George Herbert Strutt
Encyclopedia
George Herbert Strutt was a cotton mill owner and philanthropist from Makeney and Belper
in Derbyshire
. Strutt became a High Sheriff
. He was a descendant of Jedediah Strutt
. The Strutt family made themselves, and Britain, rich with their cotton business. Strutt bought the Scottish Glensanda
estate where his son was lost and was found as a clothed skeleton five years later.
. His father was George Henry Strutt
and his mother was Agnes (born Ashton). He was the youngest child and only son. His three elder sisters were Susan Agnes, Lucy Frances and Clara Strutt.
In 1902, Strutt, and his wife Emily, bought the Glensanda
and Kingairloch estates on the Morvern Peninsula
in Scotland. At these 24000 acres (97.1 km²) estates he built cottages and pony paths, enlarged the existing house and a dam in Glen Galmadale to hold water that could be used to keep the River Galma in flow (and fish) when there was a drought. The Strutt family were able to take cruises to Oban
and nearby islands on the 150 ton steam ship, Sanda, Strutt kept there. Given the inaccessibility of the estate, a boat of some form was essential.
Like a number of his ancestors he was High Sheriff of Derbyshire
, in 1903.
In 1907 he completed a long debate with the education authorities and was able to fund an elementary school for the children of Belper and its surrounding Derbyshire villages. The school was opened on May 7th 1909 by the Duke of Devonshire. Herbert Strutt School cost Strutt £20,000 and included large playing fields and stained glass in the library showing the Strutt coat of arms. In 1910 he funded a public swimming pool in Belper and within four years he gave an addition £5,000 to expand the school's facilities. The school went on to be a Grammar school before it was merged with two secondary modern schools to create the Belper School
. The school's name and Strutt's gift are remembered in the name of an infant school in Belper. The school building is now being used by the community.
In 1921, Strutt again contributed to Derbyshire's Belper community. This time he gave land which was used to create the Memorial Gardens to remember those who had died in the First World War.
After Strutt's death, the estate at Glensanda
was inherited by his son Arthur and then shared, in 1930, with Arthur's New Zealand wife, Patricia. Arthur died in odd circumstances. He went out one morning and five years later his death was to be presumed. On the Monday following his memorial service his body was found. His clothed skeleton was found half a mile from his home by forestry workers, but it was too late to ascertain his cause of death.
Portraits of Strutt and "Mrs George Strutt", both by Frank Ernest Beresford, are owned by Belper Town Council and Derby Art Gallery
respectively.
Belper
Belper is a town and civil parish in the local government district of Amber Valley in Derbyshire, England.-Geography:Belper is situated eight miles north of Derby and is centred in the valley of the River Derwent...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. Strutt became a High Sheriff
High Sheriff of Derbyshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Derbyshire from 1568.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...
. He was a descendant of Jedediah Strutt
Jedediah Strutt
Jedediah Strutt or Jedidiah Strutt – as he spelt it – was a hosier and cotton spinner from Belper, England.Strutt and his brother-in-law William Woollat developed an attachment to the stocking frame that allowed the production of ribbed stockings...
. The Strutt family made themselves, and Britain, rich with their cotton business. Strutt bought the Scottish Glensanda
Glensanda
Glensanda was a Viking settlement at the mouth of Glen Sanda on the Morvern peninsula within south west Lochaber, overlooking the Isle of Lismore and Loch Linnhe in the western Highlands of Scotland....
estate where his son was lost and was found as a clothed skeleton five years later.
Biography
George Herbert Strutt was born in 1854 in Belper. He was from the well known Strutt family whose fortune came from cotton mills and the inventions of the Strutt ancestors back to Jedediah StruttJedediah Strutt
Jedediah Strutt or Jedidiah Strutt – as he spelt it – was a hosier and cotton spinner from Belper, England.Strutt and his brother-in-law William Woollat developed an attachment to the stocking frame that allowed the production of ribbed stockings...
. His father was George Henry Strutt
George Henry Strutt
George Henry Strutt was an English cotton manufacturer and philanthopist.Strutt was born at Belper, Derbyshire, the son of Jedediah Strutt and his wife Susannah Walker. The Strutt family had been cotton manufacturers at Belper since the time of Jedediah Strutt. Strutt lived at Bridge Hill...
and his mother was Agnes (born Ashton). He was the youngest child and only son. His three elder sisters were Susan Agnes, Lucy Frances and Clara Strutt.
In 1902, Strutt, and his wife Emily, bought the Glensanda
Glensanda
Glensanda was a Viking settlement at the mouth of Glen Sanda on the Morvern peninsula within south west Lochaber, overlooking the Isle of Lismore and Loch Linnhe in the western Highlands of Scotland....
and Kingairloch estates on the Morvern Peninsula
Morvern
Morvern is a peninsula in south west Lochaber, on the west coast of Scotland. The name is derived from the Gaelic A' Mhorbhairne . The highest point is the summit of the Corbett Creach Bheinn which reaches in elevation....
in Scotland. At these 24000 acres (97.1 km²) estates he built cottages and pony paths, enlarged the existing house and a dam in Glen Galmadale to hold water that could be used to keep the River Galma in flow (and fish) when there was a drought. The Strutt family were able to take cruises to Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
and nearby islands on the 150 ton steam ship, Sanda, Strutt kept there. Given the inaccessibility of the estate, a boat of some form was essential.
Like a number of his ancestors he was High Sheriff of Derbyshire
High Sheriff of Derbyshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Derbyshire from 1568.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...
, in 1903.
In 1907 he completed a long debate with the education authorities and was able to fund an elementary school for the children of Belper and its surrounding Derbyshire villages. The school was opened on May 7th 1909 by the Duke of Devonshire. Herbert Strutt School cost Strutt £20,000 and included large playing fields and stained glass in the library showing the Strutt coat of arms. In 1910 he funded a public swimming pool in Belper and within four years he gave an addition £5,000 to expand the school's facilities. The school went on to be a Grammar school before it was merged with two secondary modern schools to create the Belper School
Belper School
Belper School and Sixth Form Centre is a comprehensive school located in the town of Belper, Derbyshire, England. It has Foundation School status and is a specialist Technology College. In 2007, Ofsted reported that it was a 'good' school, while in 2009 it was deemed 'satisfactory' due to a dip in...
. The school's name and Strutt's gift are remembered in the name of an infant school in Belper. The school building is now being used by the community.
In 1921, Strutt again contributed to Derbyshire's Belper community. This time he gave land which was used to create the Memorial Gardens to remember those who had died in the First World War.
After Strutt's death, the estate at Glensanda
Glensanda
Glensanda was a Viking settlement at the mouth of Glen Sanda on the Morvern peninsula within south west Lochaber, overlooking the Isle of Lismore and Loch Linnhe in the western Highlands of Scotland....
was inherited by his son Arthur and then shared, in 1930, with Arthur's New Zealand wife, Patricia. Arthur died in odd circumstances. He went out one morning and five years later his death was to be presumed. On the Monday following his memorial service his body was found. His clothed skeleton was found half a mile from his home by forestry workers, but it was too late to ascertain his cause of death.
Portraits of Strutt and "Mrs George Strutt", both by Frank Ernest Beresford, are owned by Belper Town Council and Derby Art Gallery
Derby Museum and Art Gallery
Derby Museum and Art Gallery was established in 1879, along with Derby Central Library, in a new building designed by Richard Knill Freeman and given to Derby by Michael Thomas Bass. The collection includes a whole gallery displaying the paintings of Joseph Wright of Derby; there is also a large...
respectively.