Henry Bruce, 1st Baron Aberdare Facts for Kids

Parliamentary offices

Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 23 August 1873 – 25 February 1895 Hereditary peerage
Preceded by	Peerage created
Succeeded by	The 2nd Lord Aberdare
Member of Parliament for Renfrewshire
In office 25 January 1869 – 23 August 1873
Preceded by	Archibald Alexander Speirs
Succeeded by	Archibald Campbell
Member of Parliament for Merthyr Tydfil
In office 14 December 1852 – 11 November 1868
Preceded by	Sir John Josiah Guest
Succeeded by	Henry Richard

Personal details

Born

Henry Austin Bruce

16 April 1815
Aberdare, Glamorganshire

Died

25 February 1895 (aged 79)
South Kensington, London

Resting place

Aberffrwd Cemetery, Mountain Ash

Political party

Liberal

Spouses

Annabella Beadon

(m. 1846; died 1852)

Norah Napier

(m. 1854)

Education

Swansea Grammar School

Alma mater

Lincoln's Inn

Henry Austin Bruce, also known as the 1st Baron Aberdare, was an important British politician. He was born on April 16, 1815, and passed away on February 25, 1895. He was a member of the Liberal Party. He held key government jobs, including being the Home Secretary from 1868 to 1873. This role was like being in charge of law and order in the country. He also served as the Lord President of the Council, which was another high-ranking government position.

Early Life and Education
Political Career Begins (1852–1868)
- The 1868 Election Challenge
Key Government Roles (1869–1874)
- Focus on Education and Social Issues
Work in West Africa
Family Life
Memorial
Images for kids

Early Life and Education

Henry Bruce was born in a place called Duffryn, Aberdare, in Glamorganshire, Wales. His father, John Bruce, was a landowner in the area. Henry's family became very wealthy when coal was discovered under their land.

From the age of twelve, Henry went to Swansea Grammar School. Later, in 1837, he became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer. From 1847 to 1854, he worked as a special judge for Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare. He left this job when he became a Member of Parliament.

Political Career Begins (1852–1868)

Lord Aberdare, portrait after Henry Tanworth Wells.

In December 1852, Henry Bruce became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Merthyr Tydfil. He was supported by powerful iron factory owners. Even so, he often supported new and fair policies, except for secret voting.

However, his relationship with coal miners in the Aberdare Valley became difficult. This happened during a big strike in 1857–1858. Bruce tried to calm the miners, but he also spoke strongly against trade unions. This made him unpopular and might have led to his election loss later.

In 1862, after almost ten years as an MP, he became the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department. This was a junior role in the Home Office. In 1864, he became a Privy Councillor and was promoted to Vice-President of the Council of Education.

The 1868 Election Challenge

In the 1868 general election, the Merthyr Tydfil area changed. More people could vote, especially miners in the Aberdare Valley. Many of these new voters did not like Bruce because of his actions during the 1857–58 strike.

Another Liberal candidate, Henry Richard, who was very popular, also ran. This made it harder for Bruce. In the end, he lost his seat and finished third in the election.

Key Government Roles (1869–1874)

Statue overlooking the Main Building of Cardiff University

After losing his seat in Merthyr Tydfil, Bruce was quickly elected as an MP for Renfrewshire in 1869. Soon after, William Ewart Gladstone, the Prime Minister, made him the Home Secretary. This was a very important job, overseeing law and order in the country.

During his time as Home Secretary, he worked on new laws about alcohol. He was responsible for the Licensing Act 1872. This law gave local judges more power over who could sell alcohol. It also made rules about how long pubs could stay open.

In 1873, Bruce left the Home Secretary role to become the Lord President of the Council. This was another high-ranking position. At this time, he was also given a special title and became a Lord, known as Baron Aberdare.

Focus on Education and Social Issues

Caricature of Bruce by Carlo Pellegrini published in Vanity Fair in 1869 with the caption "He has gained credit by converting himself to the Ballot; he would gain greater credit by converting himself into an ex-secretary of State for the Home Department"

After the Liberal government lost power in 1874, Lord Aberdare focused on social and educational issues. He was very interested in improving education in Wales. In 1880, he led a committee that looked into education in Wales. Their report led to the Welsh Intermediate Education Act 1889, which helped create more schools.

Lord Aberdare also helped set up University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire in 1883, becoming its first president. He believed that Wales needed its own university. This dream came true in 1893 when the University of Wales was founded, and Lord Aberdare became its first leader.

He was also involved in many important groups. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1876. He was president of the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Geographical Society. He also led the Girls' Day School Trust, which helped provide education for girls.

Work in West Africa

In 1882, Lord Aberdare became involved with West Africa. He became the chairman of the National African Company. This company later became the Royal Niger Company in 1886. This company played a big role in the history of Nigeria.

Family Life

Henry Austin Bruce's grave at Aberffrwd cemetery in Mountain Ash, Wales.

Coats of Arms of Henry Bruce

Henry Bruce married Annabella Beadon in 1846. They had one son and three daughters. After Annabella passed away in 1852, he married Norah Creina Blanche Napier in 1854. Norah was the daughter of a famous historian, Sir William Napier.

With Norah, he had seven daughters and two sons. One of their sons, Charles Granville Bruce, became a famous mountaineer. Their daughter, Alice Bruce, was a leader in women's education. Another daughter, Sarah, married a barrister named Montague Muir Mackenzie.

Lord Aberdare passed away in London on February 25, 1895, at the age of 79. His son from his first marriage, Henry, became the next Baron Aberdare. His wife, Lady Aberdare, was also very active in promoting women's education and helped establish Aberdare Hall in Cardiff.

Memorial

Henry Austin Bruce is buried at Aberffrwd Cemetery in Mountain Ash, Wales. His grave is marked by a simple Celtic cross.

Images for kids

Headstone of Sarah Fox Matheson, née Bruce (1861–1935), in Headington Cemetery, Oxford

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Henry Bruce, 1st Baron Aberdare facts for kids

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