Joseph Crosfield facts for kids

Joseph Crosfield (born 1792, died 1844) was a clever businessman. He started a company that made soap and chemicals. His business was in Warrington, a town that was once in Lancashire and is now in Cheshire. This company later became very famous as Joseph Crosfield and Sons.

Early Life and Learning

Joseph Crosfield was born in Warrington. He was the fourth son of George and Ann Crosfield. His family were Quakers, a Christian group known for their simple lifestyle. Joseph's father, George, was a grocer in Warrington. He also had a business in Liverpool that refined sugar.

In 1799, Joseph's family moved to Lancaster. His father wanted to focus on his sugar business there. When Joseph was almost 15, he started an apprenticeship. For six years, he learned from Anthony Clapham. Anthony was a druggist and chemist in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. By 1811, Anthony Clapham also made soap. This experience likely helped Joseph later.

Starting a Soap and Chemical Business

In 1814, when Joseph was 21, he decided to start his own soap-making business. He chose Warrington for his factory. At that time, soap making was growing fast near the River Mersey. New canals and river routes made it easy to move materials. This also helped to send finished products to customers. Many new soap factories were opening nearby.

Joseph Crosfield's factory was on the north bank of the River Mersey. It was in an area called Bank Quay. He started with about £1,500. The business was difficult at first. There was a time when trade was slow. But by 1818, his company began to make a profit.

In 1820, Joseph's younger brother, William, joined the business. Their father, George, passed away that same year. Joseph received £1,500 from his father's will. Joseph Fell, who had worked for his father, also became a partner.

Besides soap, Joseph Crosfield's company also made candles. By the mid-1830s, they were producing around 900 tons of soap each year. In 1832, his company was the 25th largest soapmaker in England and Scotland. Joseph did most of the office work himself. He only had one clerk helping him.

Joseph also got involved in making alkali. Alkali is a chemical used to make soap. Instead of buying it, he decided to make his own. He took over a factory in St Helens, Merseyside. He worked with his older brother James and Josias Christopher Gamble. They made alkali using a method called the Leblanc process. Joseph's younger brother, Simon, later joined this business.

Other Business Ventures

Joseph Crosfield's soap business made a lot of money. But he invested much of it in other projects. Many of these other businesses did not do well.

He was interested in glass-making. He bought shares in a glass company in 1836. He even got a patent for a new way to make plate glass. But the company failed. He also lost money in a cotton mill business.

However, he did better with banks. He invested in the Manchester Joint-Stock Banking Company. In 1831, a branch of the Manchester and Liverpool District Banking Company opened in Warrington. Joseph became a big shareholder and a local director there.

Like many businessmen of his time, Joseph also invested in railways. He was very interested in the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway. He became a director of this railway in 1836. He also invested in other local railway lines. Sometimes he made money, and sometimes he lost it.

Community and Public Life

Joseph Crosfield was very active in Warrington's community. He continued his Quaker activities. He was also a Radical in politics. This meant he supported big changes in society and government. He often campaigned for issues related to his beliefs.

He helped the local Dispensary and Infirmary, which provided medical care. He was on the Warrington Board of Health. This group was set up in 1832 during a cholera outbreak.

Joseph cared about education. He helped start Quaker schools in Penketh and Warrington. He also helped create the Warrington Educational Society in 1838. This group aimed to educate working-class people. He supported the Warrington Mechanics' Institution and the Warrington Circulating Library.

Family Life

In 1819, Joseph Crosfield married Elizabeth Goad. She was from a village called Baycliffe. Joseph and his family lived near his factory. Their first home was Mersey Bank, a large house with its own land. In 1826, he built a new house nearby at White Cross. He lived there for the rest of his life.

Joseph and Elizabeth had 10 children, five boys and five girls. Joseph died in 1844 after a short illness. He was 51 years old. He was buried in the Quaker burial ground in Warrington.

Crosfield's Company After Joseph

The company, Joseph Crosfield & Sons, Ltd., continued to grow after Joseph's death. It kept making many different chemicals.

Later, Sir Arthur Henry Crosfield took over the business. He sold the company and used the money to build a large house called Witanhurst in North London. He also became a Member of Parliament for Warrington.

In 1911, the company was bought by Brunner, Mond & Company. Then, in 1919, it became part of Lever Brothers. From 1929, Crosfield was a part of Unilever. In 1997, the part of the company that made ingredients for detergents and toothpastes was bought by ICI. In 2001, Ineos Capital bought the company. The name Crosfield was finally changed to Ineos Silicas. In 2008, Ineos Silicas joined with PQ Corporation. The new company kept the name PQ Corporation.

See also

• Warrington Transporter Bridge (Bank Quay Transporter Bridge)