William Rathbone VI

William Rathbone VI (11 February 1819 — 6 March 1902, Liverpool) was a British politician noted for his philanthropic and public work. He sat as an Member of Parliament and was a member of the noted Rathbone family.

Family life

Rathbone was the eldest son of William Rathbone V and Elizabeth (née Greg) and married twice, fathering 11 children.

He first married in 1847, to Lucretia Wainwright Gair (c.1823 - 27 May 1859), daughter of Samuel Stillman Gair of Liverpool. They had five children, but Lucretia died shortly after the birth of the fifth, Ted.

* William Gair Rathbone VII (28 July 1849 - 1919)
* Elizabeth Lucretia (Elsie) (15 November 1851 - 1920)
* Thomas Ashton [22 October 1856 - 23 September 1895)
* Henry Gair (1857-1945) m. 5 December 1894 Katherine McKim (d. 29 July 1927)
* Edward Lucretius (Ted) (19 May 1859 - [9 September 1886)

Rathbone re-married on 6 February 1862 to Esther Emily Acheson Lyle (c.1863 - 19 March 1918), daughter of Acheson Lyle of Derry. They had six children, including the celebrated campaigner and politician, Eleanor Rathbone:

* Emily Evelyn (Evie) (1865 - 1954) married Hugh Reynolds Rathbone
* Cyril Charles (1866 - 1868)
* Acheson LYLE Rupert (8 November 1868 - 1923)
* Bertram Eric (Bertie) (1870 - 1917)
* Eleanor Rathbone (12 May 1872 - 2 January 1946)
* Francis Warre (Frank) (12 November 1875 - 1939) m. Edith Bertha Hampshire

Working and public life

Rathbone became a partner in the family company Rathbone Brothers and Co., general merchants, in 1842. He joined after spending some time with other companies in Liverpool and London; and remained a partner until 1885.

He is said to have regarded wealth and business success chiefly as a means to the achievement of public and philanthropic work.

The care of his dying first wife in 1859, Lucretia, by a nurse, prompted him to campaign for a system of district nursing to enable the poor to benefit from similar care. The involvement of Florence Nightingale led to a close friendship. In 1862, the Liverpool Training School and Home for Nurses was established, from which basis a district nursing system was implemented in Liverpool through the 1860s and spread throughout the country. His involvement with this scheme also made him aware of the poor state of the workhouse hospitals, and he did much to assist in the reform of nursing in workhouses.

Rathbone was closely involved in the formation of University College Liverpool (1882), which later became the University of Liverpool, founding a Professorship in English with his two brothers, and serving as president of the college in 1892. He also played an important part in the establishment of the University College of North Wales in 1884, and served as president from 1891.

He was elected as an Member of Parliament (MP) for the Liberal Party for Liverpool in 1868, and sat for the city until 1880. He returned to the House of Commons as MP for Carnarvonshire 1881-1885, and for North Carnarvonshire 1885-1895.

He was made Freeman of the City of Liverpool on October 21 1891.

Rathbone died on 6 March 1902 at his home, Greenbank House.

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