Jacob Bright

Jacob Bright (May 26 1821 - November 7, 1899) was a British Liberal politician. 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 was John Bright, radical politician and his sister was Priscilla Bright McLaren, campaigner for women's rights.cite web |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/3418 |title=Bright, Jacob (1821–1899) |accessdate=2008-10-10 |author=Alan Ruston |date=2004 |work=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |publisher=Oxford University Press] "Obituary", The Times, November 9, 1899, p.6] He was educated at the Friends School in York before entering the family business of John Bright & Brothers, cotton-spinners. With his brother Thomas he took management of the firm, and by 1885 the business had expanded into carpet manufacture. ["Biographies of Candidates", The Times, November 25, 1885, p.5] He was also responsible for introducing the linotype machine to England.

Jacob 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 unsuccessfully stood for election in 1865 in Manchester. Although unsuccesful on his first attempt, he won a by-election in 1867, and held his seat at the general election in 1868. At the 1874 general election he lost his seat, but was returned to parliament at a further bye-election in 1875. 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 succeeded in being elected at 1886 general election. As a member of parliament, Bright was considered an "advanced radical" and supported women's suffrage and was a peace campaigner.

Bright remained as MP for South West Manchester until his retirement in 1895. On his retirement he was sworn into the privy council on the suggestion of Lord Rosebery.

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

Jacob Bright died at midnight on November 7/8, 1899 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.

References