Robert Burdon Stoker
Encyclopedia
Robert Burdon Stoker was a British
shipping magnate and Conservative
politician.
sailing ship firm, involved in the American and Canadian trades, and became its manager. In 1882, he was invited by Christopher Furness, a director of the Furness, Withy
(FW) shipping group, to become one of his aides.
Stoker opened an office in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for the start of the Furness Line's operations to North America and within two years the line was operating ten ships on the North Atlantic. Stoker was asked to open an FW office in London in 1890, by which time he owned a 3,500-ton tramp steamer named the Sydenham and later the steamer Knutsford. Furness, Withy and Company was formed in 1891, with Christopher Furness as chairman and Stoker as ship director. Stoker went to New York
in 1896 on behalf of FW to buy the Philadelphia Trans-Atlantic Line, returning after six months.
On the formation of Manchester Liners
Limited (ML) in 1898, FW took a major shareholding in the new company and Stoker resigned from FW's board to become ML's first managing director. A contemporary article in Syren and Shipping said that Stoker was a "shred man of business, an able administrator at the head of affairs and the capital of Lancashire behind it, ML should flourish exceedingly". On the death in 1912 of Lord Furness, as he had become, Stoker was elected as chairman of ML, remaining in office until his death.
Stoker's son, Kenneth Stoker, became a director of ML in 1919 and managing director in 1932. He retired in June 1968 after 49 years service. Kenneth's son, also Robert Burdon Stoker, joined ML in 1932 and retired as chairman in 1979.
Stoker was also a director of the Manchester Ship Canal
Company and was elected president of the Manchester Steamship Owners Association. In 1917 he became President of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Stoker had lived in Knutsford.
, major Philip Glazebrook
, was killed in action. Stoker was chosen as the Coalition Conservative candidate for the vacant seat, and was elected unopposed.
The Representation of the People Act 1918
reorganised Manchester's constituencies, and Stoker was elected as first MP for the new Rusholme constituency
.
R B Stoker died at his home in September 1919, aged 60 after a long illness.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
shipping magnate and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Shipping career
Stoker was born in north-east England and aged 17 was given his first ship, a 500-ton coaster, by his father. He entered a LiverpoolLiverpool
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...
sailing ship firm, involved in the American and Canadian trades, and became its manager. In 1882, he was invited by Christopher Furness, a director of the Furness, Withy
Furness Withy
Furness Withy was a major British transport business. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange.-History:The Company was founded by Christopher Furness and Henry Withy in 1891 in Hartlepool. This was achieved by the amalgamation of the Furness Line of steamers with the business of Edward Withy and...
(FW) shipping group, to become one of his aides.
Stoker opened an office in Newcastle-upon-Tyne for the start of the Furness Line's operations to North America and within two years the line was operating ten ships on the North Atlantic. Stoker was asked to open an FW office in London in 1890, by which time he owned a 3,500-ton tramp steamer named the Sydenham and later the steamer Knutsford. Furness, Withy and Company was formed in 1891, with Christopher Furness as chairman and Stoker as ship director. Stoker went to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1896 on behalf of FW to buy the Philadelphia Trans-Atlantic Line, returning after six months.
On the formation of Manchester Liners
Manchester Liners
Manchester Liners was a cargo and passenger shipping company, founded in 1898, based in Manchester, England. The line pioneered the regular passage of ocean-going vessels along the Manchester Ship Canal. Its main sphere of operation was the transatlantic shipping trade, but the company also...
Limited (ML) in 1898, FW took a major shareholding in the new company and Stoker resigned from FW's board to become ML's first managing director. A contemporary article in Syren and Shipping said that Stoker was a "shred man of business, an able administrator at the head of affairs and the capital of Lancashire behind it, ML should flourish exceedingly". On the death in 1912 of Lord Furness, as he had become, Stoker was elected as chairman of ML, remaining in office until his death.
Stoker's son, Kenneth Stoker, became a director of ML in 1919 and managing director in 1932. He retired in June 1968 after 49 years service. Kenneth's son, also Robert Burdon Stoker, joined ML in 1932 and retired as chairman in 1979.
Stoker was also a director of the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
Company and was elected president of the Manchester Steamship Owners Association. In 1917 he became President of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Stoker had lived in Knutsford.
Parliamentary work
In March 1918 the sitting MP for Manchester SouthManchester South (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester South was one of six parliamentary constituencies created in 1885 by the division of the Parliamentary Borough of Manchester, England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system...
, major Philip Glazebrook
Philip Glazebrook
Philip Kirkland Glazebrook, DSO was a British businessman and Conservative politician.He was the son of John K. and Cecilia Glazebrook of Twemlow Hall, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, and was educated at Eton College and New College, Oxford. He was a partner in the firm of Spurrier and Glazebrook...
, was killed in action. Stoker was chosen as the Coalition Conservative candidate for the vacant seat, and was elected unopposed.
The Representation of the People Act 1918
Representation of the People Act 1918
The Representation of the People Act 1918 was an Act of Parliament passed to reform the electoral system in the United Kingdom. It is sometimes known as the Fourth Reform Act...
reorganised Manchester's constituencies, and Stoker was elected as first MP for the new Rusholme constituency
Manchester Rusholme (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester Rusholme was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Rusholme district of Manchester. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....
.
R B Stoker died at his home in September 1919, aged 60 after a long illness.