Joseph Dodge Weston

Who was Joseph Dodge Weston?

Sir Joseph Dodge Weston was an English merchant and shipping magnate and Liberal politician who was active in local government and sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1885 and 1895.

Weston was born in Kingsdown, Bristol, the son of Thomas Weston and his wife Mary Tuck. His father was a wealthy iron merchant at Redcliffe. He joined the family firm and developed the business to take in iron foundries, cotton manufacture and railway wagon and carriage building. He was one of the original promoters and founders of the Bristol Waggon Works and was chairman of the Patent Nut and Bolt Co. His shipping interests thrived in the time of emigration to Australia.

Weston took an interest in politics and became a city councillor for Bristol in 1868, serving on the council until 1892. He was interested in public libraries, and after Bristol adopted the Public Libraries Act in 1874 he was behind the building of its first branch library at St Philips in 1876 and put some of his own money into it. He presided over Bristol's purchase and development of the Portishead and Avonmouth docks. He was mayor of Bristol for four years from 1880 to 1884. He was a J.P. for Bristol and received a knighthood.