Christopher Rawdon: the lost philanthropist

Christopher Rawdon, unlike many of his contempories has been somewhat neglected by historians. Christopher, who came from an established Yorkshire industrial family, was an early nineteenth century Liverpool based merchant and banker who aided local education, supported the Anti-Corn Law League, and left a trust which enabled the building of a library, recreational area and a fund for his fellow Unitarians. His career, both in business and as a philanthropist, adds to the picture of the social development of Liverpool during a period of rapid industrial growth, and this new book by historian Dr David Harrison provides an insight into one of the lost names of nineteenth century philanthropy.