Louisa Anne Ryland (17 January 1814 – 28 January 1889) was a major benefactor to the (then) town of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

, England. She became a millionaire on the death of her father, Samuel Ryland of The Laurels, Hagley Road, Edgbaston, whose family fortune was made in the wire drawing industry by his father, John Ryland.

Early life

Louisa Ryland was born on 17 January 1814 to Samuel Ryland and Anne Pemberton. Samuel Ryland's father had made his fortune through wire drawing and then land investment around Birmingham, a portfolio that had been continued by Samuel. Ryland was brought up largely by her

governess A governess is a largely obsolete term for a woman employed as a private tutor, who teaches and trains a child or children in their home. A governess often lives in the same residence as the children she is teaching. In contrast to a nanny, th ...

, Charlotte Randle, in a unitarian household. Samuel Ryland died in 1843 and Anne in 1862.

Beneficiaries

Ryland's donations included several large areas of land that were used to create public parks. The largest of these, donated in 1873, was some and became

Cannon Hill Park Cannon Hill Park is a park located in south Birmingham, England. It is the most popular park in the city, covering consisting of formal, conservation, woodland and sports areas. Recreational activities at the park include boating, fishing, bowls, ...

. Another, in 1879, was Victoria Park (now Small Heath Park), Small Heath. She also contributed to education centres

Birmingham School of Art The Birmingham School of Art was a municipal art school based in the centre of Birmingham, England. Although the organisation was absorbed by Birmingham Polytechnic in 1971 and is now part of Birmingham City University's Faculty of Arts, Design a ...

and The Birmingham & Midland Institute, as well as multiple hospitals, Queen's Hospital, the Eye Hospital, the

Jaffray Hospital Jaffray may refer to: * Jaffray, British Columbia, Canada * Jaffray baronets, a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom * " Katharine Jaffray", a traditional Scottish ballad People with the surname * David Jaffray (born c. 1970), Canadian m ...

and Birmingham General Hospital. Ryland became one of Birmingham's most significant philanthropists, donating approximately £180,000 worth approximately £132 million in 2018.Comparing average earnings between 1889 and 2018, £180,000 is valued at approximately £136,200,000 b
MeasuringWorth.com
/ref> However, it is difficult to confirm the actual amount donated, as Ryland refused to be associated with the donations, giving them either anonymously or as "A friend of Birmingham". Ryland died at Barford Hill on 28 January 1889. She was buried at All Saints Church, Sherbourne, next to the grave of her governess, Charlotte Randle.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryland, Louisa People from Birmingham, West Midlands 1814 births 1889 deaths English philanthropists 19th-century British philanthropists