Sir Foster Cunliffe, 3rd Baronet facts for kids
Sir Foster Cunliffe, 3rd Baronet (born 1755, died 1834) was an important person in British history. He is best known for starting the Royal Society of British Bowmen, a group dedicated to the sport of archery.
About Sir Foster Cunliffe
Foster Cunliffe was the son of Sir Robert Cunliffe, who was the 2nd Baronet. When his father passed away in 1778, Foster became the 3rd Baronet. A "Baronet" is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family.
Sir Foster Cunliffe moved from Saighton, a place near Chester, to a large estate called Acton Park near Wrexham in Wales. He made the house bigger and added a fancy entrance gate called the Four Dogs gateway. This gateway is still there today! In 1787, he also held an important local job as the High Sheriff of Denbighshire.
He also worked on another house called Pant-yr-ochain in Gresford. This house is now a popular restaurant. Sir Foster bought it for two of his unmarried daughters, Charlotte and Emma, to live in. The sisters were known for hosting fun parties and inviting important local people. These guests included their brother-in-law, Charles Williams-Wynn, and the Glynne family. A famous guest was William Ewart Gladstone, who married Catherine Glynne. Mr. Gladstone later became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom four times!
Besides his love for archery, Sir Foster Cunliffe also led a group of part-time soldiers called the Wrexham Yeomanry Cavalry. This was during the time of the Napoleonic Wars.
His Family Life
Sir Foster Cunliffe married a woman named Harriet Kinloch. She was known for her singing and was the daughter of Sir David Kinloch, who was the 5th Baronet of his family.
His Love for Archery
Archery, the sport of shooting with a bow and arrow, was very popular among important families back then. Sir Foster Cunliffe, along with the Williams-Wynn family, helped start the Society of British Bowmen. This group later became known as the Royal Society of British Bowmen. It was officially formed at Acton Hall in 1787.
There is a painting of Sir Foster Cunliffe by a famous artist named John Hoppner. It shows him in a forest, wearing his archer's uniform. He has a green coat, yellow pants, and special boots. His black hat with a feather is on the ground near his feet. People in Wrexham are trying to raise money to buy this painting. It was shown at a big art exhibition in Wrexham in 1876, which featured works by other famous painters too.
What He Left Behind
Before Sir Foster Cunliffe passed away, Acton Park was the most important house in Wrexham. The house was rebuilt between 1687 and 1695, and then made even bigger in 1786-87 when the Cunliffe family moved in. The large park around the house was created in the 1790s.
His son, Sir Robert, inherited the house. Later, it went to his grandson, who was also named Sir Robert. This grandson was a Member of Parliament for Flint and then Denbigh. He died in 1905 and was the last Cunliffe family member to own Acton Hall, which people started calling Acton Park. By the 1920s, the family's descendants had sold off parts of the land. The main house itself was torn down in 1954.
