Henry Rowland Marsden (c1824-1876), founder of H. R. Marsden
c1824 Born in Leeds the son of John Marsden
He worked in a local mill at the age of 10, becoming an engineering apprentice at age 15.
1845 Married Sarah Hawling in Holbeck[1]
1848 He emigrated to the United States where he made a successful career in mechanical engineering, returning to Leeds a wealthy man in 1862.
Introduced Blake's Stone Breaker to the UK and made improvements to it. He began manufacturing stone and ore-crushing machinery, and as industrialisation boomed, his patented machines were in demand across the world for road-building, mining, and railway construction, replacing slow, back-breaking manual labour.
He received numerous medals and honours for his inventions, as well as continuing wealth which enabled him to donate both his time and money to public life. His interest in local affairs led him to the Liberal Party and he was elected local councillor for Holbeck in 1866, becoming an alderman in 1872 and mayor in 1874/5.
1871 Patent. '1769. And Henry Rowland Marsden, of Leeds, in the county of York, Engineer, has given the like notice in respect of the invention of "improvements in machinery or apparatus for breaking stones and for crushing ores and other hard and brittle substances." '[2]
1871 Living at 15 De Grey Terrace, Leeds: Henry R. Marsden (age 47 born Leeds), Engineer Patentee Machy. With his wife Sarah Marsden (age 44 London) and their three children; Anne Marsden (age 23 born Leeds); Grace Marsden (age 15 born Leeds); and Jno Wm Marsden (age 4 born Leeds). Also his father John Marsden (age 81 born born Brighouse), Waterloo Veteran (Private). Also two cousins and three servants.[3]
1876 January 19th. Died age 52 years. 'Amidst the grief of tens of thousands of his fellow townsmen, the remains of the ex-Mayor were on Saturday laid in the tomb. There was, in fact, universal mourning for the dead. Leeds has had the good fortune to possess many generous and spirited citizens, but rarely, certainly not within recent years, has there been, on the passing away of a man honoured by the people, so widespread a demonstration of sorrow as that which took place on the occasion of Ald. Marsden’s funeral. From Avenue House, the deceased’s residence, the cemetery at Beeston Hill, where, the family vault on the unconsecrated side, he was interred, the funeral procession passed between unbroken lines of reverent spectators, which not unfreqnently were of great density. Foundries and workshops of all kinds were for the time a standstill; there was hardly a who did not close his premises and suspend business operations; the blinds of private residences were lowered; flags were hoisted half-mast high; the bells at the Town Hall and at the Holbeck and other churches were tolled, The death of the ex-Mayor had gone the heart of the people, and with remarkable spontaneity of feeling they manifested their respect for his memory....[more]'[4][5]
1876 Probate to his widow Sarah
1876 June. Patent. '2375. To Sarah Marsden, of Leeds, in the county of York, Widow and Administratrix of the estate of Henry Rowland Marsden, late of Leeds aforesaid, deceased, for the invention of "improvements in machinery, or apparatus for crushing, breaking, and pulverizing hard and brittle substances." A communication to her by her late husband, Henry Rowland Marsden, of Leeds aforesaid.'[6]
1876 Obituary [7]
We regret to record the somewhat unexpected death of Mr. Henry R. Marsden, in his fifty-fourth year.
Mr. Marsden, who was a native of Leeds, was of very humble parentage, but thanks to considerable ability and untiring energy, he achieved a large measure of success, especially of late years in connexion with the manufacture of the Blake stone-breaking machine, and he became a prominent member of his native borough, of which he was elected mayor in 1874.
Leeds indeed appears to be under considerable obligation to Mr. Marsden for the benefits he conferred during the per1od of his holding office, and we believe that it. was entirely due to his efforts that the recent Leeds Exhibition became a success.
Mr. Marsden was for some reason, unknown to us made the unfortunate subject of much fulsome eulogy by local biographers, which culminated in a book recently published under the title of "The Story of the Marsden Mayoralty." We had intended to publish a short review of this production, but are now of course prevented from doing so, by our respect for the memory of the subject of the biography.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Marriage record
- ↑ The London Gazette Publication date:8 August 1871 Issue:23765 Page:3524
- ↑ 1871 Census
- ↑ Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Monday 24 January 1876
- ↑ The Engineer 1876/01/21
- ↑ The London Gazette Publication date:16 June 1876 Issue:24337 Page:3523
- ↑ Engineering 1876 Jan-Jun: Index: General Index
- Find-a-grave [1]