Background
He was born the third of six sons of Elkanah Armitage, a farmer and linen weaver from Failsworth, Lancashire. Armitage then married Elizabeth Kirk, daughter of Captain Henry Kirk of Chapel-en-le-Frith and had one further son Vernon.
Alderman Industrialist politician
He was born the third of six sons of Elkanah Armitage, a farmer and linen weaver from Failsworth, Lancashire. Armitage then married Elizabeth Kirk, daughter of Captain Henry Kirk of Chapel-en-le-Frith and had one further son Vernon.
The business was so successful that he was able to build a new factory at Pendleton, Salford and eventually employed 200 people making sailcloth, ginghams and checks. By 1848, despite economic slumps he had extended Pendleton New Mill and was employing over 600. In 1867 the Armitages took over the Nassau Mills in Patricroft, Ecclesiastical
Armitage became active in politics from a young age and his name appeared on the Manchester petition for the abolition of the slave trade in 1806.
In 1838 Manchester was incorporated as a municipal borough, and Armitage was elected to the first town council as a Liberal councillor representing Exchange Ward. He became an alderman in 1841, and was Mayor of Manchester from 1846 to 1848.
During his term of office there was a surge of support for the Chartist Movement, with the first mass meeting held in Manchester in September 1848. In 1857, Armitage stood for Parliament, unsuccessfully opposing William Nathaniel Massey for the seat of Salford and in 1866 he was appointed High Sheriff of Lancashire, having represented the same county also as Deputy Lieutenant before.
He shared Bright"s Pacifist stance and spoke out against the war in the Crimea, in opposition to Prime Minister Palmerston.
He served for many years as Chairman of the Governors of the Manchester Grammar School and as a Governor of Manchester Royal Infirmary. He was also a Salford Police Commissioner. Armitage died on 26 November 1876 at Hope Hall, Pendleton at the age of 82, his funeral procession was half a mile long and was made up of a hundred carriages.
His mortal remains were laid to rest at Weaste Cemetery.
His will which was passed on 13 January 1877, valued his estate at £200,000. which today would be worth over 14 million pounds.