Samuel Beale

Not to be confused with Samuel Beall or Samuel Bealey.

Samuel Beale
MP JP
Member of Parliament
for Derby
In office
28 March 1857 – 12 July 1865
Serving with Michael Thomas Bass
Preceded byMichael Thomas Bass
Lawrence Heyworth
Succeeded byMichael Thomas Bass
William Thomas Cox
Personal details
Born4 June 1803
Birmingham, England
Died11 September 1874(1874-09-11) (aged 71)
Political partyLiberal
Spouse
Emma Butcher
​
(m. 1823)​
Parent(s)William Beale
Sarah

Samuel Beale (4 June 1803 – 11 September 1874)[1] was a British Liberal Party politician, banker and industrialist.[2]

Early life

Beale was born in Birmingham in 1803 to William and Sarah and, in 1823, married Emma Butcher, daughter of Unitarian minister Edmund Butcher.[3] At some point this marriage ended, and he remarried to a Mary. He had at least two sons, William Lansdowne (born 1828–29) and Arthur, and two daughters.[2] He was also the uncle of William Beale, a barrister and fellow Liberal politician.[4]

In early life he was a glass and lead merchant before, in 1836, founded the Birmingham and Midland Bank.[2] He also became Director of Union Bank UK.[3]

In 1844, he became Chairman of the Midland Railway, a post he held for 20 years, and in 1849 a Justice of the Peace for Birmingham. In 1853, he was an ironmaster and partner in the Park Gate Iron and Steel Company.[2]

Political career

Beale started his career in politics in 1841 when he was appointed Mayor of Birmingham, and became one of the town's first councillors.[2]

Beale was elected MP for Derby in 1857 and held the seat until 1865.[5]

Unitarian activities

Beale was an active unitarian follower, becoming a Member of Church of the Messiah, Birmingham and vice-president of the British and Foreign Unitarian Association. During the 1857 general election, which he was contending, Beale attended a service despite being warned that he would lose if he did so.[3]

References

  1. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "D" (part 1)
  2. ^ a b c d e "Samuel Beale". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Transactions of the Unitarian Historical Society Supplement" (PDF). Unitarian History. April 2009. p. 5. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  4. ^ Andrew Rowley, Beale family in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, OUP online, 2004–12
  5. ^ Craig, F. W. S., ed. (1977). British Parliamentary Election Results 1832–1885 (1st ed.). London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 978-1-349-02349-3.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Derby
1857–1865
With: Michael Thomas Bass 		Succeeded by