Whitley, Alderman Jonas

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Watercolour portrait of Alderman Jonas Whitley (Woolstapler) Mayor of Bradford 1893-1894. Born at Heaton April 30th 1834

from John Sowden's notes:

"Was born in humble circumstances at Heaton in 1834. He was wont to declare, that the only education he ever got was in spelling out the words of the Bible at the Sunday School connected with the old Baptist Chapel in Westgate. The class in which he was a scholar was under the charge of the late Mr Alfred Illingworth.

At the age of nine years he was a work house lad, there subsequently apprentice, foreman and manager to Mr Thomas Clayton Woolstapler with whom he remained nine years. This business was taken over by Mrs Helliwell and Crabtree about 1854 and Mr Whitley was promoted from the position of foreman to that of manager.

In 1862 he commenced business on his own account in partnership with Mr Thomas B Fox. The association proved a most prosperous one and lasted 30 years. Mr Whitley retired in 1893. He entered the Town Council in 1891 for the Exchange Ward and two years later was elected Mayor. He was made and Alderman in 1894. Mr Whitley was a Conservative and was president of the Junior Conservative Club.

He was also a member of the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, and was chairman for some time of the Bradford District Bank. He was a juror of raw material at the Paris Exhibition in 1878. Mr Whitley was placed on the Commission of Peace for the city and was a member of the Board of Management of the Bradford Royal infirmary. He married in 1855 Miss Hannah Bairstow and had issue a son and four daughters. He died in 1912."

Creator

Sowden

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sowden-168