Michael Thomas Bass, Doctor of Laws was an English brewer and a member of Parliament.
Background
Bass was born at Burton-on-Trent in Staffordshire, the son of Michael Thomas Bass, who had expanded the brewery founded by his father William and made it a major exporter to Russia. Michael"s mother, Sarah Hoskins, was the daughter of Abraham Hoskins, a prominent Burton lawyer
Education
Bass attended the grammar school in Burton and finished his schooling in Nottingham.
Career
Under his leadership, the Bass Brewery became the largest brewery in the world and the best known brand of beer in England. At the age of 18, he joined the family business as an apprentice when business was not going well because the Napoleonic Wars had disrupted trade with Russia. However, the sales of India Pale Ale in India and southeast Asia were taking off by the 1820s.
Bass took over control of the company in 1827 and continued the export focus on Asia.
By 1832-1833, the company was exporting 5,000 barrels of beer representing 40% of its output in that year. The coming of the railway to Burton in 1839 helped the growth of the business by reducing transport costs.
The company had four agents in the 1830s in London, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham. By the 1880s, this had grown to twenty-one in Britain and another in Paris.
The export trade was supplied by the agencies in London and Liverpool.
Under Bass"s leadership, company production and sales had grown enormously. Production of ale had grown to 340,000 barrels in 1860 and to almost a million barrels in the late 1870s. By 1881, the company had three breweries and 26 malthouses covering 145 acres (059 km2) in Burton upon Trent.
The company was Britain"s biggest brewery and was one of its best known companies.
Bass was first elected as the member for Derby in 1848 and served until 1883. His obituary in the Brewers Journal stated that he was known more "in the House of Commons for his regular attendance than for any feats of oratory." He focussed on being a national advocate for the brewing industry against efforts by nonconformists within the Liberal Party to legislate against alcohol.
Bass was an orthodox Liberal supporting free trade, low taxes and improving living standards for the working class. He promoted legislation to abolish imprisonment for small debtors.
His legislation against organ grinders on the grounds that they were street nuisances was less successful.
Bass was a philanthropist both in Burton and Derby. His obituarists claimed that his contributions totalled £80,000, and that he had given Derby a new library, museum, school of art, recreation ground, and swimming baths. Bass represented Derby until the final years of his life.
William Ewart Gladstone offered Bass a peerage, which he declined, preferring to stay in the House of Commons.
Membership
15th United Kingdom Parliament. 16th United Kingdom Parliament. 17th United Kingdom Parliament.
18th United Kingdom Parliament.
19th United Kingdom Parliament. 20th United Kingdom Parliament.
21st United Kingdom Parliament. 22nd United Kingdom Parliament]
Bass represented Derby in the House of Commons as a member of the Liberal Party between 1848 and 1883 where he was an effective advocate for the brewing industry.
Personality
He was a generous benefactor of both Derby and Burton-on-Trent where his company was based.