John Leigh Philips
| John Leigh Philips | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1761 |
| Died | 1814 |
| Residence | Manchester, England |
| Occupation | Manufacturer |
| Known for | Library and art collection |
John Leigh Philips (1761–1814), was a manufacturer in Manchester, England.
He was the son of John Philips (1734–1824), who founded the cotton spinning firm Philips & Lee. The family had significant community and legal connections; in addition to his cotton business John Philips held public office as Deputy Lieutenant for Cheshire, Justice of the Peace for Lancashire and Cheshire, and Chairman of Magistrates at Stockport. They were also related to the founders of textile manufacturers J. & N. Philips, who operated businesses in the Manchester area—John Philips (1724–1803), Nathaniel Philips (1726–1808) and Thomas Philips (1728–1811).
John Leigh Philips himself became involved in the textile industry. For a time he was in business with his brother Francis, who outlived him, dying in 1850.
As a young man Philips frequented the "Roscoe Circle" in Liverpool—the intellectual group around William Roscoe—meeting there William Paulet Carey, James Currie and Daniel Daulby.
In late 1803 Philips was granted command of the First Regiment of the Manchester and Salford Corps, a volunteer militia which served as part of Britain's Home Guard during the French Revolutionary Wars. His brother Francis was appointed to a subordinate role in the same Corps alongside three of his cousins.
The Philips' family's elevated social status encouraged John Leigh Philips to consider himself the natural leader of Manchester's military establishment. He was therefore offended when another militia commander, Joseph Hanson of the Salford and Stockport Independent Rifles, declared himself "Lieutenant Colonel Commandant" with authority over all local volunteer corps. Hanson's claim rested on his corps being older and larger than others in the district, and formed after letters of encouragement from the Earl of Derby acting as Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, and from Britain's Secretary of State Lord Hawkesbury. Philips rejected these arguments and publicly questioned Hanson's loyalty to the Crown.
When Hanson refused to concede, a furious Philips challenged him to a duel and the two men met on Kersal Moor on 28 July 1804. At the moment they were about to shoot the duel as broken up by constables from Manchester. Philips and Hanson were arrested, but released after a caution to keep the peace.
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