Henry Overton Wills III
Encyclopedia
Henry Overton Wills redirects here. For Henry Overton Wills I and Henry Overton Wills II see the history of W. D. & H. O. Wills.
Henry Overton Wills III (22 December 1828 - 4 September 1911) was the first Chancellor
of the University of Bristol
.
Wills entered the family firm of W. D. & H. O. Wills in 1846, but retired from active association with the business in 1880, due to poor health. When the formation of Imperial Tobacco
greatly increased the family’s wealth, they began to contribute significant amounts of money to local causes. The most significant of these was announced by his son, George Alfred Wills
, in 1908, when he read a letter from his father promising £100,000 (around £6 million in today's money) to fund the charter of a university for Bristol if it were obtained within two years. With the charter and further funding quickly obtained, the University of Bristol was founded in 1909 with Henry as its first Chancellor. His estate was valued at £5,214,821 when he died in 1911.
The Wills Memorial Building
, one of the landmark buildings of Bristol University, was named in Henry's honour by his sons George
and Harry
. One of the Wills' family homes, Downside House in Bristol
, is now a hall of residence known as Wills Hall
for the university.
Henry was the cousin of William Henry Wills
, first Chairman of Imperial Tobacco
.
Henry Overton Wills III (22 December 1828 - 4 September 1911) was the first Chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
of the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
.
Wills entered the family firm of W. D. & H. O. Wills in 1846, but retired from active association with the business in 1880, due to poor health. When the formation of Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco is a global tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is the world’s fourth-largest cigarette company measured by market share , and the world's largest producer of cigars, fine-cut tobacco and tobacco papers...
greatly increased the family’s wealth, they began to contribute significant amounts of money to local causes. The most significant of these was announced by his son, George Alfred Wills
George Alfred Wills
George Alfred Wills was a President of Imperial Tobacco and the head of an eminent Bristol family. He was the son of Henry Overton Wills III and Alice Hopkinson and was educated at Mill Hill School before joining his father’s business, he eventually became the managing director.He was responsible...
, in 1908, when he read a letter from his father promising £100,000 (around £6 million in today's money) to fund the charter of a university for Bristol if it were obtained within two years. With the charter and further funding quickly obtained, the University of Bristol was founded in 1909 with Henry as its first Chancellor. His estate was valued at £5,214,821 when he died in 1911.
The Wills Memorial Building
Wills Memorial Building
The Wills Memorial Building is a Neo Gothic building designed by Sir George Oatley and built as a memorial to Henry Overton Wills III...
, one of the landmark buildings of Bristol University, was named in Henry's honour by his sons George
George Alfred Wills
George Alfred Wills was a President of Imperial Tobacco and the head of an eminent Bristol family. He was the son of Henry Overton Wills III and Alice Hopkinson and was educated at Mill Hill School before joining his father’s business, he eventually became the managing director.He was responsible...
and Harry
Henry Herbert Wills
Henry Herbert Wills was a businessman and philanthropist from Bristol.He was the son of Henry Overton Wills III and Alice Hopkinson and was born in Clifton, Bristol, Gloucestershire. He was educated at Clifton College. He was a member of the board for the Imperial Tobacco Company.His name is...
. One of the Wills' family homes, Downside House in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, is now a hall of residence known as Wills Hall
Wills Hall
Wills Hall is one of the nine halls of residence in the University of Bristol. Cresting the Stoke Bishop site on the edge of the Bristol Downs, in Parry's Lane, it houses 340 students in two quadrangles...
for the university.
Henry was the cousin of William Henry Wills
William Wills, 1st Baron Winterstoke
William Henry Wills, 1st Baron Winterstoke , known as Sir William Wills, Bt, between 1893 and 1906, was a British businessman, philanthropist and Liberal politician.-Background:...
, first Chairman of Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco is a global tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is the world’s fourth-largest cigarette company measured by market share , and the world's largest producer of cigars, fine-cut tobacco and tobacco papers...
.
External links
- http://members.cox.net/ggtext/henryowills1828_obit.htmlObituary in The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
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