Henry Vivian, 1st Baron Swansea

The Right Honourable
The Lord Swansea

"Swansea". Caricature by Spy published in Vanity Fair in 1886.
Member of Parliament
for Swansea District
In office
1885–1893
Preceded by Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn
Succeeded by William Williams
Member of Parliament
for Glamorganshire
In office
1857–1885
Preceded by Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot
Succeeded by Abolished
Member of Parliament
for Truro
In office
1852–1857
Preceded by Humphrey Willyams
Succeeded by Edward Brydges Willyams
Personal details
Born (1821-07-06)6 July 1821
Swansea, Wales
Died 28 November 1894(1894-11-28) (aged 73)
Swansea, Wales
Political party Whig / Liberal
Statue of Henry Hussey Vivian in Swansea.

Henry Hussey Vivian, 1st Baron Swansea (6 July 1821 28 November 1894) was a Welsh industrialist and politician from the Vivian family.

Biography

Born at Singleton Abbey, Swansea, Henry was the eldest son of industrialist and MP John Henry Vivian and his wife Sarah, daughter of Arthur Jones, of Reigate. His younger brothers were Arthur Vivian (who would become an industrialist and MP), Richard Glynn Vivian (afterwards an art collector and philanthropist) and Graham Vivian. His uncle was Richard Hussey Vivian, first baron Vivian.[1] He was educated at Eton and studied metallurgy in Germany and France from 1838 before entering Trinity College, Cambridge in 1839.[2]

After two years he became manager of the Liverpool branch of the copper-smelting business founded by his grandfather, Vivian & Sons. Three years later he became a partner of the firm before coming to Swansea to manage the Hafod Works during the last ten years of his father’s life (1845–1855). He developed a range of by-products from copper-smelting and diversified into other metallurgical activities. He is credited with originating the "sliding scale" of miners' wages after the strike of 1889, though other authorities attribute the idea to William Thomas Lewis, afterwards Lord Merthyr. He was one of the chief promoters of the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway, helped to further extend the harbour facilities of the town and championed the merits of Welsh coal in Parliamentary debates. It was largely due to his efforts that Swansea became a major industrial centre.

He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Truro 1852–7, Glamorganshire 1857–85 and Swansea District 1885–93. In 1889 he became the first chairman of the Glamorgan County Council. He was also a Justice of the Peace, Deputy Lieutenant for Glamorgan and for some years first Lieutenant-Colonel of the 4th Glamorgan Rifle Volunteers.

He was created a baronet of Singleton in the Parish of Swansea in the County of Glamorgan on 13 May 1882[3] and Baron Swansea, of Singleton in the County of Glamorgan on 9 June 1893.[4]

After his death on 28 November 1894, probate was granted to his sons Henry Hussey Vivian and Odo Richard Vivian valuing his estate at £163,707 1s 9d, he was buried in the churchyard of St Paul's Church in Sketty. There is a bronze statue of Henry wearing a frock coat and gown in St. David's Shopping Centre, Swansea, created by Italian sculptor Mario Raggi.[5] There is also a plaque at St John's Church in Hafod. It was erected by his widow and contains the words 'Life's race well run. Life's work well done. Life's crown well won. Then comes rest'.

Lord Swansea's younger brother Sir Arthur Vivian was also a Liberal politician.

Marriages and children

Lord Swansea married, on 15 April 1847, to Jessie Dalrymple Goddard (c. 1825 – 28 February 1848), the daughter of Ambrose Goddard, of the Lawn, Swindon. His wife died of childbed fever a few weeks after the birth of their only child.

On 14 July 1853 he married Lady Flora Caroline Elizabeth Cholmeley (died 25 January 1868), daughter of Sir Montague Cholmeley, 2nd Baronet. They had one son;

Lord Swansea took as his third wife, on 10 November 1870, Averil Beaumont (1841 – 14 January 1934), daughter of Capt. Richard Beaumont, R.N., and granddaughter of the 3rd Baron Macdonald of Slate. He and his third wife had six children;

References

  1.  "Vivian, Henry Hussey". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  2. "Vivian, Henry Hussey (VVN838HH)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  3. "No. 25106". The London Gazette. 12 May 1882. p. 2221.
  4. "No. 26412". The London Gazette. 13 June 1893. p. 3383.
  5. Newman, John; Hughes, Stephen R.; Ward, Anthony (1995). Glamorgan: (Mid Glamorgan, South Glamorgan and West Glamorgan). Penguin Books; University of Wales Press. p. 601. ISBN 978-0-14-071056-4.

Further reading

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John Ennis Vivian
Humphrey Willyams
Member of Parliament for Truro
18521857
With: John Ennis Vivian
Succeeded by
Augustus Smith
Edward Brydges Willyams
Preceded by
Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot
Sir George Tyler
Member of Parliament for Glamorganshire
18571885
With: Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot
Constituency abolished
Preceded by
Lewis Llewelyn Dillwyn
Member of Parliament for Swansea District
18851893
Succeeded by
William Williams
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baron Swansea
18931894
Succeeded by
Ernest Vivian
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