Richard Pilkington

Richard Pilkington (17 January 1841 – 12 March 1908) was a British Conservative politician and member of the Pilkington glass-manufacturing family.

He was the second son of Richard Pilkington of Windle Hall near St Helens, Lancashire. In 1858/59 he became a partner in the family glassworks.

In 1863 he married Louisa Sinclair and in 1885 he bought the Rainford Hall estate, commissioning James Medland Taylor to build a new house. The building is in the Jacobethan style, of red brick with sandstone dressings.

He became a member of St Helens Borough Council, holding the office of mayor in 1881, 1896, 1897 and 1898. By this time he held the rank of lieutenant-colonel, in the Volunteer Force and commanded a battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment. Richard Pilkington commissioned James Medland Taylor to build a new house on his Rainford Hall estate. In December 1898 he was selected as the Conservative candidate for a by-election in the Newton constituency. He had previously been considered a Liberal Unionist.

Pilkington held his seat at the subsequent general election in 1900, but was defeated in 1906 by a Labour candidate.

Richard Pilkington died on 12 March 1908, aged 67. A condition in his will forbade the inheritors of his estate from permitting the construction or use of any building for the sale of intoxicating liquor.