Background
Birley was born in Blackburn, Lancashire.
Birley was born in Blackburn, Lancashire.
Winchester College.
Following education at Winchester School, he went to India, where he was the head of Birley, Corrie and Company, East India merchants. They made their home at "Moorland", Didsbury, near Manchester. He was appointed a justice of the peace and Deputy Lieutenant for the County Palatine of Lancaster.
Birley was granted armorial bearings by the College of Arms, the blazon of which was as follows: Sable on a fesse engrailed between three boars" heads couped argent, a mascle between three cross crosslets of the field, and for the Crest upon a wreath of the colours a demi-boar rampant sable collared argent the chain reflexed over the back or supporting a branch of wild teazle proper, charged on the shoulder with a millrind argent.
Birley was elected as the first Conservative Member of Parliament for the town, alongside the two sitting Liberal Party members, Thomas Bazley and Jacob Bright. He retained his seat at the ensuing elections of 1874 and 1880.
Foreign the final years of his life, Birley was in poor health, and travelled to South Africa and Cannes in the south of France in an attempt to recuperate. However, after May 1883 he was too ill to attend parliament.
He died at his Didsbury home in September 1883 aged 66.
20th United Kingdom Parliament. 21st United Kingdom Parliament. 22nd United Kingdom Parliament]
At the 1868 general election the representation of the Parliamentary Borough of Manchester was increased to three members of parliament.