John Bowes Morrell Explained

John Bowes Morrell
Honorific-Suffix:Cllr. Ald. Freeman
Office:Lord Mayor of York
1Blankname:Monarch
1Namedata:George VI
Term Start:1949
Term End:1950
Predecessor:William Dobbie
Successor:Ernest Harwood
1Blankname2:Monarch
1Namedata2:George V
Term Start2:1914
Term End2:1915
Predecessor2:Henry Rhodes Brown
Successor2:William Alexander Forster Todd
Office3:York City Councillor[1]
Term Start3:1905
Term End3:1945
Birth Date:1873
Party:Liberal Progressives
Occupation:Politician, author and historian
Father:William Wilberforce Morrell
Mother:Lydia Hutchinson
Education:Bootham School, York
Known For:Conservation; University founder; Liberalism

John Bowes Morrell (1873–1963) was an English historian and writer. He was twice Lord Mayor of York, a leading figure in the local movement to establish a university in York, and founder of the York Conservation Trust.[2] The J.B. Morrell Library at the University of York is named after him.

Biography

John Morrell's father was William Wilberforce Morrell (1837–1904), a bank manager in York, and the author of 'The History of Selby' which was illustrated by his sister Jemima. His mother, born Lydia Hutchinson (1832–1939) married the non-conformist Morrell, who was a Wesleyan Methodist, whilst it appears she was a Quaker.[3] Their religiosity seems to have been behind John's activism in Liberal Politics from a young age.

In 1884 John attended Bootham School, a Quaker establishment. It was at this school where he was to meet his future colleagues at the Rowntree's family chocolate and confectionery company, Arnold Rowntree and Seebohm Rowntree.

Morrell joined Rowntree's Cocoa Works when he was 17, becoming Director at 24. He was Mayor of York in 1914 and again in 1950.

John Morrell married Bertha Spence Watson (1877–1954) in the Friends Meeting House at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1902. Her mother's Family Chronicles explained that in "1877 ... our Darling little Bertha was given to us on the 18th of May. I recovered nicely, & the new baby, like all of her sisters in turn before her, was much made of, & considered the greatest treasure ..."[4]

He bought many newspapers, including the Birmingham Gazette, Lincolnshire Chronicle, and Westminster Press.[5]

Historian of York

He wrote several books about York. He was made an Honorary Freeman of the City of York, given honorary degrees and declined a knighthood. He was a Life Vice-President of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society and co-founder and first chairman of the York Civic Trust.[6]

York Conservation Trust

The York Conservation Trust (YCT) was formed as Ings Property Company Limited in 1945 by JBM and his brother Cuthbert Morrell, who had both been buying medieval properties in York for many years, which they restored and rehabilitated, together with Dr Morrell’s son Mr William Bowes Morrell. In 1976 they bequeathed all the properties in the company to the current registered charity, York Conservation Trust Limited.[7]

Legacy

A plaque to Morrell is on the exterior of 111 Walmgate, also known as Bowes Morrell House.[8] The library, built on the campus of the University of York was named after Morrell in 1966.[9]

Select publications

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Webb. Katherine. Public servant. 29 November 2011. 3 February 2019.
  2. Webb. Katherine. City of our Dreams: JB Morrell and the shaping of modern York. Lecture at the Tempest Anderson Hall, the Yorkshire Museum. 29 November 2011. 1–25. 16 March 2014.
  3. Web site: John Bowes MORRELL. www.links.org.
  4. Web site: Elizabeth Spence Watson – Family Chronicles . 28 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101226025304/http://benbeck.co.uk/fh/esw.htm . 26 December 2010 . dead .
  5. Web site: Children of John Bowes and Bertha Morrell . 2022-08-12 . benbeck.co.uk.
  6. Officers for the Year 1961–1962 . 1962 . Annual Report of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society . 1.
  7. Web site: A Brief History and Vision for the Future. York Conservation Trust. 24 March 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090324093510/http://www.yorkconservationtrust.org/aims.html. 24 March 2009.
  8. Web site: John Bowes Morrell (1873–1963) . York Civic Trust . 23 June 2022.
  9. Web site: 50 years of Information: 1966 . University of York . 23 June 2022.