Samuel Fox (1781-1868)
| Samuel Fox | |
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sketch of Fox by his housekeeper (Louisa Maria Woods)
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| Born | 24 November 1781 |
| Died | 6 August 1868 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | the first Adult School and founding the Nottingham Building Society |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah (2) |
| Children | no |
Samuel Fox (1781–1868) was a philanthropist and abolitionist Quaker from Nottingham. Fox was known for his good works in Nottingham. Fox supplied burials for cholera victims, food for the starving and helped start the first free school in Britain for poor adults. He founded and served as the first chairman of the Nottingham Building Society.
Samuel Fox was born on 24 November 1781, the son of William Fox and Mary, his wife (born Procter).
In 1810, he and Sarah Jowitt (1787–1827), the younger daughter of Thomas Jowitt (1760–1789) were married. After her death, he was married to another Sarah Jowitt (born Storer, 1762–1799). There were no children from either marriage.
His father had been a grocer and Samuel continued this business. Fox was renowned for serving all in strict order and tales are told of him turning back those who thought themselves too important to queue. Fox's premises were run on strict principles even having separate men's and ladies counters, with staff of the appropriate gender. Female staff wore uniforms including lavender gowns and bonnets
The Nottingham Building Society was formed in 1846 and after a stay at George Street in Nottingham the new society moved to Samuel Fox's grocery premises in the Market Square in Nottingham.
In 1861, Fox who then was 80, retired from his position as chairman of the Nottingham Building Society. By this time the society was opening daily and its main offices were at 16 Fletcher Gate in Nottingham. Fox died seven years later on 6 August 1868.
Samuel Fox is credited with helping to start the first 'adult school' in 1798 in partnership with a Methodist named William Singleton. Initially the classes were for young women from local lace and hosiery factories. William Singleton, a Methodist, originally started the school, but it was Fox and the staff from his grocer's shop that maintained it. Fox's staff were expected to teach at this school and Fox provided breakfast at 9 a.m. on a Sunday after they had completed two hours of teaching. The school grew to include men, but it was said that Fox was specifically interested in improving adult education. Lessons are believed to have started with a Bible reading, but the book was then used as a textbook to enable scholars to practise reading and writing. In 1830, Louisa M Woods, started a savings scheme for pupils. Fox conducted lessons for three mornings a week for students of more advanced arithmetic and he would fund some to go to become teachers themselves.
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