Hugh Hornby Birley
Hugh Hornby Birley (1778-1845)
1778 Born. His father was Richard Birley (1743–1812), merchant, who had four sons and four daughters. One of Hugh's brother was Joseph Birley (1782–1847)
1814 Began building a cotton mill on Cambridge Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock.
Birley was a local magistrate and one of the commanders of the Manchester & Salford Yeomanry responsible for the 'Peterloo Massacre' at St Peter's Field in 1819.
1822 Hugh Hornby Birley, in Manchester, married Cecily Hornby (1797-1843), of Kirkham[1]. Their children included William Hornby Birley (1834-1921), Edward Hornby Birley (1834-8), Joseph Hornby Birley (1827-1881), Rev Edward Hornby Birley (1842-1928). [2]
1837 Met John George Bodmer and offered to help him commercialise his inventions, transferring his tools, patterns, and machines to Manchester, where he made a room available at the Chorlton Mills, belonging to Messrs. Birley and Co.
1839 He was also instrumental in founding the Royal Victoria Gallery of Practical Science
At a later date, Mr Birley purchased a nearby foundry, which was adapted to Bodmer's needs.
He was associated with the Royal Manchester Institution and with the establishment of Owens College, Manchester. He was a director of the Manchester Gas Works and became a business associate of Charles Macintosh with the intention of putting the works' waste products to profitable use in the manufacture of waterproof fabrics.
1845 Died in Eccles[3]. Hugh Hornby Birley was buried in the family vault in St. Peter's Church, Manchester.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Wikipedia [1]