60 
SOME OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE SOCIETY. 
passion for honour or popularity, yet earned a gratifying measure of 
both by virtue of the inflexible honesty of his character, his judicious 
generosity of disposition, and sterling abilities. He died October 
22nd, 1873, at Monk Coniston, Ambleside, after a short illness. 
Henry Briggs. 
It is a pleasure to express indebtedness to Mr. A. C. Briggs, for 
the following brief memoir of his grandfather's life. ^Ir. Henry 
Briggs was one of the originators of the society, and took part along 
with Mr. Thomas Wilson, Mr. T. W. Embleton, and otliers, in calling 
the first meeting to consider the desirability of such a society. 
From that time to that of his death he always took a lively interest 
in the proceedings of the societ}^ He was a member of its council 
and the local secretary for Wakefield and district. The proceedings 
of the society received several contributions from his pen, and on 
more than one occasion he presided over its meetings. 
Redbank, Newton Park, Leeds, 
2m January, 1888. 
Dear Sir, 
I duly received j^our letter of the 21st, but have not until 
to-day been able to answer it at all fully. 
My grandfather's life appears to have been a very uneventful 
one, and I can hardly think that a mere statement of dates of birth, 
marriage, and death, &c., can be of much interest to the public. 
However, what information I can get, I gladly place at your disposal. 
My grandfather, Henry Briggs, was third son of Rawdon Briggs, 
Esq., Deputy Lieutenant for the West Riding of York, and was born 
at Ward's End, Halifax, August 10th, 1797, married on June 3rd, 
1824, at Thornhill, Marianne, daughter of James Milnes, Esq., of 
Flockton Manor. He died 4th October, 1868, whilst on a visit to 
my father's house at Dundee. Shortly after his marriage he went to 
live at Overton House, near Flockton, and became interested in the 
Flockton ColHeries, the firm being then Briggs & Stansfeld, in 1844 
or 1845 he withdrew from that business, which was after that time 
carried on by the firm of Milnes Stansfeld & Co., and he commenced 
under the style of Henry Briggs, Son, & Co., the Whitwood Collieries, 
