John Snowdon Henry

John Snowdon Henry (30 September 1824 – 30 October 1896) was a British businessman and Conservative Party politician.

Family life He was the eldest son of Alexander Henry, founder of A & S Henry & Co, a Manchester-based firm of cotton merchants, who was a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for South Lancashire from 1847 to 1852. His younger brother was Mitchell Henry who later became a Liberal Party parliamentarian. He married Annie Wood of County Durham, and they had two daughters.

Volunteering During the invasion scare of 1859, he recruited a company of Rifle Volunteers from employees of the family firm, which was soon joined by other companies to form the 3rd Manchester Rifles. Henry served as Major and first commanding officer of the unit before handing over to the Hon Algernon Egerton, MP for South Lancashire and younger son of the Earl of Ellesmere.

Political career At the 1868 general election, Henry was selected by the Conservatives to contest the newly created South-Eastern Division of Lancashire, He held the seat until the 1874 general election, when he did not seek re-election. aged 72.