SOME OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE SOCIETY. 
61 
near Normaiiton, now among the largest in Yorkshire. His partners 
were his elder brother, Mr. "VYilliam Briggs, banker, of Halifax, and 
Mr. Samuel Fletcher Tonge, also of Halifax, and later, my father, 
the late Mr. Henry Currer Briggs. In 1865, a scheme proposed by 
my father was carried out, and this business was transferred to a 
limited company, (in which however the old partners reserved the 
greater portion of the shares), the peculiar feature of which was 
that the workpeople were given an interest in the profits, if any, 
beyond 10 per cent, per annum, which was first payable on the 
shares. This co-operative system was warmly approved by my 
grandfather, and it was worked successfully till 1874, that is long 
after his death. He took a warm interest in the welfare of his 
workpeople, and was very generous and kind to the poor, but as he 
never took part in public life, and was a modest man, his name was 
never brought before the public. He took a great interest in 
scientific matters and in agriculture, and always farmed a great deal 
of land, in conjunction with his collieries. He was a unitarian all 
his life. 
I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully, 
A. C. Briggs. 
Charles Morton. 
2, Westbourne Villas, Scarborough, 
May 30th, 1888. 
My Dear Sir, 
I must apologise for my long neglect of my promise to send you 
such particulars of my late brother Charles' life as I am able to give. 
My sister-in-law and nephew have both been away in the south of 
France, and I hoped they might be able to help me, but they cannot 
add much to my little store of knowledge. 
My brother, Charles Morton, was born October 1st, 1811, in 
Sheffield. He was a pupil of the Rev. Peter Wright, of Sheffield, 
who educated nearly all the men of note in that town. At the age 
of thirteen he was apprenticed to Mr. Leather, engineer and surveyor, 
of Sheffield (brother, I believe, of George Leather, C.E., of the Aire 
and Calder Co., Leeds), but was afterwards ' turned over ' to Mr. 
Stobart, of Bunker's Hill, Chester-le-Street, Durham (the colliery 
