Peter Crompton facts for kids
Peter Crompton (1765–1833) was an English doctor, a strong supporter of political change, and a brewer. He is remembered for his efforts to bring about reforms in society and politics during a time of big changes in England.
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Early Life and Education
Peter Crompton was born in 1765 in Derby, England. His father, Joshua Crompton, was a banker. Peter went to Warrington Academy in 1781, where he started learning about medicine. He continued his medical studies at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Leyden in the Netherlands. While in Leyden, he even shared a place to live with Robert Darwin, who was the father of the famous scientist Charles Darwin.
Even though he studied medicine, Peter Crompton didn't become a doctor by profession. This was because he inherited property after his older brother passed away. However, he still used his medical knowledge to help others by giving free medical care to people who couldn't afford it. His family owned land, including a place called Mapplewell in Leicestershire.
Working for Political Change
Peter Crompton was very interested in politics and believed in making society fairer. He was part of several groups that wanted to see big changes in how England was governed.
The Derby Addresses
In 1791, Peter Crompton was a member of the Derby Philosophical Society. This group, which included famous thinkers like Erasmus Darwin, sent a message called the "Derby Address" to Joseph Priestley. This was after some riots in Birmingham where people attacked Priestley, who was known for his radical ideas. The address showed support for free thinking.
Later, in 1792, Crompton helped start the Derby Constitutional Society, also known as the Derby Society for Political Information. This group included people like Joseph Strutt and Samuel Fox. They shared the writings of Tom Paine, who was a very influential writer who believed in people's rights and democracy.
The Derby Society also sent a message to the National Assembly in France, which was the government during the French Revolution. This showed their support for the idea of people having more say in their government.
Campaigning for Elections
Peter Crompton was a candidate in several elections, trying to become a Member of Parliament.
In the 1796 election, he ran for a seat in Nottingham. He didn't win, but he gained a lot of support. He tried again in 1807 and 1812.
Crompton was also part of the Liverpool Concentric Society, another group that wanted political reform. In 1817, at a meeting in Preston, Lancashire, he helped pass a motion that criticized the government for the difficulties people were facing.
Even though he didn't win a seat himself, Crompton continued to be involved in politics. In 1818, he encouraged his supporters to vote for Joseph Birch, who then won the election. Crompton also supported John Wood in his campaigns in Preston and Liverpool.
Life in Liverpool
In 1797, Peter Crompton moved to Eton House, near Liverpool. He had a business interest in a brewery there, which aimed to sell beer to Ireland.
He was also one of the people who helped start the Liverpool Literary Society. This group brought together important thinkers and writers in Liverpool, like James Currie, William Rathbone IV, and William Roscoe.
Later Life and Friends
Peter Crompton passed away on January 23, 1833, when he was 68 years old.
He had many connections with other important people who believed in reform. He was a friend and supporter of John Thelwall, another well-known political speaker. Crompton also knew people like the Strutt family, who were influential Unitarians (a type of Christian faith that emphasized reason and individual freedom).
In 1796, Crompton talked with the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge about setting up a private school in Derby. He also hired Sarah Lawrence as a governess to teach his young sons.
The Unitarian church in Derby, where the Strutt family attended, had a minister named William Winstanley. He was a good friend of Crompton and later became part of the same group of friends in Liverpool as Crompton.
Family Life
In 1787, when he was 21, Peter Crompton married Mary Crompton, who was his second cousin. Mary was also interested in politics and attended some important trials in 1794, where she heard famous lawyers speak. She became a close friend of Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Peter and Mary had several children:
- Edward (died 1853)
- Henry
- Charles John Crompton (born 1797), who became a judge.
- Albert
- Stamford
- Caroline, who married Robert Hutton in 1821.
- Emma
Images for kids
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Samuel Crompton (1714–1782), Peter Crompton's uncle, painted by Joseph Wright of Derby.
