Sir Hugh Owen Owen, 2nd Baronet (25 December 1803 – 5 September 1891), known as Hugh Owen Lord until 1809, was a

British Liberal Party The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties in the United Kingdom, along with the Conservative Party, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Beginning as an alliance of Whigs, free trade–supporting Peelites, and reformist Rad ...

, Conservative Party and

Tory A Tory () is an individual who supports a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalist conservatism which upholds the established social order as it has evolved through the history of Great Britain. The To ...

politician.

Family and early life

Born in 1803 as Hugh Owen Lord, Owen was the son of

Sir John Owen, 1st Baronet Sir John Owen, 1st Baronet (1776 – 6 February 1861), born John Lord, was a British Tory (later Conservative Party) politician from Wales. He sat as a Member of Parliament (MP) for over fifty years. His wealth came from coal mining but he lo ...

and his first wife Charlotte, daughter of John Lewes Philipps. He was a descendant of the nobleman Hwfa ap Cynddelw to the Owens of

Orielton, Pembrokeshire Orielton is a historic country house and estate near Hundleton in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was the seat of the Owen baronets from the 16th to 19th centuries. It was requisitioned during wartime, and later used as a field studies centre for environ ...

, a family known for parliamentary and military service in

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...

. His surname was changed to Owen when his father inherited the estates of Hugh Owen's cousin Sir Hugh Owen, 6th Baronet, whom Owen was named after. Educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

in 1817, and graduating from

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

in 1822, he first married Angelina Maria Cecilia, daughter of

Sir Charles Morgan, 2nd Baronet Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Gould Morgan, 2nd Baronet (4 February 1760 – 5 December 1846), was a Welsh soldier and politician, the MP for Brecon and County of Monmouth. Early career The 2nd baronet was the son of Sir Charles Morgan, 1st ...

in 1825, and they had five sons and three daughters, including: Hugh Charles Owen (1826–1909); John Owen (1828–1890); Arthur Owen (1829–1876); and, William Owen (1832–1889). After Angelina's death in 1844, he remarried in 1845 to Henrietta Fraser, daughter of Edward Rodney, and they had one son and three daughters, including Alice Henrietta Rodney Owen (died 1925); Ellen Rodney Owen; Edith Rodney Owen; and George Rodney Owen (1859–1886).

Political career

Both Owen's father and cousin Hugh had been Tory MPs for Pembroke between 1809 and 1812, with the father also holding

between 1812 and 1841. Owen also entered Parliament when he was first elected MP for Pembroke unopposed at the 1826 general election as a Tory, after which he admitted his youth and experience, and declared support for religious toleration but not Catholic relief. Although he was re-elected numerous times, including as a Conservative in 1832, Owen was often criticised for an "inattention for his parliamentary duties". In Parliament, he voted against the abolition of the Welsh courts, arguing "our sessions should be held in future where they are at present held and, when the bill received

Royal Assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in othe ...

, he signed a memorial expressing regret for it. Owen was also against the parliamentary reform scheme put forward by Lord Blandford, divided against emancipation and the Galway franchise bill, and presented petitions for the

abolition of slavery Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was France in 1315, but it was later used in its colonies. T ...

. In 1831, he divided against the Grey ministry's

reform bill The Reform Acts (or Reform Bills, before they were passed) are legislation enacted in the United Kingdom in the 19th and 20th century to enfranchise new groups of voters and to redistribute seats in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the U ...

and for

Isaac Gascoyne Isaac Gascoyne (21 August 1763 – 26 August 1841) was a British Army officer and Tory politician. He was born at Barking, Essex on 21 August 1763, the third son of Bamber Gascoyne (senior) and Mary Green and was educated at Felsted School. ...

's wrecking amendment, and later divided against a reintroduced version of the former in 1831, and then again upon its second and third readings. He later resigned in 1838 when his father obliged him to vacate the seat for

Sir James Graham, 2nd Baronet Sir James Robert George Graham, 2nd Baronet (1 June 1792 – 25 October 1861) was a British statesman, who notably served as Home Secretary and First Lord of the Admiralty. He was the eldest son of Sir James Graham, 1st Baronet, by Lady Ca ...

1861 Pembrokeshire by-election

After 23 years of absence from Parliament, in January 1861, he attempted to be elected as a Liberal for Pembrokeshire at a

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

resulting from the elevation of the sitting member, Lord Emlyn, to the peerage following the death of his father. Owen's candidacy was from the outset impacted upon by his financial difficulties, even though it was confidently asserted that his debts would be honoured. Nominating him at Haverfordwest, Thomas Davies Lloyd of

Bronwydd Bronwydd is a village and community in the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated about three miles north of Carmarthen in the valley of the River Gwili. Bronwydd community comprises the village of Bronwydd Arms, a couple of nearby hamlets ...

referred to the tradition of the house of Orielton and trusted that their fortunes would be revived. Owen was however, unsuccessful.

Member for Pembroke Boroughs

Nevertheless, the next month, he was elected as a Liberal in his former constituency, Pembroke, succeeding his father who had recently died, at a by-election in 1861. There was mounting opposition to Owen during the 1860s, and in 1864 there were suggestions that he be replaced by Richard Potter, chairman of the Great Western Railway. However, he held the seat until he was defeated in 1868.

Baronetcy

Owen succeeded his father as Baronet of Orielton, Pembrokeshire on 6 February 1861 and, upon his own death in 1891, the title was passed to his son Hugh Owen.

Other activities

On 16 September 1830, Owen was made Lieutenant-Colonel

Commandant Commandant ( or ; ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ...

of his local

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

unit, the Royal Pembroke Rifles, which became the Royal Pembroke Artillery in 1853. He held the command until 1875, and then became the unit's Honorary Colonel. From 1872 to his death, he was also aide-de-camp to

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

.Bryn Owen, ''History of the Welsh Militia and Volunteer Corps 1757–1908: Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire, Part 1: Regiments of Militia'', Wrexham: Bridge Books, 1995, ISBN 1-872424-51-1, p. 69 & Appendix 1. He was also at some point Deputy Lieutenant of

. Owen died at Barnes in September 1891 aged 87. The passing years had erased some of the bitterness of political contests and the ''Pembrokeshire Herald'', which was so hostile to him in the 1860s, described him as "accomplished, courteous and genial" and "in all respects a gentleman."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Owen, Hugh Owen Liberal Party (UK) MPs for Welsh constituencies Tory MPs (pre-1834) Conservative Party (UK) MPs for Welsh constituencies Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Pembrokeshire constituencies Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom Pembroke Militia officers Deputy lieutenants of Pembrokeshire UK MPs 1826–1830 UK MPs 1830–1831 UK MPs 1831–1832 UK MPs 1832–1835 UK MPs 1835–1837 UK MPs 1837–1841 UK MPs 1859–1865 UK MPs 1865–1868 1803 births 1891 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford