Holbrook Gaskell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Holbrook Gaskell
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Holbrook Gaskell
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| Born | 5 March 1813 Wavertree, Liverpool, England
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| Died | 8 March 1909 (aged 96) Woolton Woods, Liverpool
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| Nationality | English |
| Known for | alkali |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemist |
Holbrook Gaskell (born March 5, 1813 – died March 8, 1909) was a British businessman who owned factories. He was also famous for collecting art and rare plants.
Contents
Holbrook Gaskell's Early Life
Holbrook Gaskell was born in Wavertree, a part of Liverpool, England. He was the oldest son of Roger Gaskell, who made sailcloth (strong fabric for sails). His mother was Anne Hunter.
Holbrook came from a Unitarian family, which is a type of Christian faith. He was even a cousin of William Gaskell, a famous Unitarian minister whose wife was the well-known writer Mrs. Gaskell.
He went to private schools in Norton near Sheffield. In 1827, when he was about 14, he started working as a trainee clerk. This job was at Yates, Cox and Co., a company in Liverpool that sold iron and made nails.
Starting a Business: Nasmyth, Gaskell and Co.
In 1836, Holbrook Gaskell teamed up with James Nasmyth. Together, they started a company called Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company. They built a large factory called the Bridgewater Foundry near Manchester.
James Nasmyth later wrote about their partnership. He said that Holbrook had a lot of experience in business and had some money to invest. Holbrook was in charge of the office and business letters. Nasmyth was happy with Holbrook's friendly way of working. They worked together for 16 years, and their business was very successful.
Family Life
Holbrook Gaskell married Frances Ann Bellhouse in 1841. Frances was the daughter of Henry Bellhouse and niece of David Bellhouse. David Bellhouse was a builder who helped construct the Patricroft factory for Nasmyth and Gaskell.
Over the next 14 years, Holbrook and Frances had nine children. They had six daughters and three sons.
Building a Chemical Empire: Gaskell, Deacon and Co.
In 1855, Holbrook Gaskell started a new business partnership. This time, he joined forces with Henry Deacon, a chemist who had worked with him before.
Deacon wanted to create a new way to make soda, a chemical used in many industries. He set up a factory in Widnes to try out a new method called the ammonia-soda process. However, after many problems, Holbrook Gaskell decided it wouldn't make money.
Instead, they decided to use a different method called the Leblanc process. This proved to be very successful. Their factory in Widnes became one of the largest and most successful Leblanc factories. Holbrook's three sons, Holbrook II, James Bellhouse Gaskell, and Frank Gaskell, all became partners in the company.
In 1860, when Britain and France changed their trade rules, Holbrook Gaskell went to Paris. He helped negotiate new agreements for chemical manufacturers. He remained a director of his company until 1890. At that time, it joined with other companies to form the United Alkali Company. Holbrook became a vice-president and later the president of this large new company.
Other Important Activities
Holbrook Gaskell was involved in many other areas:
- He worked as a magistrate in Widnes, which means he was a local judge.
- He was an active supporter of the Liberal political party. He believed in causes like giving more people the right to vote.
- He helped the University College, Liverpool. He paid for a special teaching position in botany (the study of plants). He also provided money for new chemistry laboratories.
- He funded public baths in Widnes. He also supported homes that helped people recover from illness in Heswall and Southport.
- He was involved with newspapers, including the Liverpool Daily and Weekly Post and Echo. When it merged with another paper in 1904, he became its chairman.
- He owned a wonderful art collection. It included paintings by famous artists like Turner and Constable. Some of his art was shown at the Walker Art Gallery in 1885.
Holbrook Gaskell became very wealthy. He moved to a large estate called Woolton Woods. There, he became a famous collector of orchids, which are beautiful and rare flowers. An orchid dealer even named a new type of orchid, Cattleya gaskelliana, after him. This was to thank him for being a great customer and for having one of the best orchid collections in England.
When he died in 1909, his fortune was almost £500,000. He was buried in a churchyard in Warrington. His sons later sold the Woolton Woods estate.
