Edward Gordon Douglas-Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn (born Douglas; 20 June 1800 – 31 March 1886), was a ScottishConservative Party politician, landowner in Wales, and slave owner in Jamaica. He played a major part in the development of the Welsh slate industry.
This made him the owner of the Penrhyn Quarry near Bethesda, Wales, which under his ownership developed into one of the two largest slate quarries in the world. He was also involved in politics and sat as Member of Parliament for Caernarvonshire between 1841 and 1866. He also held the honorary post of Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire.[1]
In 1868, he sacked 80 workers from Penrhyn Quarry for failing to vote for his son George Douglas-Pennant in the general election.[3]
The village of Llandygai was developed by Lord Penrhyn as a 'model village' for his estate workers, in which 'no corrupting alehouse' was permitted.[4] The village lies immediately outside of the walls of the Penrhyn Castle demesne walls, with the entrance to the village being some 100m from the castle's Grand Lodge. Pennant loaned the land the village was to be built on as a 30-year lease to the quarrymen who were to live there. The quarrymen built the entire village infrastructure and buildings with no help from Pennant, but 30 years later he took full ownership of the land and village.
Lord Penrhyn also earned a fortune from slave labour plantations in Jamaica.
Lord Penrhyn married, firstly, Juliana Isabella Mary (died 25 April 1842), daughter of George Hay Dawkins-Pennant, in 1833. They had two sons and four daughters.[1][5]
Hon. Louisa Mary (13 July 1847 – 19 June 1911), died unmarried
Hon. Mary Georgina (1 May 1849 – 20 October 1926), died unmarried
Hon. Eva Anna Caroline (12 January 1852 – 3 January 1934), married Lord William Seymour
Hon. Gertrude Emma (11 June 1856 – 20 July 1944), died unmarried
Hon. Adela (26 May 1858 – 26 May 1955), died unmarried
He died in 1886 and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son, George.[1]
Arms
Coat of arms of Edward Douglas-Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn
Crest
"1st, Out of a ducal coronet an antelope's head argent, maned and tufted or, charged on the neck with a cross crosslet sable, for distinction; 2nd a sanglier, statant, between two clefts of an oak tree, with a chain and lock holding them together all proper, and above it the motto Lock sicker."
Escutcheon
"Quarterly: 1st and 4th per bend sinister ermine and ermines, a lion rampant or (Pennant), 2nd and 3rd grand quarters quarterly, 1st and 4th argent, a man's heart gules, ensigned with an Imperial crown proper, on a chief azure, three mullets of the field; 2nd and 3rd argent, three piles gules, on the two outer ones a mullet of the field" (Douglas).
Supporters
"On either side an antelope proper, collared and chain reflexed over the back or, and pendant from the collar of the dexter supporter an escutcheon gules, charged with the bust of a man's head affrontée proper."
^Cregier, Don M. (1976). "Knickerbockers and Red Stockings, 1863-1884". Bounder from Wales: Lloyd George's Career before the First World War. Columbia & London: University of Missouri Press. p. 12. ISBN0-8262-0203-9.
^A. H. Dodd (1968) A History of Caernarvonshire, Caernarvonshire Historical Society/Bridge Books ISBN1 872424 07 4.
Bryn Owen, History of the Welsh Militia and Volunteer Corps 1757–1908: 1: Anglesey and Caernarfonshire, Caernarfon: Palace Books, 1989, ISBN 1-871904-00-5.