▁work . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁English ▁Liberal ▁politician ▁who ▁sat ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁various ly ▁between ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁and ▁ 1 8 9 5 . ▁ ▁Background ▁and ▁early ▁life ▁R ath bone ▁was ▁the ▁el dest ▁son ▁of ▁William ▁R ath bone ▁of ▁Green bank , ▁Liverpool ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Elizabeth ▁Greg , ▁daughter ▁of ▁Samuel ▁Greg ▁of ▁Qu ar ry ▁Bank , ▁Ch esh ire . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁noted ▁R ath bone ▁family ▁and ▁spent ▁some ▁time ▁with ▁various ▁companies ▁in ▁Liverpool ▁and ▁London ▁before ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 2 , ▁becoming ▁a ▁partner ▁in ▁the ▁family ▁company ▁R ath bone ▁Brothers ▁and ▁Co ., ▁general ▁mer ch ants ▁of ▁Liverpool . ▁He ▁remained ▁a ▁partner ▁until ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁and ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁regarded ▁wealth ▁and ▁business ▁success ▁chief ly ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁to ▁the ▁achiev ement ▁of ▁public ▁and ▁phil anth rop ic ▁work . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁Deput y ▁Lieutenant ▁and ▁J P ▁for ▁Lanc ash ire . ▁ ▁Political ▁and ▁phil anth rop ic ▁work ▁When ▁R ath bone ' s ▁first ▁wife ▁Lu cret ia ▁was ▁dying ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁the ▁care ▁given ▁by ▁a ▁nur se , ▁prompt ed ▁him ▁to ▁campaign ▁for ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁district ▁n urs ing ▁to ▁enable ▁the ▁poor ▁to ▁benefit ▁from ▁similar ▁care . ▁The ▁invol vement ▁of ▁Florence ▁Night ing ale ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁close ▁friendship . ▁In ▁ 1 8