Philip Cunliffe-Owen
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Philip Cunliffe-Owen KCB
, KCMG, CIE (8 June 1828 – 23 March 1894) was an exhibition organizer and the Director of the South Kensington Museum in London
.
, served in the Mediterranean and West Indies, but left after five years due to poor health.
In 1854, his elder brother, Henry Charles Cunliffe-Owen, helped him to obtain a position in the newly formed Department of Science and Art. The secretary of the department was Henry Cole
(later to be the first Director of the South Kensington Museum). Cole appointed Cunliffe-Owen as one of the superintendents of the British section in the 1855 Exposition Universelle
, held at Paris
. Cunliffe-Owen was an expert in French
, which proved very helpful.
In 1857, Cunliffe-Owen became deputy general superintendent of the new South Kensington Museum. In 1860, he was promoted to be Assistant Director in 1860, second in command to Henry Cole, who was the Director.
Cunliffe-Owen acted as director of the foreign sections for the 1862 International Exhibition
in London. He helped Cole as assistant executive commissioner for the Paris 1867 Exposition Universelle
. He was appointed secretary of the Royal Commission
and to represent Britain at the 1873 Weltausstellung
in Vienna
, Austria
, reporting to the Edward, Prince of Wales
.
For the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, USA, Cunliffe-Owen was Great Britain
's executive commissioner for Great Britain and visited the United States
to make the initial arrangements. Two years later, Cunliffe-Owen was again Secretary of the Royal Commission for the Paris 1878 Exposition Universelle
.
In 1893, on Cunliffe-Owen's retirement as Director, the South Kensington Museum was split into the Victoria and Albert Museum
and the Science Museum
.
He was a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire
, a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
, and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
.
He received a number of foreign decorations, including Grand Officier of the French Légion d'honneur
.
, on 12 May 1854.
He had ten children in all.
The tobacco industrialist, Sir Hugo Cunliffe-Owen
(1870–1947), was his ninth child and his youngest son. Cunliffe-Owen died of heart disease
in Lowestoft, Suffolk
, on 23 March 1894.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, KCMG, CIE (8 June 1828 – 23 March 1894) was an exhibition organizer and the Director of the South Kensington Museum 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...
.
Biography
Philip Cunliffe-Owen was the son of Captain Charles Cunliffe-Owen RN and Mary Peckwell Blossett. At the age of 12, he joined the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, served in the Mediterranean and West Indies, but left after five years due to poor health.
Henry Cole
Sir Henry Cole was an English civil servant and inventor who facilitated many innovations in commerce and education in 19th century Britain...
(later to be the first Director of the South Kensington Museum). Cole appointed Cunliffe-Owen as one of the superintendents of the British section in the 1855 Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1855)
The Exposition Universelle of 1855 was an International Exhibition held on the Champs-Elysées in Paris from May 15 to November 15, 1855. Its full official title was the Exposition Universelle des produits de l'Agriculture, de l'Industrie et des Beaux-Arts de Paris 1855.The exposition was a major...
, held at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Cunliffe-Owen was an expert in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, which proved very helpful.
In 1857, Cunliffe-Owen became deputy general superintendent of the new South Kensington Museum. In 1860, he was promoted to be Assistant Director in 1860, second in command to Henry Cole, who was the Director.
Cunliffe-Owen acted as director of the foreign sections for the 1862 International Exhibition
1862 International Exhibition
The International of 1862, or Great London Exposition, was a world's fair. It was held from 1 May to 1 November 1862, beside the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society, South Kensington, London, England, on a site that now houses museums including the Natural History Museum and the Science...
in London. He helped Cole as assistant executive commissioner for the Paris 1867 Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1867)
The Exposition Universelle of 1867 was a World Exposition held in Paris, France, in 1867.-Conception:In 1864, Emperor Napoleon III decreed that an international exposition should be held in Paris in 1867. A commission was appointed with Prince Jerome Napoleon as president, under whose direction...
. He was appointed secretary of the Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
and to represent Britain at the 1873 Weltausstellung
Weltausstellung 1873 Wien
]The Weltausstellung 1873 Wien was the large World exposition was held in 1873 in the Austria–Hungarian capital of Vienna. Its motto was Kultur und Erziehung ....
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, reporting to the Edward, Prince of Wales
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
.
For the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, USA, Cunliffe-Owen was Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
's executive commissioner for Great Britain and visited the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to make the initial arrangements. Two years later, Cunliffe-Owen was again Secretary of the Royal Commission for the Paris 1878 Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1878)
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
.
In 1893, on Cunliffe-Owen's retirement as Director, the South Kensington Museum was split into the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
and the Science Museum
Science Museum (London)
The Science Museum is one of the three major museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. The museum is a major London tourist attraction....
.
Honours
In 1864, Cunliffe-Owen was elected a member of the Society of Arts and in 1879 he was appointed to the society's council.He was a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
, a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
.
He received a number of foreign decorations, including Grand Officier of the French Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.
Personal life
Cunliffe-Owen married Jenny von Reitzenstein (died 1894), daughter of Fritz von Baron Reitzenstein from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, on 12 May 1854.
He had ten children in all.
The tobacco industrialist, Sir Hugo Cunliffe-Owen
Hugo Cunliffe-Owen
Sir Hugo Cunliffe-Owen, 1st Baronet was an English industrialist.Cunliffe-Owen was the younger son of Sir Philip Cunliffe-Owen. He was educated at Brighton College and then Clifton College and then went into business in Bristol...
(1870–1947), was his ninth child and his youngest son. Cunliffe-Owen died of heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
in Lowestoft, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, on 23 March 1894.