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Lord Burton - Michael Arthur Bass.

Michael Arthur Bass, 1st Baron Burton, KCVO. was born on the 12th November 1837, known as Sir Michael Bass, 1st Baronet, from 1882 to 1886, was a Brewer, Liberal Party politician and Philanthropist.
Bass was the eldest son of Michael Thomas Bass and the great-grandson of William Bass pickfords lorry

who sold his carrier company to Matthew Pickford (of the famous company 'Pickfords') in 1777 which enables Bass to found his brewing empire in Burton upon Trent. His mother was Eliza Jane, daughter of Samuel Arden. Bass was educated at Burton Grammar School, Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was a Director of the family firm of Bass, Ratcliff, Gretton and Co from 1863, Chairman of the Directors upon his father's death in 1884 and also a Director of the South-Eastern Railway Company.

He sat as a Member of Parliament (L) for Stafford from 1865 to 1868, for East Staffordshire from 1868 to 1885 and for Burton from 1885 to 1886. Although starting his political career as a Liberal, the party's support for the temperance movement made membership somewhat untenable for the country's biggest brewer! Mr. Bass changed his political allegiance and defeated plans for the compulsory shutting down of the brewing industry without compensation.

In 1882 he was created a Baronet, of Stafford in the County of Staffordshire, chiefly in honour of his father (who was then still alive and who had declined every honour offered to him). Four years later, in 1886, he was raised to the peerage as Baron Burton, of Rangemore and of Burton-on-Trent in the County of Staffordshire. In 1897 the Heir to the Baronetcy was, by special patent, granted to his daughter and her male issue.
In 1904 he was further honoured when he was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. rangemore Hall

Lord Burton married Harriett Georgina, daughter of Edward Thornewill, in 1869. He died on the 1st February 1909, aged 71. He was succeeded in the Baronetcy by his nephew William, whilst the Barony of 1886 became extinct. Lady Burton (Nelie Lisa Baillie, then Melles when married again after her first husband died in 1931) became Baroness in 1909 when her father died, she died in 1964.

Royal visit to Rangemore Hall

The Bass family seat was at Rangemore where King Edward VII visited in February 1902 along with the town and the Bass Brewery. Rangemore Hall, built for the Bass family, is an impressive country mansion (Grade 2 listed). Thought to contain an early 19th century core, but the principle sections of the house are later Victorian. Baroness Burton sold Rangemore Hall to Staffordshire County Council on 24th October 1949 for £40,000.

Like his father, Michael Arthur Bass was a generous benefactor to Burton, making many fine contributions to the town, including the Ferry Bridge, the St Paul's Institute and Liberal Club (this replaced the former one, built by his father, which he gave to the council in 1892 as Municipal Offices) and St. Chad's church. A bronze statue of Lord Burton, sculpted by F. W. Pomeroy, was erected in front of the Burton Town Hall in 1911.

When this postcard first came to my attention is was difficult to understand why the Primrose League, looked on by many Liberals as the enemy, were permitted to hold a garden party in the grounds of a seemingly stanch Liberal.

Perhaps the answer is given by the writer on (or of) the Chloë's Web site (and used above). 'The Liberal policy of compulsory shutting down of the brewing industry without compensation'. This I am sure would not have given him any option. Strangely no mention of Lord Burton's changed of political allegiance has been found in any other writings on this man.

The postcard states: Primrose League Garden Party. Rangemore Hall 27th June 1908'.

Main Index Page

Who's Who. 1900.
Debrett's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage. 1905 & 1954..
The Chloë's Restaurant and Bar of Burton Web Site.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Various web documents.

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