Bass,

Bass, MICHAEL THOMAS (1799-1884), of the famous Burton brewing firm of Bass & Co., founded by William Bass in 1777, was the son of M. T. Bass; he joined the business on leaving school, and afterwards acted as traveller. The Exhibition year of 1851 gave a great stimulus to the business of Bass & Co.; and now about 3000 persons are employed in the breweries. The average annual amount of business assessed in 1882 was at the rate of £2,400,000, and the yearly issue of labels is over 100,000,000. From 1848 till 1883 Bass represented Derby in the Liberal interest. His benefactions were very numerous, and included the building and endowing of St Paul's, Burton, the total expenditure on the parish being about £100,000; and recreation grounds, a free library, and swimming baths for Derby, at a cost of £37,000. Of simple tastes, he declined more than once a baronetcy and a peerage. Both honours were conferred on his son, M. A. Bass—the former in 1882, and the latter in 1886, when he took the title of Baron Burton.