John Pender

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Sir John Pender (September 10, 1816-July 7, 1896), British Submarine communications cable pioneer, was born in the Vale of Leven, Scotland, and after attending school in Glasgow became a successful merchant in textile fabrics in that city and in Manchester.

His name is chiefly known in connection with submarine cables, of which on the commercial side he was an important promoter. He was one of the 3~ contributors who each risked a thousand pounds in the Transatlantic Cable in 1857, and when the Atlantic Telegraph Company was ruined by the loss of the 1865 cable he formed the Anglo-American Telegraph Company to continue the work, but it was not until he had given his personal guarantee for a quarter of a million pounds that the makers would undertake the manufacture of a new cable. But in the end he was justified, and telegraphic communication with America became a commercial success. Subsequently he fostered cable enterprise in all parts of the world, and at the time of his death, which occurred at Footscray Place, Kent, on the 7th of July 1896, he controlled companies having a capital of 15 millions sterling and owning 73,640 nautical miles (136,380 km) of cables. In 1934, Imperial and International Communications, formerly the Eastern Telegraph Company, became Cable & Wireless. The new name was designed to more clearly reflect the combined radio and cable services which it offered, without reference to the Empire.

He represented Totnes in parliament as a Liberal MP in 1865 to 1867 (the seat was disenfranchised by the Reform Act 1867), and Wick Burghs from 1872 until his defeat in 1885. He was unsuccessful Liberal Unionist candidate in Wick Burghs and in Govan in 1886, and again represented Wick Burghs from 1892 to 1896. He was made a K.C.M.G. in 1888 and was promoted in 1892 to be G.C.M.G. His eldest son James (b. 1841), who was MP. for Mid Northamptonshire in 1895-1900, was created a baronet in 1897; and his third son, John Denison (b. 1855), was created a K.C.M.G. in 1901, the year in which he was enumerated living at Footscray Place in Sidcup.

Pender also had interests in railways and was persuaded to invest in the Isle of Man Steam Railway. As a result of this, No. 3 was named Pender in his honour.

Pender was married twice, first in 1840 to Marion Cairns, who died giving birth to his son in 1841, and in 1851 he married Emma Denison. They also had two daughters, Marion Denison Pender (1856 - 1955) who married George William Des Voeux, and Anne Denison Pender (1853 - 1902). The girls were painted in an Aesthetic Movement portrait titled "Leisure Hours" by John Everett Millais in 1864 (Detroit Institute of Arts). Pender is buried in the grounds of All Saints' Church, Rectory Lane Foots Cray with a fine but simple Celtic cross memorial.

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• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.