Constituency : Norwich 1847-54, Finsbury 1859-65, Bristol 1865-8
Samuel was a tenant farmer's son and started his career as an apprentice bricklayer in his uncle's building firm. In 1830 he formed a partnership with his cousin, Grissell and Peto. They built many notable structures in London including Nelson's Column and the new Houses of Parliament under Charles Barry. From 1834 they diversified into railway contracting. In 1846 Grissell took fright at Samuel's risk-taking and dissolved the partnership. He formed a new partnership with his brother-in-law Peto and Betts to further develop his railway interests. In 1854 Samuel resigned his seat and they worked together with Thomas Brassey on a railway linking Balaclava with Sebastopol during the Crimean War for which Samuel was made a baronet in 1855. He became a local philanthropist and beneficient employer in the area around Lowestoft. For a time he was said to be the largest employer in the world. His business practices were not always scrupulous and he did not always act in the best interests of his shareholders.He was first elected in 1847 and helped finance the Great Exhibition in 1851. He was a Baptist. No
Palmerston asked him to conduct experiments on the practicality of manufacturers consuming their own smoke.
Samuel later experienced financial difficulties through involvement in the London Chatham and Dover Railway and the failure of the bank Overend, Gurney and Company. The Peto and Betts partnership had to be dissolved in 1866 and Samuel's business reputation never recovered. In 1868 he was forced to give up his seat despite support from both Gladstone and Disraeli.
Samuel retreated to Hungary where he tried to promote railways there and in Russia. He later tried to launch a small mineral railway in Cornwall but failed.
He died in obscurity in 1889 aged 80.
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