Henry Warburton facts for kids

As painted by George Hayter in 1833.

Henry Warburton (born 1784, died 1858) was an English businessman and politician. He was also a very keen amateur scientist.

He became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bridport, Dorset, in 1826. He held this position for 15 years. He then resigned in 1841. Later, in 1843, he was elected again for Kendal. However, he did not run for re-election in 1847.

In Parliament, he worked on many important changes. These included improving laws about bankruptcy. He also helped remove a tax on newspapers. He supported the idea of the penny post, which made sending letters much cheaper. He was also active in the campaigns of the Anti-Corn Law League.

Early Life and Education

Henry Warburton was born in 1784. His father, John Warburton, was a timber merchant from Eltham, Kent. Henry went to Eton College for his schooling. After that, he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. He started there in 1802 when he was 18. He did very well in his exams. He earned his first degree in 1806 and a master's degree in 1812.

After university, Henry worked in his family's timber business. But he was more interested in science and politics. So, he eventually left the business world.

A Passion for Science

Henry Warburton loved science. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1809. This is a very old and respected group for scientists.

One of his closest friends was William Hyde Wollaston, a famous chemist. They even traveled together in 1818. Henry also played a part in the early career of Michael Faraday. Faraday was a brilliant scientist who discovered electromagnetism. Henry initially had some concerns about Faraday joining the Royal Society. But after talking, these concerns were cleared up.

Henry was also part of the Political Economy Club. This group discussed ideas about how countries manage their money. He was friends with David Ricardo, a well-known economist. Henry Warburton was also a key supporter in starting London University in 1827. He was on its first council.

Henry Warburton's Political Career

In 1826, Henry Warburton was elected to Parliament. He represented the town of Bridport. He was known for being a "Radical." This meant he wanted big changes to how the country was run. He was re-elected several times.

In 1841, he resigned from his seat in Bridport. This was due to some issues related to the election. He was out of Parliament for a couple of years. But in 1843, he was elected again for Kendal.

In Parliament, he often worked with other reformers. These included Joseph Hume, Charles Buller, and George Grote.

Working for Medical Reform

Henry Warburton was a strong supporter of medical reform. He pushed for changes to the College of Surgeons. In 1828, he led a special committee. This committee looked into how anatomy was studied. Anatomy is the study of the body's structure. His efforts helped pass an important anatomy bill in 1832. This law made it easier and more ethical to study human bodies for medical training.

He also chaired another committee in 1834. This one looked at the medical profession as a whole. He questioned many famous doctors, like Sir Astley Cooper.

Other Important Reforms

Henry Warburton was involved in many other important changes:

• He helped reform laws about bankruptcy. These laws deal with what happens when people or businesses can't pay their debts.
• He strongly supported getting rid of the newspaper tax. This tax made newspapers expensive. Removing it meant more people could afford to read the news.
• He was a big supporter of the penny post. This idea made it possible to send a letter anywhere in the country for just one penny. This was a huge change for communication.
• He was very active in the Anti-Corn Law League. This group wanted to get rid of the "Corn Laws." These laws put taxes on imported grain, which made food more expensive for ordinary people.

In 1847, Henry Warburton decided to retire from politics. He felt that many of the important reforms he cared about had been achieved. He passed away in London in 1858, at the age of 73.

Images for kids

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  Henry Warburton as painted by George Hayter in 1833.