In one of the articles in yesterday's Journal, headed 'Broken Britain', reference was made to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. At the foot of that article I said we would be looking at the life of Joseph Rowntree, a quite remarkable man. Here is his story.
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Joseph Rowntree was born in York on 24 May 1836, the son of Sarah and Joseph Rowntree. He attended Bootham School. At fourteen he accompanied his father on a visit to Ireland, and witnessed the effects of the potato famine. This experience was to provide the grounding for his political views and business ideas later in life.
He started working in his father's grocery business as an apprentice the following year, and after his father's death in 1859 he took over the running, jointly managing the business with his brother John Stephenson Rowntree.
In 1869 he joined his brother, Henry Iassac Rowntree, who owned a chocolate factory in York. When Henry died in 1883, Joseph became the owner of the company. Joseph pursued his progressive ideas within the running of Rowntree's, in the design of the new factory opened in 1881, and in the business practices therein, including the founding of one of the first Occupational Pension Schemes.
The company, Rowntree's, grew from 30 to over 4,000 employees by the end of the 19th century making it Britain's eightieth largest manufacturing employer. It merged with John Mackintosh and Co. in 1969 and was taken over by Nestle in 1988.
He had two marriages to Julia Eliza Seebohm in 1862, who died in 1863, and then to her cousin Emma Antoinette Seebohm in 1867, with whom he had six children.
According to a plaque on the outside of the south wall of the grounds of The Retreat, Joseph Rowntree is buried in the Quaker cemetery within.
Joseph Rowntree was a supporter of liberal values, and was anxious to improve the quality of life of his employees. He provided them with a library, free education, a social welfare officer, a doctor, a dentist and a pension fund.
In 1902 he bought 150 acres at New Earswick, to the north of York, to build houses for low-income families.
In 1904 he gave half his wealth to the charitable trusts he created. The four Rowntree trusts bear Joseph Rowntree's name and continue his philanthropic work:
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation funds research that seek to understand the cause of social problems, such as poverty, poor housing, and other forms of social exclusion.
The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust manages a stock of affordable housing as well as care homes for the elderly and disabled.
The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust works for Quaker ideals including international peace and justice.
The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd is active in UK progressive politics and is a significant financial donor to the UK Liberal Democrats.
In 1921 he opened Rowntree Park as a memorial to those from his company who died in the First World War.
He lived at 47 Bootham, now part of Bootham School, but the name of Joseph Rowntree is commemorated in the Joseph Rowntree School, the comprehensive school in New Earswick. This school was built in 1942 by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
