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John Bickerstaffe

1848 – 1930

British mayor

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About John Bickerstaffe

Lived 1848 – 1930 (aged 82).

Sir John Bickerstaffe (20 January 1848 – 5 August 1930) was a philanthropist and a pivotal figure in the growth of Blackpool, a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. He also served as the town's mayor and was a justice of the peace.

Early life Bickerstaffe was born in 1848 in a cottage in Caunce Square, Blackpool, to Robert Bickerstaffe and Elizabeth Platt. His brother, Tom, 12 years his senior,

Bickerstaffe was educated in the Blackpool National Schools and then at a private school in the town.

In 1887, he became a founder and president of Blackpool F.C. having been inspired to built the latter after visiting the Eiffel Tower in 1889. Blackpool Tower was completed five years later. It was for these that he was known as "Mr Blackpool". They had one son―Robert Gerrard Bickerstaffe―in 1876, as well as seven daughters:

A portrait of Bickerstaffe, by Charles Auty, hangs in Blackpool Town Hall.

Legacy The square in Blackpool's Talbot Gateway was named Bickerstaffe Square in his honour.

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Important facts

Birth century

People in John Bickerstaffe's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Bickerstaffe's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Bickerstaffe?

British mayor

When was John Bickerstaffe born?

John Bickerstaffe was born on 20 January 1848.

When did John Bickerstaffe die?

John Bickerstaffe died on 5 August 1930.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Bickerstaffe

· Wikidata: Q139901393

· DBpedia: John Bickerstaffe

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Bickerstaffe. https://biography.guide/john-bickerstaffe/

MLA: "John Bickerstaffe." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-bickerstaffe/.

Chicago: "John Bickerstaffe." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-bickerstaffe/.

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