Sir Robert Harvey (2 October 1847 – 14 March 1930) was a prominent British

saltpetre Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Indian saltpetre (large deposits of which were historically mined in India). It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitra ...

producer in Bolivia, Peru and Chile during the late 19th century. Harvey was born in

Truro Truro (; kw, Truru) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Cornwall, England. It is Cornwall's county town, sole city and centre for administration, leisure and retail trading. Its ...

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

to Samuel Harvey, a tailor. The young Harvey was apprenticed to William's engineering works at Truro. In 1872 he went to Bolivia to work in the

Tocopilla Tocopilla is a city and commune in the Antofagasta Region, in the north of Chile. It is the capital of the province that bears the same name. Every year Tocopilla celebrates its anniversary on 29 September with a big show the day before, which ...

Copper Mines and in 1875, moved to

Iquique Iquique () is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Pampa del Tamarugal, which is part of the Atacama Desert. It has a population of 191,468 ...

, which was then in Peru, and became involved in the production of saltpetre. During the

War of the Pacific The War of the Pacific ( es, link=no, Guerra del Pacífico), also known as the Saltpeter War ( es, link=no, Guerra del salitre) and by multiple other names, was a war between Chile and a Bolivian–Peruvian alliance from 1879 to 1884. Fought ...

, Harvey was captured at the

Battle of San Francisco The Battle of San Francisco, also known as the Battle of Dolores (not to be confused with the Battle of Dolores River (1904) during the Philippine–American War), was a major battle in the Tarapacá Campaign of the War of the Pacific, fought o ...

. Due to his expertise in the nitrate industry, he was recruited to work for the Chilean government. About this time he married Alida María Godefroy who was from a respected Franco-Peruvian family. In 1881, when the Chilean government privatized the nitrate industry, Harvey became managing partner for the firm of J. T. North and Harvey, which he had established with

John Thomas North John Thomas North (30 January 1842 – 5 May 1896) was an English investor and businessman. North was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, the son of a coal merchant and a churchwarden. At the age of fifteen he was apprenticed to millwrights and engine ...

, who was often called the Nitrate King. By 1883, Harvey had made enough money he decided it was time to return to Britain where he became a landowner in Cornwall and Devon. He bought the Trenoweth estate, near

Grampound Road Grampound Road ( kw, Fordh Ponsmeur) is a village in the parish of Ladock, Cornwall, England, north-west of Grampound. The railway station of that name was opened on 4 May 1859 and closed in 1964. A small village known as Grampound Road grew ...

and many properties in the

Totnes Totnes ( or ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is about west of Paignton, about west-so ...

area including Dundridge House in the

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

Harberton Harberton is a village, civil parish and former manor 3 miles south west of Totnes, in the South Hams District of Devon, England. The parish includes the village of Harbertonford situated on the main A381 road. In the 2001 census the parish ...

. In 1897, he was

High Sheriff of Devon The High Sheriff of Devon is the Queen's representative for the County of Devon, a territory known as his/her bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, they hold the office for one year. They have judicial, ceremonial and administrative f ...

and in 1900

Sheriff of Cornwall Sheriffs and high sheriffs of Cornwall: a chronological list: The right to choose high sheriffs each year is vested in the Duchy of Cornwall. The Privy Council, chaired by the sovereign, chooses the sheriffs of all other English counties, oth ...

, and he made an unsuccessful run to become MP for

. He was among the new

knights A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

announced in the

1901 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1901 were appointments to Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, various orders and honours of the United Kingdom and British Raj, British India. The list was published in ''The Times'' on 1 January 1901, and t ...

list, and was knighted by King

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

Marlborough House Marlborough House, a Grade I listed mansion in St James's, City of Westminster, London, is the headquarters of the Commonwealth of Nations and the seat of the Commonwealth Secretariat. It was built in 1711 for Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marl ...

on 9 February 1901. He had one daughter, Dame

Alida Brittain Dame Alida Luisa Brittain (''née'' Harvey; 12 June 1883''1939 England and Wales Register'' – 5 January 1943) was a British harpist. She was the wife of politician and journalist Sir Harry Brittain. The only daughter of businessman Sir Rober ...

, and five sons, including politician Sir

Samuel Emile Harvey Major Sir Samuel Emile Harvey DL (7 December 1885 – 9 November 1959) was a British Conservative Party politician. He sat in the House of Commons for all but one of the years from 1922 to 1935. Early life Harvey was born in Cornwall to Sir R ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harvey, Robert 1847 births 1930 deaths British expatriates in Bolivia British expatriates in Chile British expatriates in Peru High Sheriffs of Cornwall High Sheriffs of Devon Knights Bachelor People from Truro