Born in 1820 in Gomersal, Yorkshire, he was educated at Leeds Grammar School and learned French in France.

One of his first achievements as Mayor in early 1867 was a private conference he held in his house for the leading men of the town to discuss a possible remedy for the lack of education for children.

In March a public meeting was held in the Town Hall where the Birmingham Education Society was formed along the lines of one created in Manchester and Salford in 1864.

The League resolved that a bill should be prepared for the next session of Parliament to give non-sectarian education to all children.

The League continued to campaign for a further seven years and elementary education (to age 12) eventually became free and compulsory in England and Wales.

It taught science and mechanics to 400 of the brighter boys for two years beyond normal school leaving age.

This was a great success and was repeated in large towns across the country, and led to the Technical Instruction Act, which formalised the finance of this type of school.