George Frederic Muntz
Encyclopedia
George Frederick Muntz was an industrialist
from Birmingham
, England
and a Liberal Party
Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Birmingham
constituency from 1840 until his death.
His family came to England during the French revolution.
Muntz was a supporter of political reform and a member of the Birmingham Political Union
. In his actions that led to the Reform Act
of 1832, he was indicted for sedition as he tried to undermine the Duke of Wellington
with a run on gold: To stop the Duke, run for gold. He also was involved in a riot at Saint Martins in Birmingham in protest against the Church Rates which were levied at around 6d to 9d in the pound
. He was sent to trial in 1838, but was acquitted on all but one of 13 charges. Whilst claiming to be a republican, his true character appeared to be that of an egotistical aristocrat. Edwards wrote in 1877 of a conversation about a speech he made:
His home was at Umberslade Hall
, in Tanworth in Arden. His descendants still live in the area and operate Umberslade Hall Children's Farm.
As an industrialist, he developed Muntz Metal
.
He had seven sons and two daughters. The family business was continued by the eldest son, George Frederick junior together with Philip Albert Muntz
, also a Member of Parliament who was created a Baronet in 1902 (see Muntz Baronets
). George's brother, Philip Henry Muntz
, was also an MP.
The Muntz family are remembered by Muntz Street
, a tower block called Muntz House and Muntz Park, all in Birmingham.
Business magnate
A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...
from Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and a Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for the Birmingham
Birmingham (UK Parliament constituency)
Birmingham was a parliamentary constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the city of Birmingham, in what is now the West Midlands Metropolitan County, but at the time was Warwickshire.-Boundaries and History:...
constituency from 1840 until his death.
His family came to England during the French revolution.
Muntz was a supporter of political reform and a member of the Birmingham Political Union
Birmingham Political Union
The Birmingham Political Union was a political organisation in Great Britain during the early nineteenth century. Founded by Thomas Attwood, its original purpose was to campaign in favour of extending and redistributing suffrage rights to the working class of the kind set out in the Reform Bill of...
. In his actions that led to the Reform Act
Reform Act
In the United Kingdom, Reform Act is a generic term used for legislation concerning electoral matters. It is most commonly used for laws passed to enfranchise new groups of voters and to redistribute seats in the British House of Commons...
of 1832, he was indicted for sedition as he tried to undermine the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
with a run on gold: To stop the Duke, run for gold. He also was involved in a riot at Saint Martins in Birmingham in protest against the Church Rates which were levied at around 6d to 9d in the pound
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
. He was sent to trial in 1838, but was acquitted on all but one of 13 charges. Whilst claiming to be a republican, his true character appeared to be that of an egotistical aristocrat. Edwards wrote in 1877 of a conversation about a speech he made:
"They won't be able to print Muntz's speech verbatim." "Why not?" said I. "Why my dear fellow, no printing office in the world would have capital I's enough".
His home was at Umberslade Hall
Umberslade Hall
Umberslade Hall is a 17th century mansion converted into residential apartments situated near Tanworth in Arden, Warwickshire. It is a Grade II* listed building....
, in Tanworth in Arden. His descendants still live in the area and operate Umberslade Hall Children's Farm.
As an industrialist, he developed Muntz Metal
Muntz metal
Muntz metal is a form of alpha-beta brass with about 60% copper, 40% zinc and a trace of iron. It is named after George Fredrick Muntz, a metal-roller of Birmingham, England who commercialised the alloy following his patent of 1832....
.
He had seven sons and two daughters. The family business was continued by the eldest son, George Frederick junior together with Philip Albert Muntz
Sir Philip Muntz, 1st Baronet
Sir Philip Albert Muntz, 1st Baronet was an English businessman and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1884 to 1906. He changed his allegiance from the Liberal Party to the Conservatives....
, also a Member of Parliament who was created a Baronet in 1902 (see Muntz Baronets
Muntz Baronets
The Muntz Baronetcy, of Dunsmore near Rugby in the Parish of Clifton-upon-Dunsmore in the County of Warwick, was a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 7 August 1902 for Philip Muntz, Member of Parliament for Warwickshire North and Tamworth. He was the son of the...
). George's brother, Philip Henry Muntz
Philip Henry Muntz
Philip Henry Muntz was a British businessman and Liberal politician. He was a leading figure in the politics of the rapidly-growing industrial town of Birmingham in the mid-nineteenth century.-Early life and family:...
, was also an MP.
The Muntz family are remembered by Muntz Street
Muntz Street
Muntz Street is the popular name of a former association football stadium situated in the Small Heath district of Birmingham, England, taken from the street on which it stood. During its lifetime the ground was known as Coventry Road; the name "Muntz Street" is a more recent adoption. It was the...
, a tower block called Muntz House and Muntz Park, all in Birmingham.