Joseph Baxendale

Joseph Baxendale (1785–1872) was an English entrepreneur, known for rebuilding and expanding the Pickfords carrier company in the middle of the 19th century.

Early life and background He was born in Lancaster, the elder son of Josiah Baxendale, a surgeon there, and his wife Mabella Salisbury, daughter of Thomas Salisbury of Settle, North Yorkshire. Having worked in Preston, Lancashire and for a linen draper in London, in 1809 he went into business with Charles Swainson of Preston, a textile magnate. Baxendale married into the Birleys. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography points out that Baxendale was also directly related to Swainson, through the Salisbury family.

Baxendale's London placement in 1806 was with the wholesaler Samuel Croughton, of St Paul's Churchyard, a distributor for Bannister Hall calico; He borrowed money to go in with Charles Swainson at Bannister Hall, taking a 20% stake. Half the capital was from his father, who charged him interest. He also borrowed from an uncle. The other incoming partners, Inman and Langton, took matching shares, so 50% remained with the Pickford family owners.

Pickfords at this time was based in Manchester, and from 1814 began to use "sprung and guarded" caravans (fly-vans) for road transport, modelled on the stagecoach. Matthew Pickford I (1741–1799) had made canal transport the major component of the Pickfords carrying trade. In Manchester, the canal terminus was Castle Quay.

After management of Pickfords moved from Manchester to London in 1823, Baxendale settled at Woodside, Whetstone. By 1829 he was putting the company in position to adopt rail transport. Baxendale standardised paperwork and simplified administration.

Railway director In 1837 Baxendale became a director of the South Eastern Railway, and he was its chairman from 1841 to 1845.

By act of parliament, from 1836/7 the South Eastern Railway was active in building a rail link to Dover, to join the existing London and Croydon Railway at Reigate and form a London–Dover line. The strategic aim was to connect to Paris, via Folkestone and Boulogne. The harbour was then developed by Baxendale and William Cubitt.

Later life After illness in the mid-1840s and convalescence abroad, Baxendale withdrew from his business affairs, despite concerns about his sons' commitment at Pickfords. He died at Woodside, Whetstone on 24 March 1872. He had built St John's Church, Whetstone on his property there, and was interred in its vault.

Family Baxendale married in 1816 Mary Birley, daughter of the mill owner Richard Birley (1743–1812) of Blackburn. They had four sons and three daughters. Of their children: Lloyd Baxendale married Ellen Turner, and was father of Lloyd Henry Baxendale (Harry) who went into Pickfords. Richard Birley Baxendale married Caroline Anne Darroch, daughter of Duncan Darroch. Salisbury Baxendale, fourth son, married 1856 Edith Marian Jones, daughter of Harry David Jones RE. Alice, eldest daughter (died 1851), married in 1849 Charles Holland MD, FRS, as his second wife. Mabella, married Hugh Birley, Member of Parliament for Manchester, in 1842. Their remaining daughter Jane Birley Baxendale married Robert Jackson Butler, M.A. (Oxon), the son of the late William Henry Butler, wine merchant of Oxford who had served as Mayor, in Whetstone on 18 October 1870.