Eleanora Atherton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eleanora Atherton
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| Born | 14 February 1782 |
| Died | 12 September 1870 (aged 88) |
| Nationality | English |
| Relatives | Edward Byrom (1724–1773) (grandfather). Eleanora Halstead (1727–1758) (grandmother) William Atherton (uncle) |
Eleanora Atherton (born February 14, 1782 – died September 12, 1870) was an English philanthropist. A philanthropist is someone who uses their wealth to help others, often by donating to charities. Eleanora was well-known for her charitable work in Manchester, England. When she passed away, she was one of the richest women in Britain during the 1800s.
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Eleanora Atherton's Life Story
Eleanora Atherton was born on February 14, 1782. She was the daughter of Henry Atherton, a lawyer, and Ann Byrom. Her mother's family included the famous poet, John Byrom. Eleanora grew up in a very smart family. She didn't live a fancy life or travel much. Instead, she gave a lot of money to charities in Manchester and other places. She especially helped groups that supported young people, the sick, and the elderly. Many of these charities were connected to her Anglican Christian faith. She also continued her family's tradition of helping to build and fix churches.
Eleanora spent half the year at her family's home on Quay Street in Manchester. The other half she spent at their country house, Kersal Cell in Salford. People in Manchester knew her well because she often traveled around in her special sedan chair or carriage.
Eleanora inherited a lot of money and property from her family. This included land in London, Cheshire, Lancashire, and Jamaica. The properties in the Caribbean were sugar plantations. These estates had been given to Eleanora and her sister in 1823, after their father died. These profitable estates had previously belonged to her uncle, William Atherton. At that time, these estates used the labor of enslaved people.
From 1819 to 1830, Eleanora lived in London on Great James Street. This was a popular street near many cultural and educational places. During this time, a famous artist named Joseph Severn painted her picture. In the 1850s and 1860s, she was a leader at the British Institution, an art organization.
A Lancashire author wrote a novel in 1870, the year Eleanora died. In the book, a character named “Madame Alice Arlington” was based on Eleanora. This character was described as a small, wealthy old lady who dressed in old-fashioned clothes.
In real life, people often called Eleanora “Madame Byrom.” She probably liked this name because it showed her connection to her mother's famous family, which she was very proud of. People who wrote about her in Victorian times said she had "honourable wealth," a "generous public spirit," and "wide reaching charity."
Eleanora Atherton passed away on September 12, 1870, at her home on Quay Street. She had been unwell for three years. She was buried in St Paul's Church in Kersal, a church she had helped fund in 1851. She left behind a huge fortune of £400,000, making her one of the richest women of her time.
Eleanora Atherton's Generosity
Eleanora Atherton never got married. When she was 34, she started inheriting many country estates and large investments.
Because she had so much money and was financially independent, Eleanora was able to start many charitable projects. She might have felt it was her duty to help others, or it could have been because of her strong faith.
It's believed that Eleanora donated thousands of pounds to charities in and around Manchester every year. She is thought to have given away about £100,000 between 1838 and 1870. This level of generosity was similar to Humphrey Chetham, who created important institutions that Eleanora admired. The charities she supported usually focused on her Anglican faith, education, helping children, and supporting the most vulnerable people.
Eleanora was seen as a very respected and generous person. Her wealth, which included money from the historical practice of slavery, was used to support many good causes.
In 1841, Eleanora gave £18,000 to build Holy Trinity Church in Hulme, Manchester. Then, in 1851, she helped build St Paul's Church. In 1860, she paid to restore the Jesus Chapel in Manchester Cathedral. She also helped restore the cathedral tower later on. Other members of her family had also funded churches. Eleanora later left £5,000 to St John's Church in Manchester, which her grandfather, Edward Byrom, had funded. This church, which no longer exists, was once painted by the famous artist J. M. W. Turner.
Besides religious buildings, she also gave money to several medical hospitals in Manchester. These included St Mary's Hospital, founded in 1790, and Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, founded in 1814. She also supported many other places that helped people who were very ill.
Eleanora funded several buildings to remember her family members. She paid for a new part of a Manchester ragged school (a school for poor children) in memory of her aunt, Eleanora Byrom. She also funded almshouses (homes for the poor) in Prescot to remember her sister, Lucy, who died in 1859. Eleanora also started a charity in memory of her sister Lucy Willis in 1860.
Eleanora also helped Manchester grow and improve. She sold land so that the Liverpool and Manchester Railway could be built. This railway opened for passengers in 1830. Her charities also invested in railways. In 1867, they owned 4% of the stock in the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.
Wealth from Caribbean Estates
In 1823, Eleanora Atherton became an owner of Caribbean estates. These estates were located in Jamaica. As an owner who lived far away, she benefited from the labor of enslaved people on her two Jamaican estates.
After slavery was abolished in British colonies, Eleanora and her sister Lucy were able to claim compensation. This was for the freeing of 544 enslaved people from the Green Park Estate and 182 enslaved people from Spring Vale Estate. Together, they received two separate payments under the Slave Compensation Act 1837. They received £3,466 8s 8d for the 182 freed people and £10,172 17s 9d for the 544 freed people.
Eleanora's wealth grew even more when her younger sister, Lucy Willis, passed away. Eleanora then received a share of her brother-in-law's estate.
Supporting the Arts
About 20 years before she died, Eleanora Atherton and her secretary, Sarah Bolger, helped print a detailed list of the entire collection of books and manuscripts belonging to her ancestor, John Byrom. She also shared an edited version of John Byrom's secret diary entries with Chetham's Library. These diaries talked about his connection to the Jacobite rising of 1745 and even mentioned his daughters' involvement. Eleanora also gave Chetham's Library a very old manuscript from the Renaissance period.
What Happened After Her Death
The papers of her ancestor, John Byrom, were given to the Chetham's Library. Eleanora's own private papers were left to her secretary, Sarah Bolger. Sarah had worked for Eleanora for over 35 years. Sarah retired to Bournemouth, where she built a house called 'Atherton' and lived very comfortably until she died in 1889.
Eleanora's properties in Prescot and Walton-on-the-Hill were left to her second cousin, Reverend James Alan Park. Her two estates in Jamaica, “Green Park Estate” and “Spring Vale Pen,” along with some properties in Prescot and offices in London, were left to James's younger brother, Alexander Atherton Park. Alexander was also a lawyer, like Eleanora's father. Eleanora also left him her father's law books.
Some smaller properties were left to a distant cousin, Domville H.C. Poole. One of Eleanora's last gifts was unusual because it wasn't to a blood relative. A large gift went to her godson, Edward Fox. Edward was told to use the name “Atherton Byrom” to inherit her Manchester estates, land in Chester, and her beloved country retreat, Kersal Cell. He also inherited the entire Byrom Hall estate in Lowton, which included the right to use the Byrom family crest. The Queen officially approved this name change on December 29, 1870. Edward then became Edward Byrom of Culver House and Kersal. He lived in Holcombe Burnell and became the High Sheriff of Devon in 1888.
Another of Eleanora’s gifts went to Richard Atherton, a merchant living in Philipsburg, Centre County, Pennsylvania. This money was to be held in trust and divided equally among William, Francis, and Isabella Atherton.
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Eleanora Atherton
