George Head Head

Infobox Person
name = George Head Head


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caption = George Head Head in 1840.
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death_date = 1876
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residence = Rickerby Hall
nationality =British
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occupation = Banker
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religion = Christian


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George Head Head ( - 1876) was a mayor, magistrate, banker in Carlisle. The bank was started by his father, but was improved and rebuilt in his lifetime. [http://www.carlislehistory.co.uk/carlislehistoryh.html Carlisle History] , accessed 26 July 2008] He attended an important convention in 1840 on Anti-Slavery, where a painting records his involvement.

Biography

George Head Head was born to a successful banker (J.M.Head) who had a private bank called "J.M.Head and Co.". His father had started the banks in his grocers shop and it was passed on to George who continued to run it at its original location on Botchersgate in Carlisle. Eventually Head had the first building built that was intended to be a bank.

In 1840, Head journeyed to London to attend the World's anti-slavery convention on 12 June 1840. The picture above shows him in a painting made to commemorate the event which attracted delegates from America, France, Haiti, Australia, Ireland, Jamaica and Barbados. [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/portrait.asp?LinkID=mp00224&rNo=0&role=sit The Anti-Slavery Society Convention] , 1840, Benjamin Robert Haydon, accessed 19 July 2008]

He was the High Sheriff of Cumberland in 1851 [LondonGazette|issue=21181|startpage=363|date=11 February 1851|accessdate=2008-07-28] and Deputy Lieutenant in 1852. [ [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=xOA1AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA860&lpg=PA860&dq=%22George+Head+Head%22&source=web&ots=ouloUGKm4i&sig=3tfYd5Svr2nokKi3STd1Eh0nn-Y&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result Bulletins and Other State Intelligence] , accessed 28 July 2008]

Head married Sarah Gurney on 1 May 1858 in West Ham. Sarah's late father was Samuel Gurney ("The Bankers' Banker") or Upton, Essex [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=c_cIAAAAIAAJ&lpg=PA666&ots=O9PMXDjXrg&dq=%22george+head+head%22&pg=PA666&ci=554,190,393,49&source=bookclip The Gentleman's Magazine] , accessed 26 July 2008] His bank was demolished in 1865 when Head's bank was amalgamated with the "Cumberland Union Bank."

He owned Rickerby Hall which today stands in the public area called Rickerby Park. He is particularly noted for commissioning a large octagonal tower. This folly is an important local landmark. [http://www.visitcumbria.com/car/rickerbypark.htm VisitCumbria] , accessed 26 July 2008]

Head was interested in book collecting [ [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=HIXSwp1pUS4C&dq=%22George+Head+Head%22&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0 A Roll of Honour: A Calendar of the Names of Over 17,000 Men and Women] , William Carew Hazlitt, 1908 and 1971, ISBN:0833716301] and supported the anti-slavery movement. He died in 1876 and Mile MacInnees, a justice of the Peace, succeeded to the 940 acres of Rickerby where he owned all the land.

References