ursula Mellor Bright, daughter of a Liverpool merchant and campaigner for women's rights. They had three children.

References

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Jacob Bright