Bartholomew Bretherton

Bartholomew Bretherton (c.1775–1857) was a coach proprietor and landowner who lived in Rainhill, near Liverpool. He founded St Bartholomew's Church, Rainhill and owned Rainhill House, which became Loyola Hall.

He was born at Hurst Green, near Clitheroe, in North Lancashire, where his father is believed to have been a farmer near Stonyhurst College. Later he and his brothers moved to Liverpool. In 1799 Bartholomew married Jane Atkinson at the parochial chapel of St Nicholas, Liverpool. Although he was a Catholic, it was not legal to marry in a Catholic church at that time. On his marriage certificate, he gave his occupation as 'flour dealer'.

Bartholomew's brother, Peter (c.1770–1844) was originally a 'coachman' but in 1800 he purchased a coaching business, and soon after Bartholomew and his brothers Francis (c 1770–1833) and Joseph (c. 1781 – 1810) followed suit. Peter settled in Parr and his coaches ran from the Golden Lion in Dale St. Francis (c 1770 – 1833) lived at Maghull, where he owned stables and had a small coaching business. He had coaches (one called The Rocket) running from the Crown Inn, Redcross St and from the White Horse Inn, Dale St. Later Peter moved his business to the Birmingham area and settled in Yardley, Worcestershire. Joseph ( 1781–1810) lived at Sharples, near Bolton, Lancashire, where he had a small coaching business, but he was never part of the Liverpool traffic and died aged 29. Bartholomew operated from the Saracen's Head, Dale St and his coaches included Alexander, Bang Up. Lord Exmouth, North Britain, Defiance, Regulator, Royal Mail, Telegraph and Umpire. By 1822 he ran coaches to and from Manchester fourteen times a day and four left for London every day.

The first stage where horses were changed on journeys from Liverpool to Manchester or London was Rainhill and Bartholomew's first purchase of land there was in 1804. By 1807 he was living there and established stabling for 240 horses next to The Ship Inn. In 1824 he purchased a moiety (half) of Rainhill from James Gerard, a doctor. Soon after this he built himself a large house, Rainhill House (later it became Loyola Hall), and the beautiful St Bartholomew's Catholic Church in 1838–40. St Bartholomew's Church, Rainhill. Bretherton was an important and influential resident of Rainhill, and was very much involved in the Rainhill locomotive trials in 1829, the route of which ran across part of his land. The only entrant to complete this trial successfully was the Rocket entered by George Stephenson and his son Robert. He continued as a coach proprietor until 1843. According to Prince Blucher (who married Evelyn Stapleton-Bretherton, Bartholomew is said to have raced one of the first trains from Liverpool to Manchester, and beaten it by twenty minutes.

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