Charles Octavius Swinnerton Morgan
Encyclopedia
Charles Octavius Swinnerton Morgan DL
, JP
, FRS
, FSA
(15 September 1803-5 August 1888), known as Octavius Morgan, was a British politician, historian and antiquary. He was a significant benefactor to the British Museum
.
, of Tredegar Park, Monmouthshire, by his wife Mary (née Stoney). Charles Rodney Morgan
and Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar
, were his elder brothers. He was educated at Westminster School
in London
and at Christ Church, Oxford
, gaining an M.A. in 1832.
, a Fellow of the Royal Society
and the President of the Royal Archaeological Institute
. In 1832 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
.
Morgan had inherited an ample fortune and in 1839 he had "The Friars" rebuilt for his use in the Elizabethan style. The Friars had at one time been home to Carmelite monks. He was said to have filled the house with "Tudor furniture, more curious than useful". Morgan had an octagonal preaching platform installed half way up the main wooden staircase where he would conduct services every day. His congregation would consist of his maids, the housekeeper, bailiff and the boot boy. The lock he had installed on the door reflected his interest in mechanisms and automata
. The substantial brass lock is still on the door of his house and it has seven subsidiary controls.
Morgan sat as Member of Parliament
for Monmouthshire
from 1841 to 1874 for the Conservatives. He also served as a Justice of the Peace
and Deputy Lieutenant
for Monmouthshire.
He had been elected to Society of Antiquaries
but was not active until 1848 after which he was Vice-President more than once. Morgan published papers on astrolabe
s and episcopal rings and early communion plate. In 1872 he published a valuable guide to the monuments in the Priory Church of St Mary
in Abergavenny
.
During his lifetime Morgan made a number of generous donations to the British Museum
including the automaton known as the Nef or Mechanical Galleon
in 1866.
Morgan never married and died on 5 August 1888 aged 84. He was buried in his family's vault at St Basil's Church at Bassaleg
in Monmouthshire. He left his clock collection, astronomical instruments and episcopal rings. His astrolabes included the 14th century astrolabe used to call the failthful to prayer in Damascus
. Morgan's collections of papers including his translations of Welsh poetry are in the National Library of Wales
.
Today his house's extensive dairy and orangery are gone as his home is now (2010) an educational facility for the Welsh National Health Service but it is said that the house is still adorned with Latin
inscriptions hidden within wooden carvings and a grand imported German fireplace bearing his initials.
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....
, JP
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...
, FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, FSA
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
(15 September 1803-5 August 1888), known as Octavius Morgan, was a British politician, historian and antiquary. He was a significant benefactor to the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
Background and education
Morgan was born on 15 September 1803. He was the fourth son of Sir Charles Morgan, 2nd BaronetSir Charles Morgan, 2nd Baronet
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Gould Morgan, 2nd Baronet , was a Welsh soldier and politician, the MP for Brecon and later the County of Monmouth ....
, of Tredegar Park, Monmouthshire, by his wife Mary (née Stoney). Charles Rodney Morgan
Charles Rodney Morgan
Charles Rodney Morgan was a British politician. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Brecon from 1852 until his death in 1854, in Marseilles. He was the son of Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar.-References:*...
and Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar
Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar
Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar was an English peer and member of the House of Lords. He represented the constituency of Brecon....
, were his elder brothers. He was educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, gaining an M.A. in 1832.
Career
Morgan was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of LondonSociety of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
, a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and the President of the Royal Archaeological Institute
Royal Archaeological Institute
The Royal Archaeological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland is a learned society, established in 1844, primarily devoted to the publication of the Archaeological Journal, a production of archaeological news that has been in print since 1844....
. In 1832 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
.
Morgan had inherited an ample fortune and in 1839 he had "The Friars" rebuilt for his use in the Elizabethan style. The Friars had at one time been home to Carmelite monks. He was said to have filled the house with "Tudor furniture, more curious than useful". Morgan had an octagonal preaching platform installed half way up the main wooden staircase where he would conduct services every day. His congregation would consist of his maids, the housekeeper, bailiff and the boot boy. The lock he had installed on the door reflected his interest in mechanisms and automata
Automata
Automata is the plural form of automaton, a self-operating machine. It may also refer to:* "Automata", a short story by E. T. A. Hoffmann* "Automata", a hardboiled science fiction crime series by Penny Arcade...
. The substantial brass lock is still on the door of his house and it has seven subsidiary controls.
Morgan sat as 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 Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Monmouthshire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of Parliament of England from 1536 until 1707, of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1801, and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885...
from 1841 to 1874 for the Conservatives. He also served as a Justice of the Peace
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 Monmouthshire.
He had been elected to Society of Antiquaries
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
but was not active until 1848 after which he was Vice-President more than once. Morgan published papers on astrolabe
Astrolabe
An astrolabe is an elaborate inclinometer, historically used by astronomers, navigators, and astrologers. Its many uses include locating and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, determining local time given local latitude and longitude, surveying, triangulation, and to...
s and episcopal rings and early communion plate. In 1872 he published a valuable guide to the monuments in the Priory Church of St Mary
Priory Church of St Mary, Abergavenny
The Priory Church of St Mary, Abergavenny is a church in the centre of Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, Wales.St. Marys has been called 'the Westminster Abbey of Wales' because of its large size and the number of high status church monument tombs and the rare medieval effigies surviving within it .-...
in Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
.
During his lifetime Morgan made a number of generous donations to the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
including the automaton known as the Nef or Mechanical Galleon
Mechanical Galleon
The Mechanical Galleon is an elaborate nef or table ornament in the form of a ship, which is also an automaton and clock. It was constructed in about 1585 by Hans Schlottheim in southern Germany. It was in the possession of Augustus, Elector of Saxony...
in 1866.
Morgan never married and died on 5 August 1888 aged 84. He was buried in his family's vault at St Basil's Church at Bassaleg
Bassaleg
Bassaleg is a small semi-urban suburb on the west side of the city of Newport, in south Wales. It lies in the Graig electoral ward and community.- Location, communications & amenities:Bassaleg is located two miles north west of Newport city centre...
in Monmouthshire. He left his clock collection, astronomical instruments and episcopal rings. His astrolabes included the 14th century astrolabe used to call the failthful to prayer in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. Morgan's collections of papers including his translations of Welsh poetry are in the National Library of Wales
National Library of Wales
The National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
.
Today his house's extensive dairy and orangery are gone as his home is now (2010) an educational facility for the Welsh National Health Service but it is said that the house is still adorned with Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
inscriptions hidden within wooden carvings and a grand imported German fireplace bearing his initials.