Frederick Percy Rawson. Source: Picture Sheffield.
Percy Rawson, born in 1843, was an enterprising cutlery manufacturer and merchant, a member of the well-known firm Rawson Brothers. First to open a direct trade route between Sheffield and the East he later traded with America and Australia. On returning from a business trip to India Rawson told of how nothing filled him with so much indignation as the ‘overbearing, tyrannical conduct of the civil and military classes’ which caused irritation and annoyance against British authority.
Rawson first came to prominence because of his views on education, and he was particularly incensed by the voluntary school system. In 1873 he was summoned for refusing to pay his poor rates as part of the money raised was used in maintaining denominational education. Taken to court he again refused to pay, resulting in some of his possessions being seized and sold at auction.
Rawson attended Glossop Road Baptist Church and throughout his public life was a ferociously uncompromising Radical who never did anything half-heartedly.In 1878, after two failed attempts, he was elected to the Town Council, holding office until 1890. During this time, he claimed to have attended over 2000 meetings and supported every measure that had been brought forward which he thought was for the good of the ratepayers – irrespective of the Party from which it had come.
In the General Election of 1906 he stood as the Liberal candidate for the Stamford Division of Lincolnshire despite it being a Conservative stronghold. Rawson was not in the best of health and touring round a large constituency took its toll. Though he did not win the seat he put up an exceptionally good fight and was rewarded for his efforts by other Sheffield Liberals who presented him with 200 guineas and a generously worded illuminated address.
He was buried in grave AA 185 in the Nonconformist area of the Cemetery.