The epitome of dapper, this carte de visite of the Mayor of Barrow, Coun. T.F. Butler, is from the collection of Harper Gaythorpe, courtesy of Barrow Archives.

DEATH OF Coun. T. F. BUTLER

We regret to announce the death of Councillor T. F. Butler, J.P., D.L., which took place on Tuesday afternoon at his residence, Infield, Barrow, after a somewhat lengthy illness.

Councillor Theobald Fitzwalter Butler, J.P., D.L., was born at Glenwilliam, Co. Clare, Ireland, on January 25th(sic – the grave says 24th), 1845, and was the youngest son of the late Mr. James Blake Butler, J.P., of Stammer Park, Co. Clare, and Juliana Helena, daughter of the late Mr. George Comyn, of Holywell, Co. Clare. When but a few years old Councillor Butler’s parents died. He lived with his grandmother at Mount Vernon, Co. Galway, and received his education early on under a private tutor. Subsequently he attended a day school near Islington Square, London, and was afterwards at the grammar school at Barnet, and at the Kingsland Academy, Shrewsbury. Early in life he went out to Australia, and for two years was in Victoria, but at the end of that period he returned to the Old Country, and entered a bank in Ireland as one of the clerks. Subsequent to this he went to Liverpool, and was one of the staff in a mercantile office in that city. In the year 1870 he came to Barrow, and was the manager for Messrs. Ross, Willis and Co., and was in Barrow the following year, when there was a great boom in the iron and steel trades. At a later date he was with Messrs. George Bargate and Co., iron and steel merchants and ship owners, whose offices were in Ramsden Square, - those at present occupied by Messrs T. F. Butler, Limited. Mr. Butler was made a partner in Messrs. Bargate and Co., and with Mr. Bargate purchased from the Swansea Blast Furnace Co., Limited, the Landore blast furnaces, which concern they worked under the style of the Swansea Hematite Iron Co., until the sale of the property in 1889 to Messrs. Wright, Butler, and Co., Limited, and now Baldwins, Limited. The partnership in Messrs. G. Bargate and Co. was dissolved in 1889. Since that time Councillor Butler carried on business in his own name, later on the style of the firm being T. F. Butler, Limited, as an iron and steel and coal merchant and railway wagon owner at Barrow and at Workington. Councillor Butler was also interested in many iron and steel and coal concerns in West Cumberland and Furness, and had a monetary interest in the coal syndicate formed for the purpose of endeavouring to find a continuation of the West Cumberland seam or seams supposed to underlie Barrow. Some months ago he was made a director of the Whitehaven Colliery Co., when it was turned into a limited company, he being Barrow agent for the firm. Councillor Butler, among other interests, was a shareholder in the Barrow Public High School Co., Limited, and assisted in the formation of the Barrow Athletic Association by becoming a debenture holder. For many years he was a member of the Iron and Steel Institute of Great Britain, and also of the German Iron and Steel Institute (Essenhüttenleute). From 1883 to 1890 he resided in Bardsea, and then removed to Infield, known at one time as Clay’s Mansion, this house being built by Mr. S. J. Clay, wagon builder, etc., of Derby and Barrow.

Councillor Butler took a very great interest in public affairs. He was first elected as a representative of Hawcoat Ward in 1883(?), and continued to be a member for this ward on the Barrow Town Council until the time of his death. He was chosen as the mayor of the borough on November 9th, 1906, and on four subsequent occasions he was elected to that high office. His period of office was marked by many brilliant functions in the Town Hall and also in the grounds of his beautiful residence. During his mayoralty he and Mrs. Butler were made the subject of a handsome presentation on the occasion of one of the mayoral balls in the Town Hall. Councillor Butler was made a Justice of the Peace in 1897, and during the period of his mayoralty was made a Deputy Lieutenant for Lancashire. He was chairman of the Watch Committee at the time of his death, and a representative of the Barrow Town Council on the Lancashire Territorial Association, and was largely instrumental in the building of the fort at Walney. The National Reserve was one of the movements that had his hearty support, and he expressed in the Town Hall, at a meeting to further the scheme, that he would, being an old Volunteer, have joined had age not prevented him. He took a deep interest in open-air swimming, and was the chief mover in the establishment of the open-air swimming baths in the Ramsden Dock, and presented for competition amongst school boys “The Butler Trophy”. One period of his mayoralty was marked by a keen depression in the iron trade of the district, and Councillor Butler was the prime mover in the matter of concerted action with a view to relieving the distress in the town. He met many deputations of the unemployed and worked hard in many ways to alleviate their distress. During his mayoralty he met a large number of Japanese naval officers and officials, who had business in Barrow, and the Emperor of Japan bestowed upon him the Imperial Order, third class, of the Sacred Treasure. He was a man who had strong views on most questions. In politics he was a Conservative, but never allowed his opinions to interfere with any of his civic duties. He was a member of the Church of England, attending St. Paul’s Church, the Rev. W. Berry being his chaplain during the time of his mayoralty. His term of office during the five years was a difficult one in many respects, his services were often heavy, but that his services were appreciated by the inhabitants of Barrow was very evident. As Mayor he conducted the business of the Town Council in an impartial manner, earning the good will of every member of the Council, although opinions frequently differed. After his mayoralty he retired more into private life, but took part in much important Council work, more especially in connection with the duties of the Watch Committee, one of the subjects frequently under discussion being the matter of a new police station, upon which he took a firm stand as to the necessity of an adequate building.

In 1883 he married Catherine Elizabeth, daughter of the late John Barraclough, of Rossfield, Heaton, Bradford, by whom he had a family of four daughters and three sons, who survive him.