Following years of hardship for his home city, in 1830 he founded the Birmingham Political Union, a politicial organization that was foremost among groups lobbying the government for the passage of the Reform Bill. After its success he became MP for Birmingham, a position he held until 1839.
His statue stands (or, more correctly, reclines) on the steps of Chamberlain Square in Birmingham.
ThomasAttwood, the son of Matthias and Ann Attwood, was born at Hawne House, Halesowen on 6th October, 1783.
Attwood was a very impressive witness and his evidence was partly responsible for convincing the House of Commons to restrict the company's monopoly of foreign trade.
When the Reform Act was eventually passed in 1832, Attwood was installed as a freeman of the City of London in recognition of the important role he had played in the fight for the vote.
ThomasAttwood was a remarkably gifted and intelligent man, who deserves greater recognition than he has been given.
Attwood's argument was that the supply of money should be based, not on the quantity of gold held at the Bank of England, but on the productive capacity of the economy.
Reverses like this persuaded Attwood that it was important that the basis of the House of Commons, which then represented only the landed interest, the church, law and finance, should be broadened to include representatives from the manufacturing towns, who knew something about business.
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