Foster Cunliffe
Encyclopedia
Sir Foster Cunliffe, 3rd Baronet (1755–) was the founder of the Royal Society of British Bowmen.
His family enjoyed the high life in Wrexham
, living off the proceeds of his grandfather's fortune - amassed on the back of slavery. According to the history books, Sir Foster Cunliffe was uneasy about this because he seems to have concealed the origin of the fortune, omitting to mention the word 'slavery' in a detailed history of his family's genealogy. For it was his grandfather, Foster Cunliffe (1682-1758), who made the money, becoming the main slave trader in Liverpool
and mayor on three occasions. His son was MP for Liverpool in 1755-67.
Sir Foster Cunliffe moved from Saighton
, near Chester
, to the Acton Park
estate near Wrexham, Denbighshire, adding to the existing house, including adding the lavish Four Dogs gateway into the estate - all that remains of the original buildings to this day. He served as High Sheriff of Denbighshire
for 1787.
He also built and improved the Pant-yr-ochain http://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/pub5_1.html, once the main house in Gresford
, now a well known gastro pub. The father of 11 bought the building as a home for two of his unmarried daughters, Charlotte & Emma, to take up residence. The sisters were known to hold great parties and to entertain the local gentry. These included Charles Watkin Williams-Wynn, their brother-in-law, and the Glynne family of Hawarden
. Catherine Glynne
married William Ewart Gladstone
, who was Prime Minister
no less than four times, and who was known to have ridden to the sisters' home in Gresford.
In addition to his archery, Sir Foster Cunliffe, 3rd Baronet of Acton Park, was also an active member of the Wrexham Yeomanry Cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars
.
A painting of Sir Foster Cunliffe by John Hoppner
shows him standing full length in a wooded landscape, wearing an archer's uniform, with green coat, buff yellow breeches and hessian boots. His archer's plumed black hat rests at his feet. A campaign is underway in Wrexham to raise money to buy the painting which was displayed at the Wrexham Art Treasures and Industrial Exhibition of 1876. Apparently, the exhibition was the cultural highpoint of 19th century Wrexham, with paintings by Reynolds, Gainsborough and Lawrence.
and then Denbigh
, he died in 1905 and was the last of the family to own Acton Hall, which became known locally as Acton Park. By the 1920s descendants had sold the land piecemeal and the hall was demolished in 1954.
Biography
Foster Cunliffe inherited the baronetcy from his father, Sir Robert Cunliffe, 2nd Baronet on his death in 1778. He married Harriet, the daughter of Sir David Kinloch, 5th Baronet.His family enjoyed the high life in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, living off the proceeds of his grandfather's fortune - amassed on the back of slavery. According to the history books, Sir Foster Cunliffe was uneasy about this because he seems to have concealed the origin of the fortune, omitting to mention the word 'slavery' in a detailed history of his family's genealogy. For it was his grandfather, Foster Cunliffe (1682-1758), who made the money, becoming the main slave trader in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and mayor on three occasions. His son was MP for Liverpool in 1755-67.
Sir Foster Cunliffe moved from Saighton
Saighton
Saighton is a civil parish and village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, a few miles south of Chester...
, near Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, to the Acton Park
Acton, Wrexham
Acton is a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of the Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It lies in the north-eastern part of the market town of Wrexham...
estate near Wrexham, Denbighshire, adding to the existing house, including adding the lavish Four Dogs gateway into the estate - all that remains of the original buildings to this day. He served as High Sheriff of Denbighshire
High Sheriff of Denbighshire
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
for 1787.
He also built and improved the Pant-yr-ochain http://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/pub5_1.html, once the main house in Gresford
Gresford
Gresford is a village and a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales.According to the 2001 Census, the population of the community, which also includes the village of Marford, was 5,334....
, now a well known gastro pub. The father of 11 bought the building as a home for two of his unmarried daughters, Charlotte & Emma, to take up residence. The sisters were known to hold great parties and to entertain the local gentry. These included Charles Watkin Williams-Wynn, their brother-in-law, and the Glynne family of Hawarden
Hawarden
Hawarden is a village in Flintshire, North Wales. Hawarden forms part of the Deeside conurbation on the Welsh/English border. At the 2001 Census, the population of Hawarden Ward was 1,858...
. Catherine Glynne
Catherine Gladstone
Catherine Glynne Gladstone was the wife of British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone for 59 years, until his death in 1898.-Family:...
married William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
, who was Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
no less than four times, and who was known to have ridden to the sisters' home in Gresford.
In addition to his archery, Sir Foster Cunliffe, 3rd Baronet of Acton Park, was also an active member of the Wrexham Yeomanry Cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
Archery
One popular pursuit among the gentry was archery. In fact, Sir Foster Cunliffe & the Watkin Wynnes were founders of the Society of British Bowmen, later the Royal Society of British Bowmen, which was formed at Acton Hall in 1787.A painting of Sir Foster Cunliffe by John Hoppner
John Hoppner
John Hoppner was an English portrait painter, .-Early life:Hoppner was born in Whitechapel, London, the son of German parents - his mother was one of the German attendants at the royal palace. King George's fatherly interest and patronage of the young boy gave rise to rumours, quite unfounded,...
shows him standing full length in a wooded landscape, wearing an archer's uniform, with green coat, buff yellow breeches and hessian boots. His archer's plumed black hat rests at his feet. A campaign is underway in Wrexham to raise money to buy the painting which was displayed at the Wrexham Art Treasures and Industrial Exhibition of 1876. Apparently, the exhibition was the cultural highpoint of 19th century Wrexham, with paintings by Reynolds, Gainsborough and Lawrence.
Legacy
Before his death, Acton Park was the chief house of Wrexham. The house was rebuilt between 1687-95 and enlarged in 1786-7 when the Foster Cunliffes moved in. The park was created in the 1790s. His son, Sir Robert inherited the house and it was given to his grandson, also Sir Robert. An MP for FlintFlint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
and then Denbigh
Denbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
, he died in 1905 and was the last of the family to own Acton Hall, which became known locally as Acton Park. By the 1920s descendants had sold the land piecemeal and the hall was demolished in 1954.