Percy Molteno
Encyclopedia
Percy Alport Molteno was a Cape Colony
-born lawyer
, director
of companies, politician
and philanthropist
who served as a Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) from 1906 to 1918.
Molteno was born in the Cape Colony – the second son of John C Molteno
who later served as the Cape's first Prime Minister. He attended Diocesan College
(Bishops), took first place in the Cape matric examination and went on to achieve great academic honours at Trinity College, Cambridge
, before being called to the Bar at the Inner Temple
in London. After qualifying as a barrister
and practising law in the Cape for several years, he moved to Britain to accept a partnership in the firm of Donald Currie & Company, managers of the Castle (later, the Union-Castle
) Line, and married Sir Donald Currie's
daughter Elizabeth. In his position as a manager of shipping lines, he developed and brought in new refrigeration methods to allow for the introduction of South African fruit to European markets. In 1891 he also set up a syndicate with other members of his family (particularly his older brother John Molteno) with an eye to developing and controlling the Cape's agricultural exports.
He is consequently regarded as the pioneer of the South African export fruit industry.
Molteno was a prolific letter-writer who corresponded with many of the leading political figures of the colony. His writings and politics were guided by two main themes - his advocacy of responsible government
and his staunch opposition to the Boer War
. These views made him a divisive figure both inside and outside the Liberal Party, of which he was a member: Winston Churchill
once refused to attend a dinner if he was to be sat next to him, while Henry Simpson Lunn
reports fearing that his windows would be smashed if word got out that Molteno was present at his club. Molteno went on to enter the British House of Commons as the Member for Dumfriesshire
in 1906.
In the years following the Boer War
, Molteno withdrew from the shipping trade and devoted both himself and his vast fortune to post-war humanitarian efforts in South Africa (He was furious about Lord Kitchener's use of scorched earth
tactics and concentration camps in defeating the Boers).
Although he was deeply involved in the process leading up to the Union of South Africa
in 1910 (He was the adviser and confidant of a number of leading South African statesmen), the events after the union – like the rise of Afrikaner nationalism
and Apartheid – led to his disillusionment with South African politics and his increasing devotion to humanitarian issues - such as the Vienna Emergency Relief Fund which he started in 1919.
A rationalist, Molteno was a great supporter of scientific endeavour
(The Molteno Institute was his endowment to Cambridge University in 1921). He was also a fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society
and a founder of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, together with Otto Beit
and Baron Rothschild
.
Molteno's family was originally Italian and, throughout his life, he went for extended periods to this country. He was particularly attached to the island of Sicily
and, in his later life, he spent ever-increasing time there. He died in 1937 at the age of 76, on a trip to Zurich
.
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
-born lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of companies, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who served as a Liberal
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) from 1906 to 1918.
Molteno was born in the Cape Colony – the second son of John C Molteno
John Charles Molteno
Sir John Charles Molteno KCMG was a soldier, businessman, champion of responsible government and the first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.-Early life:...
who later served as the Cape's first Prime Minister. He attended Diocesan College
Diocesan College
The Diocesan College, or Bishops as it is more commonly known, is an independent, all-boys school situated in the suburb of Rondebosch in Cape Town, South Africa...
(Bishops), took first place in the Cape matric examination and went on to achieve great academic honours at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, before being called to the Bar at the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in London. After qualifying as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and practising law in the Cape for several years, he moved to Britain to accept a partnership in the firm of Donald Currie & Company, managers of the Castle (later, the Union-Castle
Union-Castle Line
The Union-Castle Line was a prominent British shipping line that operated a fleet of passenger liners and cargo ships between Europe and Africa from 1900 to 1977. It was formed from the merger of the Union Line and Castle Shipping Line...
) Line, and married Sir Donald Currie's
Donald Currie
Sir Donald Currie GCMG was a British shipowner.Currie was born in Greenock, Scotland. However, he spent his school days in Belfast at the Belfast Academy and later at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and at a very early age he was employed in the office of a shipowner in that port...
daughter Elizabeth. In his position as a manager of shipping lines, he developed and brought in new refrigeration methods to allow for the introduction of South African fruit to European markets. In 1891 he also set up a syndicate with other members of his family (particularly his older brother John Molteno) with an eye to developing and controlling the Cape's agricultural exports.
He is consequently regarded as the pioneer of the South African export fruit industry.
Molteno was a prolific letter-writer who corresponded with many of the leading political figures of the colony. His writings and politics were guided by two main themes - his advocacy of responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
and his staunch opposition to the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
. These views made him a divisive figure both inside and outside the Liberal Party, of which he was a member: Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
once refused to attend a dinner if he was to be sat next to him, while Henry Simpson Lunn
Henry Simpson Lunn
Sir Henry Simpson Lunn was an English humanitarian and religious figure, and also founder of Lunn Poly, one of the UK's largest travel companies....
reports fearing that his windows would be smashed if word got out that Molteno was present at his club. Molteno went on to enter the British House of Commons as the Member for Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Dumfriesshire was a county constituency represented in the of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 2005. It was known as Dumfries from 1950...
in 1906.
In the years following the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, Molteno withdrew from the shipping trade and devoted both himself and his vast fortune to post-war humanitarian efforts in South Africa (He was furious about Lord Kitchener's use of scorched earth
Scorched earth
A scorched earth policy is a military strategy or operational method which involves destroying anything that might be useful to the enemy while advancing through or withdrawing from an area...
tactics and concentration camps in defeating the Boers).
Although he was deeply involved in the process leading up to the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
in 1910 (He was the adviser and confidant of a number of leading South African statesmen), the events after the union – like the rise of Afrikaner nationalism
Afrikaner nationalism
Afrikaner nationalism is a political ideology that was born in the late 19th century around the idea that Afrikaners in South Africa were a "chosen people"; it was also strongly influenced by anti-British sentiments that grew strong among the Afrikaners, especially because of the Boer Wars...
and Apartheid – led to his disillusionment with South African politics and his increasing devotion to humanitarian issues - such as the Vienna Emergency Relief Fund which he started in 1919.
A rationalist, Molteno was a great supporter of scientific endeavour
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
(The Molteno Institute was his endowment to Cambridge University in 1921). He was also a fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
and a founder of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, together with Otto Beit
Otto Beit
Sir Otto John Beit, 1st Baronet, KCMG, FRS was a German-born British financier, philanthropist and art connoisseur.- Life history and career :...
and Baron Rothschild
Edmond James de Rothschild
Baron Edmond Benjamin James de Rothschild was a French member of the Rothschild banking family. A strong supporter of Zionism, his generous donations lent significant support to the movement during its early years, which helped lead to the establishment of the State of Israel.- Early years :A...
.
Molteno's family was originally Italian and, throughout his life, he went for extended periods to this country. He was particularly attached to the island of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and, in his later life, he spent ever-increasing time there. He died in 1937 at the age of 76, on a trip to Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
.
Further reading
- P.A. Molteno: A Federal South Africa. Sampson Low, Marston & Co, 1896. ISBN 1436726824
- P.A. Molteno: The life and times of Sir John Charles Molteno, K. C. M. G., First Premier of Cape Colony, Comprising a History of Representative Institutions and Responsible Government at the Cape. London: Smith, Elder & Co, 1900. ISBN 1146671571
- Vivian Solomon: Selections from the correspondence of Percy Alport Molteno 1892-1914. Van Riebeeck Society, 1981. ISBN 0-620-05662-2
- P.B. Simons: Apples of the sun : being an account of the lives, vision and achievements of the Molteno brothers. Vlaeberg: Fernwood Press, 1999. ISBN 1-874950-45-8