Chancellors of the University of Birmingham - Joseph Chamberlain, Peter Scott, Anthony Eden, Robert Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, Alex Jarratt (Paperback)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 30. Chapters: Joseph Chamberlain, Peter Scott, Anthony Eden, Robert Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, Alex Jarratt, Dominic Cadbury. Excerpt: Joseph Chamberlain (8 July 1836 - 2 July 1914) was an influential British businessman, politician, and statesman. During his early adulthood Chamberlain was a radically-minded Liberal Party member, a campaigner for educational reform, and President of the Board of Trade. He later became a Liberal Unionist in alliance with the Conservative Party and was appointed Secretary of State for the Colonies. Near the end of his career he directed the tariff reform campaign. Despite never becoming Prime Minister, he is regarded as one of the most important British politicians of the late 19th century and early 20th century, as well as an interesting character and renowned orator. Chamberlain was the father of Sir Austen Chamberlain and Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. Chamberlain was born in Camberwell in London to a successful shoemaker and manufacturer, also named Joseph (1796-1874), and his wife Caroline Harben, daughter of Henry Harben. He was educated at University College School (then still in Euston) between 1850 and 1852, excelling academically and gaining prizes in French and mathematics. The elder Chamberlain was not able to provide advanced education for all his children, and at the age of 16 years Joseph was apprenticed to the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers and worked for the family business making quality leather shoes. At 18, he was sent to Birmingham to join his uncle's screwmaking business, Nettlefolds (later part of Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds), in which his father had invested. In partnership with Joseph Nettlefold, Chamberlain was to help the screwmaking firm, soon known as Nettlefold and Chamberlain, become a commercial success, and by the time of his retirement from...