Williams family of Caerhays and Burncoose

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Williams family of Caerhays and Burncoose, were, for several generations, dominant in the Cornish Industrial Revolution. They also developed williamsii hybrid camellias and fine gardens at Burncoose, Gwennap and St Michael Caerhays, in Cornwall, United Kingdom.

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[edit] Family members

  • John Williams the First (1685-1761) Purchased Burncoose in 1715.
  • John Williams The Second (1714- ?) Initiated the construction of the Great Adit, a 20-mile system of channels, draining 50 mines[1].
  • Michael Williams (1730-1775), son of John the Second. Bought Caerhays Estate in 1853.
  • John Williams the Third (September 23, 1753-April 17, 1841) Son of Michael Williams (1730-1775). Controlled the Gwennap copperbelt and copper smelting works in Swansea. Also owned tin-smelting works, sulphur mines and quarries. Director of The Cornish Bank. With the Fox family of Falmouth, built the Plymouth breakwater and developed the harbour at Portreath and linked it by tramway to his mine at Poldice. Purchased land at Scorrier and built Scorrier House there. Married Catherine Harvey in 1776. Received a dream warning of the assassination of the Prime Minister in 1812, "correct in every detail". [2] .
  • John Williams the Fourth (April 12, 1778-August 11, 1849), FRS (March 6, 1828). Son of John the Third.
  • Michael Williams, MP for the Western Division of Cornwall from 1853 to 1858. Son of John the Third.
  • Sir William Williams, (August 3, 1791 - March 24, 1870[3]), Son of John the Third. He served as High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1851. He was created "Baronet Williams of Tregullow in the County of Cornwall", on August 4, 1866 [4].
  • Frederick Martin Williams (1830–1878), was Conservative Member of Parliament for Truro [5].
  • Philippa Williams ( ? -1861)
  • John Michael Williams (25 December 1813 -1880) [6]
  • John Charles Williams (September 30, 1861-March 29, 1939), son of John Michael Williams and Elizabeth Davey, his wife. MP for the Truro Division of Cornwall, 1892-1895, High Sheriff of Cornwall 1888, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall 1918-1936[7].
  • Charlotte Williams, daughter of John Michael Williams, married Edward Powys Rogers. They moved to "Burncoose" in 1916.[8].
  • Charlotte Rogers daughter, Harriet married James Malcolm McLaren (1874-1935), a geologist and developed a garden at "Tregye", near Carnon Downs [8].
  • Francis Julian Williams (April 16, 1927 - ), CBE, Current owner of Caerhays[9].

[edit] Caerhays Castle

Caerhays Castle is a mock-mediaeval castle, designed by John Nash on the south coast of Cornwall, at St Michael Caerhays, between Truro and St Austell[10] [11]. The garden[12] holds the NCCPG National Magnolia Collection. It was bought by the Williams family, who still own it. The gardens are open to the public each year during March, April and May.

[edit] Notes, References and Sources

  1. ^ For more information on the Great Adit, see this website and this one
  2. ^ The Times, Saturday, 16 August 1828; pg. 2; Issue 13673; col F "Remarkable Coincidence".
  3. ^ The Peerage.com
  4. ^ Note: There is a significant opportinity for confusion with this name. See William Williams and Williams Baronets.
  5. ^ Williams Baronets#Williams Baronets, of Tregullow (1866) gives the succession.
  6. ^ Burke's A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain (1863) "Williams of Burncoose and Caerhays Castle" article, provided by Google Books.
  7. ^ Who was Who
  8. ^ a b Burncoose gardens a guidebook with a historical introduction by F.J.Williams (n.d, purchased at Burncoose 24 February 2008)
  9. ^ Who's Who
  10. ^ Caerhays Estate official website
  11. ^ Caerhays history section of Estate website.
  12. ^ Caerhays garden section of Estate website.

[edit] Sources

  • Williams, F.J. Burncoose gardens: a garden oasis in the Minewastes of Cornwall by F.J.Williams C.B.E., Arnold Dance, David Knuckey.
  • Smelt, Maurice 101 Cornish Lives, Penzance, Cornwall, Alison Hodge (2006) ISBN 0-906720-50-8, pages 246-248: “John Williams (1753-1841), Mining magnate, born Lower Cusgarne, Gwennap".
  • Edmund Newell, ‘Williams, John (1753–1841)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 2006 Link to Article (Subscription) accessed 27 July 2007]
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