Robert Platt (1802-1882) ) was born in Stalybridge, the son of cotton manufacturer George Platt and his wife Sarah. He was a successful cotton manufacturer who took over the family business upon the death of his father in 1831. He then expanded the business, to operate three mills at Bridge Street (built 1815), Albion (built 1824), and Quarry Street (built 1834).
Robert Platt.
On the 11 Sep 1839 he married Margaret Higgins of Salford at Manchester Collegiate Church (Manchester Cathedral). For a while they were resident at ‘Woodlands’ on Mottram Rd, Stalybridge. The 1851 Census records that they were then resident at Dean Water, Woodford, Cheshire. They had several other residences before moving to Dunham Hall at Dunham Massey, Trafford.
Robert Platt and his wife are acclaimed philanthropists and benefactors of Stalybridge and their significant contributions included funding the building and endowment of Stalybridge Public Baths, which opened in May 1870. They also supported the Stalybridge Mechanics Institute, local churches, Owens College (now the University of Manchester), and Chester Cathedral. They were also patrons of the arts.
Stalybridge baths.
Viewed from Corporation St. The river Tame is off the picture to the left.
The baths are no longer extant but they were located off Corporation St between the river Tame and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
The couple are commemorated by marble busts, sculpted by John Warrington Wood, now in the Astley Cheetham Art Gallery, Stalybridge, a blue plaque at their former residence in Stalybridge, and a memorial plaque at Chester Cathedral. A lifeboat of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution was also named ‘Margaret Platt of Stalybridge’.