George Sholto Gordon Douglas-Pennant, 2nd Baron Penrhyn
Encyclopedia
George Sholto Gordon Douglas-Pennant, 2nd Baron Penrhyn (30 September 1836-10 March 1907), was a landowner who played a prominent part in the Welsh slate industry
as the owner of the Penrhyn Quarry
in North Wales.
Douglas-Pennant was the son of Colonel Edward Gordon Douglas, brother of George Sholto Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton, who, through his wife, Juliana, elder daughter and co-heir of George Hay Dawkins-Pennant, of Penrhyn Castle, Caernarvon
, had large estates in Wales
and elsewhere, and was created Baron Penrhyn in 1866. Dawkins had inherited the estates from Richard Penrhyn, who was created Baron Penryn in 1763, the title becoming extinct on his death in 1808.
George Douglas-Pennant was Conservative Member of Parliament
for Caernarvonshire
between 1866 and 1868 and 1874 and 1880, and succeeded his father in the title in 1886. He came prominently before the public in 1897 and subsequent years in connection with the famous strike
at his Welsh slate
-quarries
.
During his father's lifetime the management of the Penrhyn quarry had been left practically to an elective committee of the operatives as laid out by the Pennant-Lloyd agreement, something with which George wholly disagreed. Upon assuming control of the quarry in 1886, two years before his father's death, he abolished the committee, and with the help of E. A. Young, whom he brought in from London
as manager, he reorganized the business so as to increase profits from the slate quarry to something like £150,000 a year. The new men and new methods met with resistance from the trade union
ist leaders of the quarrymen, and in 1897, when the "new unionism" was spreading throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
, a strike took place.
Lord Penrhyn refused to recognize the union or its officials, though he was willing to consider any grievances from individual quarrymen, and a protracted struggle ensued, which he was determined to win. He became the object of bitter political hostility, and the trade unions unsuccessfully sought some form of government intervention. Penrhyn strikers travelled the country, singing and collecting contributions to their funds. On the grounds that several strikers who had gone to the coal mines of south Wales continued to draw strike pay from the union, thereby limiting considerably available funds for the destitute, the union withdrew all strike pay in 1903, having paid out nearly two years beyond its constitutional obligations.
The strike went beyond a dispute between owner and worker to have international consequence as the world watched to see whether the traditional power of the aristocracy could hold sway against the might of growing trades unions. A timely slump in the demand for Welsh slate ensured that Penrhyn had enough men working for the quarry to satisfy all orders: he did not need to concede on a single one of the strikers' demands. The strike collapsed pitifully with Penrhyn's manager E. A. Young maintaining a blacklist of strikers which was used to gauge whether those wishing to return to work should be offered a position. Many were refused.
Lord Penrhyn married, firstly, Pamela Blanche, daughter of Sir Charles Rushout, 2nd Baronet, in 1860. They had one son and six daughters. After her death in 1869 he married, secondly, Gertryde Jessy, daughter of Reverend Henry Glynne, in 1875. They had two sons and six daughters. Lord Penrhyn died in March 1907, aged 70, and was succeeded in the title by his eldest son, Edward. Lady Penrhyn died in 1940.
Slate industry in Wales
The slate industry in Wales began during the Roman period when slate was used to roof the fort at Segontium, now Caernarfon. The slate industry grew slowly until the early 18th century, then expanded rapidly until the late 19th century, at which time the most important slate producing areas were in...
as the owner of the Penrhyn Quarry
Penrhyn Quarry
The Penrhyn Slate Quarry is a slate quarry located near Bethesda in north Wales. At the end of the nineteenth century it was the world's largest slate quarry; the main pit is nearly long and deep, and it was worked by nearly 3,000 quarrymen. It has since been superseded in size by slate quarries...
in North Wales.
Douglas-Pennant was the son of Colonel Edward Gordon Douglas, brother of George Sholto Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton, who, through his wife, Juliana, elder daughter and co-heir of George Hay Dawkins-Pennant, of Penrhyn Castle, Caernarvon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
, had large estates in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and elsewhere, and was created Baron Penrhyn in 1866. Dawkins had inherited the estates from Richard Penrhyn, who was created Baron Penryn in 1763, the title becoming extinct on his death in 1808.
George Douglas-Pennant was Conservative 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 Caernarvonshire
Caernarvonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Caernarvonshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885 and from 1918 until 1950. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post...
between 1866 and 1868 and 1874 and 1880, and succeeded his father in the title in 1886. He came prominently before the public in 1897 and subsequent years in connection with the famous strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
at his Welsh slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
-quarries
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
.
During his father's lifetime the management of the Penrhyn quarry had been left practically to an elective committee of the operatives as laid out by the Pennant-Lloyd agreement, something with which George wholly disagreed. Upon assuming control of the quarry in 1886, two years before his father's death, he abolished the committee, and with the help of E. A. Young, whom he brought in from 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...
as manager, he reorganized the business so as to increase profits from the slate quarry to something like £150,000 a year. The new men and new methods met with resistance from the trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
ist leaders of the quarrymen, and in 1897, when the "new unionism" was spreading throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
, a strike took place.
Lord Penrhyn refused to recognize the union or its officials, though he was willing to consider any grievances from individual quarrymen, and a protracted struggle ensued, which he was determined to win. He became the object of bitter political hostility, and the trade unions unsuccessfully sought some form of government intervention. Penrhyn strikers travelled the country, singing and collecting contributions to their funds. On the grounds that several strikers who had gone to the coal mines of south Wales continued to draw strike pay from the union, thereby limiting considerably available funds for the destitute, the union withdrew all strike pay in 1903, having paid out nearly two years beyond its constitutional obligations.
The strike went beyond a dispute between owner and worker to have international consequence as the world watched to see whether the traditional power of the aristocracy could hold sway against the might of growing trades unions. A timely slump in the demand for Welsh slate ensured that Penrhyn had enough men working for the quarry to satisfy all orders: he did not need to concede on a single one of the strikers' demands. The strike collapsed pitifully with Penrhyn's manager E. A. Young maintaining a blacklist of strikers which was used to gauge whether those wishing to return to work should be offered a position. Many were refused.
Lord Penrhyn married, firstly, Pamela Blanche, daughter of Sir Charles Rushout, 2nd Baronet, in 1860. They had one son and six daughters. After her death in 1869 he married, secondly, Gertryde Jessy, daughter of Reverend Henry Glynne, in 1875. They had two sons and six daughters. Lord Penrhyn died in March 1907, aged 70, and was succeeded in the title by his eldest son, Edward. Lady Penrhyn died in 1940.