Alfred Seale Haslam
Encyclopedia
Sir Alfred Seale Haslam (1844–1927), was an English engineer who was Mayor of Derby
from 1890 to 1891, three times Mayor of Newcastle under Lyme, and Member of Parliament for Newcastle under Lyme from 1900 to 1906. He had made his money from devising a refrigeration plant that could be used to transport food in ships worldwide. At one time he owned and lived at Breadsall Priory
in Derbyshire. His son Eric Seale Haslam was High Sheriff of Derbyshire
in 1937.
Haslam started his civic life in 1879 when he was elected a councillor for Derby and some years later a Justice of the Peace. During the year that he was Mayor of Derby he managed to replace the old William Strutt Infirmary with the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary
. In 1890 there had been an outbreak of disease at the old infirmary and Sir William Evans, President of the Infirmary arranged a three day inspection which condemned the old building. When Queen Victoria came to open the new hospital on 21 May 1891 she knighted Haslam for his services and gave permission for the term "Royal" to be used.
In 1894 Haslam had made a patent application for a new type of compressor for Ammonia. Using this compressor, the gas was compressed in stages without much leakage, enabling refrigerated transportation of food in ships. He started transporting meat from the British Antipodean colonies and for the next fourteen years, "held a virtual monopoly of British marine meat refrigeration".
The portrait shown here is by John Benjamin Stone
who started the National Photographic Record Association. Haslam was a member of this association and his son Victor was also an active member.
In 1896 he funded a statue of Queen Victoria by Charles Bell Birch
at the north end of Blackfriars Bridge
in London. Haslam made a similar donation to create a statue in his constituency of Newcastle under Lyme in 1903. Haslam had a third erected in Derby. There were seven other casts, all of which were based on a marble original which was erected in India.
Haslam was Master of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers & Coach Harness Makers in London in 1904.
On 27 March 1917, Haslam's 24 year old son Captain William Kenneth Seale Haslam was killed in action in France while serving with 4th (North Midland) Brigade, Territorial Force
, Royal Field Artillery
. He was buried in the Tilloy British Cemetery, Tilloy-lès-Mofflaines
, Pas de Calais. His son Captain Eric Seale Haslam was an officer in the same artillery unit from 1913, but survived the war, and was High Sheriff of Derbyshire
in 1937.
in Derbyshire and he left over one million pounds in his will. Haslam's has a portrait in the National Portrait Gallery in London. The archaeologically interesting St. Mary's chapel in Derby was renovated using funds from the Haslam family in his memory. Breadsall Priory was in Haslam ownership until 1967 when it was sold by the executors of Haslam's only surviving son Eric. Eric had continued the business as the Derby Pure Ice and Cold Storage Company.
Mayor of Derby
Names of the Mayors for the Borough of Derby from the first that was chosen on the 3 July 1638 by the king's charter then granted to the town the two last bailiffs were the two first mayors Mr Mellor being proclaimed the 3rd day of July to be the mayor until Michaelmas and twelve months after but...
from 1890 to 1891, three times Mayor of Newcastle under Lyme, and Member of Parliament for Newcastle under Lyme from 1900 to 1906. He had made his money from devising a refrigeration plant that could be used to transport food in ships worldwide. At one time he owned and lived at Breadsall Priory
Breadsall Priory
thumb|right|A line drawing of Breadsall Priory, by [[Francis S. Darwin]]'s daughter Violetta H. Darwin .Breadsall Priory is a former priory in Derbyshire...
in Derbyshire. His son Eric Seale Haslam was High Sheriff of Derbyshire
High Sheriff of Derbyshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Derbyshire from 1568.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
in 1937.
Life
Alfred Seale Haslam was the fourth son of William Haslam, an iron-founder. He trained as an engineer and took over the Union Foundry in 1868 in partnership with his father, running it by himself from 6 February 1873 after his father retired from the partnership. It became the Haslam Foundry and Engineering Company Ltd in 1876.Haslam started his civic life in 1879 when he was elected a councillor for Derby and some years later a Justice of the Peace. During the year that he was Mayor of Derby he managed to replace the old William Strutt Infirmary with the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary
Derbyshire Royal Infirmary
The London Road Community Hospital, , is a hospital in Derby, part of the Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It is based in the city centre...
. In 1890 there had been an outbreak of disease at the old infirmary and Sir William Evans, President of the Infirmary arranged a three day inspection which condemned the old building. When Queen Victoria came to open the new hospital on 21 May 1891 she knighted Haslam for his services and gave permission for the term "Royal" to be used.
In 1894 Haslam had made a patent application for a new type of compressor for Ammonia. Using this compressor, the gas was compressed in stages without much leakage, enabling refrigerated transportation of food in ships. He started transporting meat from the British Antipodean colonies and for the next fourteen years, "held a virtual monopoly of British marine meat refrigeration".
The portrait shown here is by John Benjamin Stone
John Benjamin Stone
Sir John Benjamin Stone , known as Benjamin, was a British Conservative politician, and noted photographer.Stone was born in Aston, Birmingham the son of a local glass manufacturer...
who started the National Photographic Record Association. Haslam was a member of this association and his son Victor was also an active member.
In 1896 he funded a statue of Queen Victoria by Charles Bell Birch
Charles Bell Birch
Charles Bell Birch was an English sculptor.-Biography:Birch was born in Brixton, son of the author and translator Jonathan Birch and his wife Esther . As a child he showed artistic promise, and at the age of twelve he was admitted to study at Somerset House School of Design...
at the north end of Blackfriars Bridge
Blackfriars Bridge
Blackfriars Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames in London, between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge, carrying the A201 road. The north end is near the Inns of Court and Temple Church, along with Blackfriars station...
in London. Haslam made a similar donation to create a statue in his constituency of Newcastle under Lyme in 1903. Haslam had a third erected in Derby. There were seven other casts, all of which were based on a marble original which was erected in India.
Haslam was Master of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers & Coach Harness Makers in London in 1904.
On 27 March 1917, Haslam's 24 year old son Captain William Kenneth Seale Haslam was killed in action in France while serving with 4th (North Midland) Brigade, Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
, Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
. He was buried in the Tilloy British Cemetery, Tilloy-lès-Mofflaines
Tilloy-lès-Mofflaines
Tilloy-lès-Mofflaines is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Tilloy-lès-Mofflaines lies on the south-eastern side of Arras, at the junction of the N39, D34 and D60 roads.-Population:...
, Pas de Calais. His son Captain Eric Seale Haslam was an officer in the same artillery unit from 1913, but survived the war, and was High Sheriff of Derbyshire
High Sheriff of Derbyshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Derbyshire from 1568.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
in 1937.
Legacy
Haslam was buried in MorleyMorley, Derbyshire
Morley is a civil parish within the area of Erewash Borough Council in the English county of Derbyshire, north of Derby It is on the eastern side of Morley Moor, with Morley Smithy to the north. The parish church of St Matthew stands near the Tithe Barn and dovecote of Morley Hall...
in Derbyshire and he left over one million pounds in his will. Haslam's has a portrait in the National Portrait Gallery in London. The archaeologically interesting St. Mary's chapel in Derby was renovated using funds from the Haslam family in his memory. Breadsall Priory was in Haslam ownership until 1967 when it was sold by the executors of Haslam's only surviving son Eric. Eric had continued the business as the Derby Pure Ice and Cold Storage Company.