Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1900 & 09

Jesse Bryant JP (1829 - 1906)


Jesse Bryant was a Justice of the Peace, an active member of the Liberal Party and a member of the Salford School Board.

 

He was born in London on Christmas Day 1829. He married Elizabeth Stimson on 10th April 1849, at St. Martin in the Fields, Westminster. His first employment was found in a large concern engaged in the leather trade and so rapidly did he advance that he was sent to Liverpool to take a responsible post in a branch of their business. Subsequently, moving to Manchester, he became a partner in the firm of William Nelson and Company, Red Bank, Manchester, well known as one of the most important leather merchants in the country. He was with this company until his death in 1906.

 

During his long connection with the Borough of Salford, Jesse devoted a vast amount of time to political, social and public work. He took a deep and constant interest in Liberal politics and he was a strenuous worker for this political cause. He played a leading role in supporting Mr Benjamin Armitage and Sir Arthur Arnold during their election campaigns and was President of the Salford Liberal Association. After the formation of three constituencies, Jesse allied himself with Salford North. He was an orator of no mean ability and was always scrupulously fair to opponents.

 

Jesse Bryant belonged to the Richmond Congregationalist Church and Sunday School. As a non-conformist he actively supported the Society for the Liberation of Religion from State Control. He took a keen interest in education and assisted with night classes in reading, writing and arithmetic. He was the prime mover in developing a day school for children and acted as its Secretary and Treasurer until it was transferred to the Salford School Board in 1880. He was a member of the Board from November 1873 until 1879. He was also appointed a Justice of the Peace for Salford.

 

It was late in 1905 that Jesse Bryant became unwell and in early March 1906 he was confined to bed. He died on Monday 13th March at his residence, Sunnyside, Higher Broughton at the age of 76. He left a widow, three sons and four daughters. The interment took place at Weaste Cemetery on Friday 17th March amid "every mark of respect and esteem". The cortege left the deceased's residence at 10.45 am and proceeded via Northumberland Street and Cromwell Road, through Pendleton. The body was enclosed in a massive oak coffin with brass mounts and it bore the simple inscription "Jesse Bryant, born December 25, 1829, died March 13, 1906". The coffin was conveyed in a glass car drawn by four horses. As well as his three sons and other family and friends, there were representatives from the Justices, Liberal Party, Richmond Church, Liverpool and Manchester Tanners Federation, Manchester & Salford Liberation Society and various leather companies.