Albert Baldwin Bantock

Alderman Albert Baldwin Bantock
Born
Albert Baldwin Bantock

1862
Died8 February 1938 (aged 75)
Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Coal and iron agent
Known forMayor of Wolverhampton

Albert Baldwin Bantock (1862–8 February 1938), served as Mayor of Wolverhampton for three terms.

Early life

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Born in Wolverhampton in 1862, his father was Thomas Bantock, also a mayor of Wolverhampton, and he was educated at Tettenhall College before joining the family firm of Thomas Bantock & Co., coal and iron agents. Bantock was brought up in the family home, Merridale House, now Bantock House, and lived there for the rest of his life, spending time and money improving it.

Politics

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External image
image icon Albert Baldwin Bantock, Wolverhampton City Council 2005

Bantock was a Liberal supporter and was elected to the town council in 1900. He was chairman of the finance committee and served as Mayor of Wolverhampton in 1905/06, 1906/07 and again in 1914/15. Bantock is credited with bringing several improvements to the town including the West Front gardens at St Peter's and changes to Queen Square.

Bantock was both a borough and a county magistrate, and in 1920 he was appointed High Sheriff of Staffordshire.

Personal life

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He was a member of the Congregational Church becoming Senior Deacon; served as a board member at several hospitals and was a generous benefactor. In 1926 he received the Freedom of the Borough.

He died in 1938. In his will he left the house and land to his wife on the understanding that on her death it would pass to the people of the town. The Corporation now run it as Bantock House Museum and Park.[1][2]

References

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  1. ^ "Albert Baldwin Bantock". wolverhamptonhistory.org.uk. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  2. ^ Peter Hickman with Marion Dance and Gillian Webb. "Albert Baldwin Bantock". localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 31 October 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
Political offices
Preceded by
Richard Evans Willoughby Berrington
Mayor of Wolverhampton
1905–1907
Succeeded by
Fred Evans
Preceded by
Frederick Howard Skidmore
Mayor of Wolverhampton
1914–1915
Succeeded by
Arthur Charles Skidmore