Theodore Doxford
Encyclopedia
Sir Theodore Doxford, Kt
, DL
(1 February 1841 – 1 October 1916) was a British shipbuilder
and politician.
, County Durham
, on 1 February 1841. He was the eldest son of the eight surviving children of William Doxford (1812-1882) and his wife, Hannah née Pile (1814-1895). He was baptised on 14 March 1841 in St Michaels, Bishopwearmouth (now the Sunderland Minster
). After graduating from Bramham College in the West Riding of Yorkshire
in 1857, Doxford began to work at his father's company, William Doxford & Sons
, upon its creation in 1858 at its new headquarters at Pallion
on the River Wear
.
in forty years to be elected for the two-seat constituency of Sunderland
, when he became a Unionist Member of Parliament
in 1895. Knighted for his services by Queen Victoria
at Osborne House
on 9 February 1900, he retired from parliament in 1906. He was also present at Gladstone
's funeral service at Westminster Abbey
in 1898.
Doxford had also been involved in local affairs, serving on Sunderland town council, as a River Wear commissioner and as a magistrate for Sunderland and County Durham. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant
for County Durham from 1896 and was a founding member and second president of the North-East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders. Joining the Institution of Naval Architects in 1878, he was elected a council member in 1896 and became vice-president in 1908. He also represented Wearside
on the National Federation of Shipbuilding Employers and was chairman of the Wear Shipbuilders' Association from 1908 to 1912.
Doxford died on 1 October 1916, aged 74, at his home, Grindon
Hall, a few months after the death of his wife. He was buried with his wife in Bishopwearmouth Cemetery
.
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(1 February 1841 – 1 October 1916) was a British shipbuilder
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
and politician.
Early life
Doxford was born at Bridge Street (leading to Wearmouth Bridge) in BishopwearmouthBishopwearmouth
Bishopwearmouth is an area in Sunderland, North East England.Bishopwearmouth was one of the original three settlements on the banks of the river Wear that merged to form modern Sunderland....
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, on 1 February 1841. He was the eldest son of the eight surviving children of William Doxford (1812-1882) and his wife, Hannah née Pile (1814-1895). He was baptised on 14 March 1841 in St Michaels, Bishopwearmouth (now the Sunderland Minster
Sunderland Minster
Sunderland Minster Church of St. Michaels and All Angels is a church in Sunderland city centre, England. It was known as St. Michael's Church, serving the parish of Bishopwearmouth, but was renamed on 11 January 1998 in recognition of Sunderland's city status. In May 2007 the Minister ceased to...
). After graduating from Bramham College in the West Riding of Yorkshire
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
in 1857, Doxford began to work at his father's company, William Doxford & Sons
William Doxford & Sons
William Doxford & Sons Ltd, often referred to simply as Doxford, was a British shipbuilding company.-History:The Company was established by William Doxford in 1840. From 1870 it was based in Pallion, Sunderland, on the River Wear in Northeast England. The Company was managed by William Doxford's...
, upon its creation in 1858 at its new headquarters at Pallion
Pallion
Pallion is a suburb, civil parish and electoral ward of the City of Sunderland, in Tyne and Wear, England. Most of the buildings in the area were built during the Victorian Era and consist of large terraced houses built for wealthy shipbuilders, but also smaller one storey cottages in other areas...
on the River Wear
River Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
.
Family
On 9 April 1863, Doxford married Margaret Wilkinson (1842-1916), daughter of Richard Wilkinson, a local shipbuilder. They eventually had nine children, six of whom survived to adulthood:- Margaret Eveline (1864-1960), married John Hunt Hedley (1858-1914), a valuer.
- William Theodore (1866-1870)
- (Albert) Ernest (1867-1937), a marine engine builder; married Bertha Eleanor Warner (1866-1949).
- Harold (1869-1869)
- Mary Hannah (1870-1948), married Alfred Octavius Hedley (1861-1926; brother of the above John Hunt Hedley), a solicitor.
- Theodore (1874-1876)
- Norah (1876-1965), married (Andrew Leyland) Hillyar Cleland (1868-1943), son of John Cleland of Stormont CastleStormont CastleStormont Castle is a baronial mansion on the Stormont Estate in east Belfast which is used as the main meeting place of the Northern Ireland Executive....
. - (Annie) Greta (1878-1968), died unmarried.
- (Wilhelmine) Vera (1883-1955), married Stanley Miller Thompson (1883-1948), creator of The Silver Line.
Politics
After several years of success in his shipbuilding company (held jointly by him and his brothers since their father's death in 1882), Doxford became the first ConservativeConservative 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...
in forty years to be elected for the two-seat constituency of Sunderland
Sunderland (UK Parliament constituency)
Sunderland was a borough constituency of the House of Commons, created by the Reform Act 1832 for the 1832 general election. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election until it was split into single-member seats of Sunderland North and Sunderland South for the 1950...
, when he became a Unionist Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
in 1895. Knighted for his services by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
at Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat....
on 9 February 1900, he retired from parliament in 1906. He was also present at Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
's funeral service at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
in 1898.
Doxford had also been involved in local affairs, serving on Sunderland town council, as a River Wear commissioner and as a magistrate for Sunderland and County Durham. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for County Durham from 1896 and was a founding member and second president of the North-East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders. Joining the Institution of Naval Architects in 1878, he was elected a council member in 1896 and became vice-president in 1908. He also represented Wearside
Wearside
Wearside is an area of north east England, centred on the continuous urban area formed by Sunderland, Seaham and other settlements by the River Wear. Mackems is a nickname used for the people of Wearside....
on the National Federation of Shipbuilding Employers and was chairman of the Wear Shipbuilders' Association from 1908 to 1912.
Death
Grindon, Sunderland
Grindon is a suburb of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, in the United Kingdom.Located three miles to the west of the city centre along Chester Road, Grindon is a densely-populated area of Sunderland...
Hall, a few months after the death of his wife. He was buried with his wife in Bishopwearmouth Cemetery
Bishopwearmouth Cemetery
Bishopwearmouth Cemetery is a cemetery in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. It lies between Hylton Road and Chester Road .-History:...
.
Further reading
- William Doxford and Company (1921)
- J. W. Smith and T. S. Holden, Where ships are born: Sunderland, 1346–1946, revised edition (1953)
- D. Dougan, The history of north east shipbuilding (1968)
- J. F. Clarke, A century of service to engineering and shipbuilding: a centenary history of the North East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders, 1884–1984 (1984)
- J. F. Clarke, Doxford, Sir William Theodore, Dictionary of business biography
- Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects, 49 (1917), 233