John Potter

Sir John Potter (10 April 1815 – 25 October 1858) was a Liberal Party politician in the United Kingdom. Early life John was born in April 1815 at Polefield near Prestwich, Lancashire. He was the elder son of Sir Thomas Potter and his second wife, Esther née Bayley. His father was involved in business and politics in the rapidly developing town of Manchester, and was named as the borough's first mayor when it was granted a charter of incorporation. John grew up on the family estate at Buile Hill, Pendleton after its completion in 1827. He was educated at the University of Edinburgh. Political career Potter took no part in public life until the death of his father in March 1845. He was given his father's aldermanic seat on Manchester Town Council and made a justice of the peace for the borough. He elected to serve as Mayor of Manchester in 1848, serving three terms until 1851. During the visit of Queen Victoria to Manchester he was invested as a knight bachelor on 10 October 1851. In the same year he was made deputy lieutenant of the County Palatine of Lancaster. During his term of office, the Free Library was founded—an institution to which he made several donations. In politics he was stated to be an "Advanced Liberal" in favour of the widening of the electoral franchise. He was a member of the Portico Library and continued to be a member of Manchester Town Council until his death. He was the head of Potter, Morris & Company, a large firm of Manchester merchants.