647 Richard Shaw

Constituency : Burnley 1868-76

Richard  became  the  first  MP  for  Burnley  defeating  the  Crimean  veteran  General  Scarlett  for  the  Tories.

Richard  was  a  local  man  educated  at  Burnley  Grammar  School  and St  Peter's , York. He  was  a  solicitor  and  businessman

On  Ireland  Richard  was  critical  of  the  landlords  but  careful to  protect  property  and  free  contract. He  thought  compensation for  improvements  would  give  the  tenant  "all  the  fixity  of  tenure  he  was  entitled  to  and   would.... respect  the  rights  of  the  owner". Anything  more  would  be  harmful to  the  whole  community.

He  died  in  1876  aged  50.