William Hughes, 1st Baron Dinorben
Encyclopedia
William Lewis Hughes, 1st Baron Dinorben (10 November 1767 – 10 February 1852), was a British copper mine owner, philanthropist and Whig politician.
Hughes was the son of Reverend Edward Hughes, of Kinmel Hall
, Denbighshire
, and Mary, daughter of Robert Lewis, Rector of Trefdraeth. Mary had inherited the Llysdulas estate on Anglesey
from her uncle, including Parys Mountain
, which later became the largest copper mine in Europe and gained the Hughes family great wealth. The Kinmel estate in Denbighshire was acquired by Reverend Edward Hughes in 1786.
William Lewis Hughes was returned to parliament as one of two representatives for Wallingford
in 1802, a seat he held until 1831. The latter year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Dinorben, of Kinmel in the County of Denbigh. He was also a philanthropist and notably founded a free school for local girls at Kinmel.
Lord Dinorben died in February 1852, aged 74, and was succeeded in the barony by his younger but only surviving son, William. William was disabled and the title became extinct on his early death only eight months after succeeding in the title. Kinmel was passed on to the late Baron's cousin, Hugh Robert Hughes, who became known as "HRH", a reflection of his grand lifestyle.
Hughes was the son of Reverend Edward Hughes, of Kinmel Hall
Kinmel Hall
Kinmel Hall is a mansion near the village of St. George, close to the coastal town of Abergele, in Conwy county borough, Wales.The present chateau style house, the third on the site, was designed by W. E. Nesfield in the 1870s, and the adjoining Venetian Gardens were designed by his father, W. A....
, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, and Mary, daughter of Robert Lewis, Rector of Trefdraeth. Mary had inherited the Llysdulas estate on Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
from her uncle, including Parys Mountain
Parys Mountain
Parys Mountain – in the Welsh language Mynydd Parys – is located south of the town of Amlwch in north east Anglesey, Wales. It is the site of a large copper mine that was extensively exploited in the late 18th century.-History:...
, which later became the largest copper mine in Europe and gained the Hughes family great wealth. The Kinmel estate in Denbighshire was acquired by Reverend Edward Hughes in 1786.
William Lewis Hughes was returned to parliament as one of two representatives for Wallingford
Wallingford (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallingford was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was a parliamentary borough created in 1295, centred on the market town Wallingford in Berkshire . It used to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons; this was cut to one in 1832, and...
in 1802, a seat he held until 1831. The latter year he was raised to the peerage as Baron Dinorben, of Kinmel in the County of Denbigh. He was also a philanthropist and notably founded a free school for local girls at Kinmel.
Lord Dinorben died in February 1852, aged 74, and was succeeded in the barony by his younger but only surviving son, William. William was disabled and the title became extinct on his early death only eight months after succeeding in the title. Kinmel was passed on to the late Baron's cousin, Hugh Robert Hughes, who became known as "HRH", a reflection of his grand lifestyle.