Humphrey Mackworth
Encyclopedia
Sir Humphrey Mackworth was a British
industrialist
and politician. He was involved in a business scandal in the early 18th century and was a founding member of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
to Thomas Mackworth
and his wife Ann Bulkeley. His grandfather, also Humphrey Mackworth
, was a prominent Puritan
soldier and politician in the Civil War
. Mackworth was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford
and graduated in 1674. He studied law, entering the Middle Temple
in 1675 and was called to the Bar
in 1682. Mackworth was knighted by King Charles II
in 1683.
and he moved to Wales
soon after. Mary was the daughter of Sir Herbert Evans of Gnoll in Neath and she became the sole benefactor of Sir Herbert's estate after the death of her sisters. The Evans family had, for the last two generations, controlled the leases that allowed virtually sole-control of coal mining
rights in Neath. The coal from the area had been used for smelting and Mackworth became interested in working with copper and lead, and may have begun copper smelting in 1695. In 1696, Mary died, leaving Mackworth as the inheritor of the estate, and by 1698 he had branched into controlling interests in Cardiganshire.
Earlier, in 1690, rich mineral deposits had been discovered in the Goreddan estate, whose lease was controlled by Sir Carbery Pryce, whose company developed the site. With the dissolution of the Society of Mines Royal
, also in 1690, this estate became very important, and Mackworth acquired Pryce's interest after his death in 1694. Mackworth redeveloped the enterprise and in 1704, his Company of Mine Adventures was given its charter. This led Mackworth to begin smelting copper at Neath, but found himself in direct competition with Sir Edward Mansel, who owned coal mining in the neighbouring areas. In 1709, the Company of Mine Adventures became bankrupt, and it was discovered that the financing of the company had been undertaken outside normal legal means. A committee of the House of Commons investigated the matter in 1710 and leveled at Mackworth charges of fraud. No charges were brought after the Whig government fell from power, and Mackworth set up a new company in 1713, the Company of Mineral Manufacturers. This ceased operations in 1719.
. In 1701 he won his first seat when he was made a Member of Parliament
for Cardiganshire, but lost it to Lewis Pryce at the end of the year. He regained the Cardiganshire seat in 1702, but abandoned it in 1705 to challenge the constituency of Oxford University
, which he failed to win. He then successfully sat as one of the two MPs for Totnes
which he held from 1705 to 1708. His final period in Parliament was in 1710 when he regained the Cardiganshire seat until 1713.
Mackworth's eldest son, Herbert Mackworth, also entered politics and held the Cardiff
seat between the years 1739–1766. His son, Sir Humprey's grandson, was Sir Herbert Mackworth who held the same Cardiff seat after his father, until 1790.
in the formation of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, an Anglican mission
organisation. Through his companies, Mackworth gave financial assistance to create and fund two schools in Wales. He also wrote several religious books
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
industrialist
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...
and politician. He was involved in a business scandal in the early 18th century and was a founding member of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
Early history
Mackworth was born in ShropshireShropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
to Thomas Mackworth
Thomas Mackworth
Thomas Mackworth was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1656 to 1659.Mackworth was the son of Humphrey Mackworth of Betton Grange...
and his wife Ann Bulkeley. His grandfather, also Humphrey Mackworth
Humphrey Mackworth (Parliamentarian)
Humphrey Mackworth was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War....
, was a prominent Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
soldier and politician in the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. Mackworth was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
and graduated in 1674. He studied law, entering the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1675 and was called to the Bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1682. Mackworth was knighted by King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
in 1683.
As an industrialist
In 1686 Mackworth married Mary Evans of NeathNeath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
and he moved to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
soon after. Mary was the daughter of Sir Herbert Evans of Gnoll in Neath and she became the sole benefactor of Sir Herbert's estate after the death of her sisters. The Evans family had, for the last two generations, controlled the leases that allowed virtually sole-control of coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
rights in Neath. The coal from the area had been used for smelting and Mackworth became interested in working with copper and lead, and may have begun copper smelting in 1695. In 1696, Mary died, leaving Mackworth as the inheritor of the estate, and by 1698 he had branched into controlling interests in Cardiganshire.
Earlier, in 1690, rich mineral deposits had been discovered in the Goreddan estate, whose lease was controlled by Sir Carbery Pryce, whose company developed the site. With the dissolution of the Society of Mines Royal
Society of Mines Royal
The Society of Mines Royal was one of two mining monopoly companies incorporated by royal charter in 1568, the other being the Company of Mineral and Battery Works.-History:...
, also in 1690, this estate became very important, and Mackworth acquired Pryce's interest after his death in 1694. Mackworth redeveloped the enterprise and in 1704, his Company of Mine Adventures was given its charter. This led Mackworth to begin smelting copper at Neath, but found himself in direct competition with Sir Edward Mansel, who owned coal mining in the neighbouring areas. In 1709, the Company of Mine Adventures became bankrupt, and it was discovered that the financing of the company had been undertaken outside normal legal means. A committee of the House of Commons investigated the matter in 1710 and leveled at Mackworth charges of fraud. No charges were brought after the Whig government fell from power, and Mackworth set up a new company in 1713, the Company of Mineral Manufacturers. This ceased operations in 1719.
As a Member of Parliament
Mackworth sat in several elections and was successful in four, his affiliations were towards the ToriesTories (political faction)
The Tories were members of two political parties which existed, sequentially, in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain and later the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from the 17th to the early 19th centuries.-Overview:...
. In 1701 he won his first seat when he was made a 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,...
for Cardiganshire, but lost it to Lewis Pryce at the end of the year. He regained the Cardiganshire seat in 1702, but abandoned it in 1705 to challenge the constituency of Oxford University
Oxford University (UK Parliament constituency)
Oxford University was a university constituency electing two members to the British House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950.-Boundaries, Electorate and Electoral System:...
, which he failed to win. He then successfully sat as one of the two MPs for Totnes
Totnes (UK Parliament constituency)
Totnes is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , using the first-past-the-post voting system....
which he held from 1705 to 1708. His final period in Parliament was in 1710 when he regained the Cardiganshire seat until 1713.
Mackworth's eldest son, Herbert Mackworth, also entered politics and held the Cardiff
Cardiff (UK Parliament constituency)
Cardiff was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Cardiff in South Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1542 until it was abolished for the 1918 general election.- MPs 1542-1645 :- MPs 1645–1832 :...
seat between the years 1739–1766. His son, Sir Humprey's grandson, was Sir Herbert Mackworth who held the same Cardiff seat after his father, until 1790.
Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge
In 1699, Mackworth was among a group of layman who helped Dr. Thomas BrayThomas Bray
The Reverend Dr Thomas Bray was an English clergyman, who spent time in Maryland as an Anglican representative.-Life:...
in the formation of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, an Anglican mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
organisation. Through his companies, Mackworth gave financial assistance to create and fund two schools in Wales. He also wrote several religious books
Sources
- Biography of Humphrey Mackworth The National Library of Wales