Sir Thomas Lea, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Lea, 1st Baronet (17 January 1841 – 6 January 1902), was an English carpet manufacturer from Kidderminster
, and a Liberal Party
politician.
and bombazine
in the 17th and 18th centuries. Francis Lea and his son John went over to carpet weaving in 1781. When Francis retired from this firm, he and his second son Thomas set up a worsted
spinning business in Callows Lane, Kidderminster. Francis' daughter married William Butcher, and their son George Butcher later joined the firm. In 1831 George formed the firm of Butcher, Worth and Holmes to manufacture carpets. In 1835 Thomas gave his spinning business to his nephew George Butcher, later called George Butcher Lea. He withdrew from the carpet business in 1838. His son Thomas grew up in the business and then took control of it. He then built Slingfield Mills at Kidderminster in 1864. He retired in favour of his sons (who formed a company) in 1892. They sold the company in 1920.
in 1868, a seat he held until 1874, and later represented County Donegal from 1880 to 1885 and County Londonderry South from 1886 to 1900. In 1892, he was created a Baronet, of The Larches in Kidderminster in the County of Worcester and of Sea Grove in Dawlish in the County of Devon.
Lea died in January 1902, aged 60.
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
, and a Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician.
Carpets
Thomas Lea came from a family who had manufactured Kidderminster stuffStuff (cloth)
In the context of materials Stuff can refer to any manufactured material. This is illustrated from a quote by Sir Francis Bacon in his 1658 publication New Atlantis:"Wee have also diverse Mechanicall Arts, which you have not; And Stuffes made by them; As Papers, Linnen, Silks, Tissues; dainty Works...
and bombazine
Bombazine
Bombazine, or bombasine, is a fabric originally made of silk or silk and wool, and now also made of cotton and wool or of wool alone. Quality bombazine is made with a silk warp and a worsted weft. It is twilled or corded and used for dress-material...
in the 17th and 18th centuries. Francis Lea and his son John went over to carpet weaving in 1781. When Francis retired from this firm, he and his second son Thomas set up a worsted
Worsted
Worsted , is the name of a yarn, the cloth made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the English county of Norfolk...
spinning business in Callows Lane, Kidderminster. Francis' daughter married William Butcher, and their son George Butcher later joined the firm. In 1831 George formed the firm of Butcher, Worth and Holmes to manufacture carpets. In 1835 Thomas gave his spinning business to his nephew George Butcher, later called George Butcher Lea. He withdrew from the carpet business in 1838. His son Thomas grew up in the business and then took control of it. He then built Slingfield Mills at Kidderminster in 1864. He retired in favour of his sons (who formed a company) in 1892. They sold the company in 1920.
Politics
Lea was returned to Parliament for KidderminsterKidderminster (UK Parliament constituency)
Kidderminster was a parliamentary constituency in Worcestershire, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system.-History:...
in 1868, a seat he held until 1874, and later represented County Donegal from 1880 to 1885 and County Londonderry South from 1886 to 1900. In 1892, he was created a Baronet, of The Larches in Kidderminster in the County of Worcester and of Sea Grove in Dawlish in the County of Devon.
Lea died in January 1902, aged 60.