Samuel Morley
(1809-1886), Businessman, politician and philanthropistEarly Victorian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 15 portraits
Samuel Morley was the youngest son of a hosiery manufacturer. He joined the family firm at the age of sixteen and by 1860 his father and brother had retired, leaving him in sole charge of the business. The firm had initially employed knitters in their homes in Nottingham, but under Morley the business grew rapidly, with huge mills in several cities employing thousands of staff. In 1865 was elected to Parliament as an MP. He was a strong Liberal and a whole-hearted supporter of Gladstone. Morley was also a deeply religious man. He had links with non-conformist churches and was keenly interested in the temperance movement. He was an active philanthropist, and his charitable activities were widespread.
by Adriano Cecioni
watercolour, published in Vanity Fair 15 June 1872
NPG 5786
by James Havard Thomas
plaster cast of statuette, circa 1885
NPG 1303
by Elliott & Fry
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax18386
by Elliott & Fry
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG x21411
by Elliott & Fry
albumen carte-de-visite, 1860s
NPG Ax8569
by Elliott & Fry
albumen cabinet card, 1870s-mid 1880s
NPG x4969
by Elliott & Fry
albumen cabinet card, 1870s-mid 1880s
NPG x4970
by Elliott & Fry
albumen cabinet card, 1870s-mid 1880s
NPG x76207
by London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company
albumen carte-de-visite, circa 1873
NPG Ax18385
by London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company
albumen carte-de-visite, 1873 or before
NPG Ax28466
by Lock & Whitfield, published by Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington
woodburytype, published 1882
NPG Ax17674
by Frederick Gutekunst
albumen cabinet card, mid 1880s
NPG x4971
Various actresses, politicians, philanthropists and others
by and after Elliott & Fry
bromide print, 1890s
NPG Ax139922
Samuel Morley ('Statesmen, No. 115.')
by Adriano Cecioni
chromolithograph, published in Vanity Fair 15 June 1872
NPG D43540
Samuel Morley ('Bristol. Radical Philanthropy')
published by Frederick Arnold, after Unknown artist
lithograph, published in the Hornet 10 April 1872
NPG D48283
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