655 Henry Ripley

Constituency : Bradford  1868-9 , 1874-80  ( Independent )

Henry  took  the  second  seat  at  Bradford  when  Matthew  Thompson  didn't  stand.

Henry  was  a  partner  in  the  family's  dyeworks. He  was  active  in  local  politics  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Yorkshire  Penny  Bank. In  1866  he  started  constructing  Ripley Ville  a  model  village  for  his  workers  and  other  artisans.

Henry's  election  was  overturned  on  petition. He  stood  again  in  1874  as  an  Independent  and  was  elected. He  was  asked  to  leave  the  Reform  Club  after  voting  on  the  wrong  side  too  often. By  the  time  of  the  1880  he  was  a  Conservative  but  was  rejected  at  the  election. He  also  left  the  Congregationalists  and  joined  the  Church  of  England.

Henry  was  created  a  baronet  in  1880.

He  died  in  1882  aged  80.