John Orrell Lever

Who was John Orrell Lever?

John Orrell Lever was an English shipping owner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1859 and 1885.

Lever was the son of James Lever of Manchester. He was interested in railways and shipping, being a director of the South Wales Railway and the Atlantic Royal Mail Steam Navigation Co. He was responsible for establishing Galway as a packet-station. He was the sole lessee of the Thames and Channel Passenger Service and wrote several works.

In February 1859 Lever was elected at a by-election as a Member of Parliament for Galway Borough. He was re-elected at the general election in May 1859, but was defeated at the 1865 general election.

At the 1880 general election he was re-elected for Galway, and held the seat until 1885 general election.

He was elected as a Conservative in 1859, and stood as Conservative in 1865. At the 1880 election, Walker records him as a Home Rule League candidate, but Debrett's in 1881 describes as a Liberal-Conservative.

Lever died at the age of 73.

Lever married Elizabeth Dorning, daughter of Jonathan Dorning of Swinton Lancashire in 1847. She died in 1877.