Caleb Wright

Who was Caleb Wright?

Caleb Wright was a mill owner and Liberal politician in Lancashire, north-west England.

He was one of thirteen children of William Wright, bookmaker of Tyldesley, near Manchester. At the age of nine he began work as a "piecer" in a local cotton mill. The only education he received was by attending night schools. At the age of fifteen he became a spinner, and rose to become manager of the mill in 1830. In 1841 he became manager of Ormerod and Hardcastles Mill, Bolton. In 1845 he established his own cotton-spinning business in partnership with Henry Barton. In 1855 the partnership was dissolved, and Caleb Wright and Company, Barnfield Mills, Tyldesley, established.

Wright was a Unitarian, a member of the congregation at Chowbent Chapel where he succeeded his father as organist.

Wright became involved in Liberal politics, and was chairman of Tyldesley Local Board and president of the local Mechanics' Institute. In the 1885 general election Caleb Wright was invited to stand as the candidate for the newly created Leigh division by the Liberal party. His Tory opponent was Lees Knowles who polled 3,725 votes as against 4,261 for Wright. He was elected as the first member of parliament for the new constituency of Leigh. He was re-elected at the next two general elections, before retiring from parliament in 1895. Politically Wright was an advanced radical, and supported both Home Rule for Ireland and women's suffrage. He was also a member of the Liberation Society which sought the disestablishment of the Church of England.