Henry Musgrave facts for kids

Musgrave Park, a lovely green space in Belfast, was given to the city by Henry Musgrave.

An M3 Musgraves Original cylindrical warm air stove. Musgrave's factory in Belfast made about 100 stoves a week in 1891. They were sent all over Europe!

This is the old Riddel's Warehouse in Belfast. Henry Musgrave's family businesses grew from this hardware company, started by his mother's brother.

This building was part of the Musgrave Mountpottinger Works, built in the 1890s. They made stoves and fans here.

Riddel Hall was built in 1915 to be a home for female students at Queen's University. Henry Musgrave helped lead the committee for it.

Drumglass Park used to be Henry Musgrave's garden. He gave it to Belfast city. You can see the old gatehouse to his home in the background.

Henry Musgrave had this statue built for soldier John Nicholson in Lisburn, their hometown.

This is the Church of Ireland church at Glencolumbkille. Henry Musgrave paid for the tower to be built in 1913.

Henry Musgrave (born 1827 – died 1922) was an important businessman and generous helper in Northern Ireland. He is probably best known for giving the land for Musgrave Park to the city of Belfast. A painting of him can be seen at Queen's University Belfast.

Who Was Henry Musgrave's Family?

Henry Musgrave was the youngest of 12 children! His parents were Dr. Samuel Musgrave and Mary Musgrave. Dr. Musgrave was a doctor who moved from Edinburgh to Lisburn, County Down, when he was about 20 years old. Henry was born there. His mother, Mary, was from County Down.

Henry's uncle, John Riddel, started a company called Riddels. They sold hardware, like tools and metal goods, in Belfast. This business later grew into the Musgrave family's metalworking companies, which Henry would eventually take over.

After Henry's father passed away when Henry was seven, his family moved from Lisburn to Belfast. They lived in different places before building a large house called Drumglass House in 1855. This house is now Victoria College, a school for girls. The Musgrave family also bought a large piece of land in Carrick, County Donegal, where they sometimes went for hunting trips.

None of Henry's brothers or sisters ever got married. Henry was the last of his siblings to live, and he reached the age of 95.

Henry Musgrave's Education and Early Work

Henry Musgrave went to school at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. After school, he learned about business by working with William Finlay, who sold tea and wine.

Henry Musgrave's Businesses

Around 1850, Henry started his own business with his brother Edgar. Their company, H & E Musgrave, sold tea and sugar in Belfast.

Musgrave & Co Ltd: A Big Ironworks Company

As Henry got older and outlived his family members, he took over many businesses. One very important company was the ironworks called Messrs Musgrave & Co Ltd. This company had been started by Henry's older brothers, Robert, John, and James, along with their uncle, John Riddel. The business first appeared in Belfast in 1843.

Musgrave & Co grew bigger and bigger. They moved to new, larger places to make their products. By the 1890s, they built even bigger factories in Mountpottinger.

During this time, the company sold its goods all over Britain, Europe, and even North and South America. Their customers included important people like cattle owners in South America and European royalty. In 1890, they designed and supplied much of the metalwork for parks in Dublin, including the bandstand in Phoenix Park.

After his brother James Musgrave passed away in 1904, Henry Musgrave became the chairman of the company. He was the last Musgrave family member to be on the board.

By this time, Musgrave & Co had offices in most European countries. They provided heating systems for theaters and built air washers for technical schools. Henry Musgrave passed away in 1922. Many years later, in 1965, Musgrave & Co faced money problems and had to close down, ending a 120-year-old company.

Other Businesses Henry Musgrave Led

Henry Musgrave also became the leader of several other companies. These included businesses that sold hardware, tobacco, and even a salt mining company and a railway company.

Henry Musgrave's Generosity and Charity Work

Henry Musgrave was very involved in helping others, especially in his later years. He cared a lot about education and his church. He mostly gave money and help in Belfast and near his family's land in Donegal.

When he died in 1922, his will showed that he left over £100,000 for charity. A huge amount, £20,000, was set aside just to buy land and build new schools in Belfast.

Riddel Hall: Helping Women Students

Henry Musgrave's cousins, Eliza and Isabella Riddel, built Riddel Hall. In 1915, this hall was set up to provide a place for women students at Queen's University Belfast to live while they studied. Henry Musgrave was the chairman of the committee that ran it.

Musgrave Park: A Gift to the City

In 1921, Henry Musgrave gave land to Belfast to create Musgrave Park. This park is in south Belfast, not far from where he lived. The park was beautifully designed and opened to the public in 1924, two years after Henry Musgrave passed away.

Drumglass Park: A Garden for Everyone

Drumglass Park was once six acres of Henry Musgrave's private garden, next to his home. In his will, he gave this garden to the City of Belfast. He said it had to be used as a public park or a children's playground. It opened in 1924.

Today, this small park has a playground for kids, a bandstand for music, and public restrooms.

Glencolumbkille Church Tower

In 1913, Henry Musgrave paid for a tower to be built on the local church in Glencolumbkille, which was close to his family's country estate. He also left money in his will for this church and another nearby church.

John Nicholson Statue in Lisburn

Henry Musgrave had a statue built to remember a soldier named John Nicholson in Market Square, Lisburn. Both Henry and John were born in Lisburn. The statue stands outside the Linen Centre.

Scholarships at Queen's University, Belfast

Henry Musgrave left money in his will to help students at Queen's University, Belfast. He wanted to help students, especially those studying pathology (the study of diseases), following the example of his brother. He also set up a scholarship for students studying languages, which is still available today.

Henry Musgrave's will also helped buy four houses near Queen's University. These houses became a place for male students to live, called 'Queen's Chambers'. It opened in 1936 but was later taken down in the 1960s to build the Queen's Student Union.

Other Ways Henry Musgrave Helped

Henry Musgrave was also a leader at his old school, the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. He was a lifelong supporter of the Royal Victoria Hospital. He was also an active member of the Belfast Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, which promotes farming.

Honors and Recognition

On March 1, 1917, Henry Musgrave was given the special title of honorary burgess of the City of Belfast. He also served as a grand juror and the High Sheriff of Donegal from 1909 to 1910. He was made a Deputy Lieutenant for both the City of Belfast and Donegal.