Rathbone family
Encyclopedia
The Rathbone family of Liverpool
, England
, were a family of non-conformist merchants and shipowners, whose sense of high social consciousness led to a fine tradition of philanthropy
and public service
.
The family origins are traced to Gawsworth
, near Macclesfield
, where the first William Rathbone was born in 1669, as the son of Phillip Rathbone. It was his son, William Rathbone II
, born on 22 May 1696, who left Gawsworth for the growing port of Liverpool, where he worked as a sawyer and, it appears, established a timber business.
in 1809, the year of his death.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, were a family of non-conformist merchants and shipowners, whose sense of high social consciousness led to a fine tradition of philanthropy
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
and public service
Public services
Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income...
.
The family origins are traced to Gawsworth
Gawsworth
Gawsworth is a civil parish and village in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is one of the eight ancient parishes of Macclesfield Hundred. Twenty acres of the civil parish were transferred to Macclesfield civil parish in 1936The country houses...
, near Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, where the first William Rathbone was born in 1669, as the son of Phillip Rathbone. It was his son, William Rathbone II
William Rathbone II
William Rathbone II was the founder of Rathbone Brothers, one of the United Kingdom's largest firms of wealth managers.-Career:...
, born on 22 May 1696, who left Gawsworth for the growing port of Liverpool, where he worked as a sawyer and, it appears, established a timber business.
Notable Rathbones
- William Rathbone IIWilliam Rathbone IIWilliam Rathbone II was the founder of Rathbone Brothers, one of the United Kingdom's largest firms of wealth managers.-Career:...
- William Rathbone IIIWilliam Rathbone IIIWilliam Rathbone III was a member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool.The eldest son of William Rathbone II, he was a merchant and ship-owner within Liverpool. A devout Quaker, and committed opponent of the slave trade, he married twice, fathering eleven children, including William Rathbone...
- William Rathbone IVWilliam Rathbone IVWilliam Rathbone IV was a member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool, England. He was the son of William Rathbone III and Rachel Rutter, and was a Liverpool ship-owner and merchant, involved in the organisation of American trade with Liverpool.Originally a member of the Society of Friends,...
- William Rathbone VWilliam Rathbone V-Life:A member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool, he was the eldest son of William Rathbone IV and Hannah Mary . He was a Liverpool merchant in partnership with Richard Rathbone, his brother....
- William Rathbone VIWilliam Rathbone VIWilliam Rathbone VI was an English merchant and businessman noted for his philanthropic and public work...
- Eleanor RathboneEleanor RathboneEleanor Florence Rathbone was an independent British Member of Parliament and long-term campaigner for women's rights. She was a member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool.-Life:...
- Richard RathboneRichard RathboneRichard Rathbone was a member of the noted Rathbone family of Liverpool in England. He was the second son of William Rathbone IV. Richard was a commission merchant, setting up in partnership with his brother, William Rathbone V in 1809.He retired in 1835...
- Hugh Reynolds RathboneHugh Reynolds RathboneHugh Reynolds Rathbone was a British merchant and politician, who sat as a Member of Parliament and was a member of the noted Rathbone family....
- Hannah Mary RathboneHannah Mary RathboneHannah Mary Rathbone was an English writer, authoress of The Diary of Lady Willoughby.-Life:...
(1798–1878) - Basil RathboneBasil RathboneSir Basil Rathbone, KBE, MC, Kt was an English actor. He rose to prominence in England as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in over 70 films, primarily costume dramas, swashbucklers, and, occasionally, horror films...
, the actor famous for portraying Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve... - John Rathbone (Bodmin)John Rathbone (Bodmin)John Rankin Rathbone was a British Conservative Party politician. A fighter pilot with the Royal Air Force, he was killed shortly after the Battle of Britain....
, Conservative MP, fighter pilot with the RAF killed in the Battle of BritainBattle of BritainThe Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. - Tim RathboneTim RathboneJohn Rankin "Tim" Rathbone was the Conservative Member of Parliament for the seat of Lewes between 1974 and 1997....
Conservative MP (son of above) - Perry T. RathbonePerry T. RathbonePerry T. Rathbone was one of the leading American art museum directors of the 20th century. As director of the St. Louis Art Museum from 1940–1955, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston from 1955–1972, he transformed these institutions from quiet repositories of art to vibrant cultural centers...
Director, Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Art historian, and collector.
Family properties
In 1788, William Rathbone IV leased the family house and estate of Greenbank, then part of the Toxteth Park estate, to serve as a country retreat for his young family, and purchased the freehold of Greenbank HouseGreenbank House
Greenbank House, is a Grade II listed building, located in Liverpool, England. It stands within the University of Liverpool's Greenbank Halls of Residence site, between Greenbank Road and Greenbank Lane.- Original House :...
in 1809, the year of his death.