Robert Rundell Guinness facts for kids

Robert Rundell Guinness (born December 12, 1789, died March 7, 1857) was an important Irish banker. He is best known for starting the Guinness Mahon bank in 1836. He was the first person in his family line to become a banker. His grandfather, Samuel Guinness, was a goldbeater in Dublin.

About Robert's Family

Robert was the son of Richard Guinness (1755-1829). His father was a barrister (a type of lawyer) and a judge in Dublin. Robert's mother was Mary Darley, whose family was famous for building houses in Dublin.

Robert was also the grand-nephew of the famous brewer Arthur Guinness. He was the older brother of Richard Samuel Guinness, who became a Member of Parliament.

Robert's Marriages and Children

Robert married Mary Anne Seymour in November 1822. She passed away in 1837 at their home in Stillorgan, County Dublin. They had three children together:

• Mary Catherine (1823-1905), who married Sir Samuel Ferguson.
• Richard Seymour (1826-1915), who later became a banker at Guinness Mahon starting in 1841.
• Henry (1829–93), who also became a banker at Guinness Mahon from 1851.

Robert married again in June 1840 to Mary Anne Moore. They had seven children, including:

• Revd Robert Guinness (1841-1918).
• Six daughters who did not have children.

Robert's grandson, Henry Guinness, became an Irish senator in 1922. His granddaughter, Lucy Guinness, was married to the painter Philip de László.

Starting Guinness Mahon Bank

Like his father, uncle, and brother, Robert first trained to be a lawyer. He studied at the King's Inns and became a barrister in Dublin.

In 1836, Robert started a financial business with his brother Richard. After a short time, they ended that partnership. In the same year, Robert teamed up with John Ross Mahon. They mainly worked as land agents, which means they helped buy and sell land. Their business was called Guinness & Mahon and was based in Dublin. By 1851, the company was known as Guinness Mahon & Company.

In 1854, the company moved to new offices on College Green in the center of Dublin. They started doing more banking business. They also added services like insurance and life assurance.

After Robert's death in 1857, his sons Richard Seymour and Henry continued to grow the banking side of the business. In 1873, they made a good deal with the Bank of Ireland for discounting terms.

Other Interests and Activities

Robert Guinness was elected a lifetime member of the Royal Dublin Society in 1821. This society promotes science, art, and industry in Ireland.

He was active in different committees within the society:

• From 1823 to 1826, he joined the botany committee, which studied plants.
• From 1831 to 1838, he was part of the economy committee.
• From 1840 to 1841, he served on the statistics committee, which dealt with collecting and analyzing data.