Constituency : Nottingham 1880
John was one of the two victorious Liberals in Nottingham alongside Charles Seely.
John was from a modest background starting work as a salesman for a Birmingham button manufacturer in 1838. He was a partner in the firm by 1850. He was a Baptist and philanthropist although he opposed factory legislation as interfering with freedom of contract. He invited Bright to stand in Birmingham after his defeat in 1857. While President of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce John came up with the idea of postal orders for people without bank accounts and the scheme was implemented as he had planned. He became the first chairman of the Birmingham Liberal Association. He had a role in developing Birmingham General Hospital, the Art School and Blue Coats School. He was the first treasurer of the National Liberal Federation.
John must have set some unenviable record by dying at a dinner party on election night. He was 58. His funeral saw great public mourning in the city.
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