John Passmore Edwards (1823 – 1911) was born on this day in Blackwater to a father who was a carpenter. His mother’s maiden name was Passmore whence it became his middle name.

In 1844, Passmore Edwards became the Manchester correspondent of the ‘London Sentinel’ and then became a freelance writer, publisher and an activist for social reform.

His initial publishing ventures led to his bankruptcy in 1853 but his finances had recovered sufficiently by 1862 that he was able to purchase ‘The Building News and Engineering Journal’.

He became a major shareholder in ‘The Echo’, the leading London newspaper of the day and his fortunes grew enormously.  Liberal Member of Parliament for Salisbury (1880 – 1885), having previously lost in Truro, he became the greatest philanthropist that Cornwall has ever known founding numerous libraries as well as funding the construction of the buildings of the  ‘Whitechapel Art Gallery’ and the ‘London School of Economics’.

In total, he was responsible for the construction of 24 libraries as well as hospitals, schools, convalescent homes and other art galleries many of which still operate today.  True to his roots and chartist beliefs, Passmore Edwards twice refused a knighthood.