Richard Fothergill
Encyclopedia
Richard Fothergill was an English ironmaster and coal-owner in Wales and a Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1880.
Fothergill was the son of Richard Fothergill of Lowbridge House, near Kendal and his wife Charlotte Elderton, daughter of Charles Elderton, Esq. He was educated at the Military Academy, Edinburgh. He succeeded his uncle Rowland Fothergill as manager, of the Aberdare
iron-works and was later their proprietor. In 1854 he was elected on the first Aberdare board of health. In 1862 he acquired the Plymouth works near Merthyr where he developed the business significantly by introducing the hot-blast system . He also acquired the Penydarren works, and thus acquired at Merthyr almost as much prestige and popularity there as he had at Aberdare. He became J.P.
and Deputy Lieutenant
for Glamorgan and a J.P. for Pembrokeshire.
At the 1868 general election
Fothergill was elected Member of Parliament
for Merthyr Tydfil
. He held the seat until 1880. In parliament he was a strong advocate for South Wales coal for use by the navy. In 1869, he was one of the original members of the Iron and Steel Institute, and in 1871 he became a member of its council.
Fothergill built a mansion and gardens at Aber-nant which is known as "Fothergill's Park" and which has since been the home of St Michael's College and the Aberdare hospital. He retired to Tenby where he died at the age of 80.
Fothergill married firstly in 1848, Elizabeth Lewis daughter of Edward Lewis. She died in 1849 and he married secondly in 1850, Mary Roden, daughter of William Roden.
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...
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1880.
Fothergill was the son of Richard Fothergill of Lowbridge House, near Kendal and his wife Charlotte Elderton, daughter of Charles Elderton, Esq. He was educated at the Military Academy, Edinburgh. He succeeded his uncle Rowland Fothergill as manager, of the Aberdare
Aberdare
Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...
iron-works and was later their proprietor. In 1854 he was elected on the first Aberdare board of health. In 1862 he acquired the Plymouth works near Merthyr where he developed the business significantly by introducing the hot-blast system . He also acquired the Penydarren works, and thus acquired at Merthyr almost as much prestige and popularity there as he had at Aberdare. He became J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Glamorgan and a J.P. for Pembrokeshire.
At the 1868 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1868
The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom...
Fothergill was elected 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 Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil (UK Parliament constituency)
Merthyr Tydfil was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Merthyr Tydfil in Glamorgan. From 1832 to 1868 it returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and in 1868 this was increased to two members...
. He held the seat until 1880. In parliament he was a strong advocate for South Wales coal for use by the navy. In 1869, he was one of the original members of the Iron and Steel Institute, and in 1871 he became a member of its council.
Fothergill built a mansion and gardens at Aber-nant which is known as "Fothergill's Park" and which has since been the home of St Michael's College and the Aberdare hospital. He retired to Tenby where he died at the age of 80.
Fothergill married firstly in 1848, Elizabeth Lewis daughter of Edward Lewis. She died in 1849 and he married secondly in 1850, Mary Roden, daughter of William Roden.