Career
Born in Hull, he became a solicitor and went on to become president of the Law Society. He later became a shipowner. He was Mayor of Hull from 1883-1885.
In 1892 he put forward a private member"s bill in favour of women"s suffrage, which failed narrowly.
Having opposed Chamberlain"s Tariff Reform proposals, he was defeated in the 1906 general election, and failed to get elected as a Liberal in Epsom in 1910. As a businessman he was well known on the Continent of Europe and acted as consul-general for Romania from 1911 until his death.
He received the honorary degree Doctor of Laws (Doctor of Laws) from the Victoria University of Manchester in February 1902, in connection with the 50th jubilee celebrations of the establishment of the university. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society in 1902.