Frank Hardcastle

Who was Frank Hardcastle?

Frank Hardcastle was a British bleacher and businessman and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1892.

Hardcastle was born at Firwood Hall, Tonge, near Bolton, Lancashire, and was the fourth son of James Hardcastle of Firwood and Pen-y-lan, Ruabon, Denbighshire and Hannah Compton Jackson. Following education at Preston Grammar School and Repton School where he excelled at cricket, Hardcastle joined the family business of T Hardcastle and Sons, bleachers and dyers, of Firwood Works. The company had been formed by his grandfather Thomas Hardcastle in 1803. Hardcastle played cricket regularly from 1864 representing Manchester, Bolton and the Gentlemen of Lancashire. In 1869 he played two first-class matches for Lancashire.

Hardcastle rose to be head of the family bleaching firm and also became president of the United Bleachers Association of Lancashire and Cheshire. His cousin Thomas Hardcastle Sykes was head of one of the other major bleachers. Hardcastle was also the proprietor of Breightmet Colliery near Bolton.

Hardcastle was the first member of parliament for Westhoughton, a constituency created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.