Samuel Staniforth (26 February 1769 – 5 April 1851) was an English slave-trader, merchant and politician originally from

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

. Staniforth was the son of

Thomas Staniforth Thomas Staniforth (1735–1803) was an English slave-trader, merchant and politician. He was originally from Sheffield, but spent most of his life in Liverpool. Staniforth was the son of Samuel Staniforth Esq. and Alethea Macro of Darnall Hall ...

and Elizabeth Goore. The family was a prominent family from Darnall,

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

but Samuel lived for most of his life in Liverpool, where he took part in the slave trade along with his father Thomas. He was born on Union Street, Liverpool on 26 February 1769 and was educated at Clitheroe School under Thomas Wilson. On 28 April 1800 he married Mary Littledale at St. Thomas' Church, Liverpool. He was

Mayor of Liverpool The mayor of Liverpool is the executive mayor of the city of Liverpool in England. The incumbent mayor is Joanne Anderson, who was elected in May 2021. The mayor of Liverpool was previously branded 'the most powerful politician in England outs ...

from 1812 to 1813. Records show that both Staniforth and his father Thomas, took part in the trading of many African slaves between Europe and the United States. Samuel had two children, Reverend Thomas Staniforth (1807–1887), who retired to

Storrs Hall Storrs Hall is a hotel on the banks of Windermere in Storrs in the Lake District, Cumbria, England. The hotel, a Grade II* listed Georgian mansion, is also home to the National Trust-owned folly the "Temple" on the end of a stone jetty on Win ...

and died without having children, and Sarah Staniforth, who married magistrate Frederick Greenwood. Sarah and Frederick had a number of children including politician

John Greenwood John Greenwood may refer to: Sportspeople * John Greenwood (cricketer, born 1851) (1851–1935), English cricketer * John Eric Greenwood (1891–1975), rugby union international who represented England * John Greenwood (footballer) (1921–1994) ...

and Sarah Hannah Greenwood who married John Benson Sidgwick and are notable for employing Charlotte Brontë at

Swarcliffe Hall Swarcliffe Hall is a large hall that was constructed in 1800 in Birstwith, near Harrogate, England. The current house was built by John Greenwood in 1850, who engaged Major Rohde Hawkins as his architect, and is a Grade II listed building. Histo ...

References

1760s births Businesspeople from Liverpool Mayors of Liverpool 1851 deaths English slave traders {{England-mayor-stub