Thomas Ashton, 1st Baron Ashton of Hyde

Thomas Gair Ashton, 1st Baron Ashton of Hyde (5 February 1855 – 1 May 1933), also known as Lord Ashton, was a British industrialist, philanthropist, Liberal politician and peer.

Early life and career Ashton was born at Fallowfield, Manchester, Lancashire, the son of Thomas Ashton (died 1898) and Elizabeth Gair, daughter of Samuel Stillman Gair (1789–1847) of Rhode Island. Ashton was baptised on 5 February 1855. The Ashton family had been prominent in the cotton and cloth manufacturing industry for many years. He was educated at Rugby School and University College, Oxford, and later managed the family business. and was invested as an Honorary Fellow of Oxford University in 1923. Two of Ashton's sisters married the Lupton brothers: Sir Charles Lupton to Katharine and Arthur Lupton to Harriet. Lord Ashton's first cousin, Helen Potter (née Leech 1839–1932), was the mother of Beatrix Potter.