Henry Richard manuscripts

Papers of Henry Richard and his family, [early 19 cent.]-1904, including correspondence, 1808-1904; travel journals, 1849-1886; a few items relating to education in Wales, 1870-1883; sermons by Ebenezer Richard, [early 19 cent.]-1834; a family register, 1809-1836; and papers of James Hughes (Iago Trichrug), [1800x1844].

Henry Richard (1812-1888) politician and 'Apostle of Peace', was born in Tregaron, Cardiganshire, on 3 April 1812. His father Ebenezer Richard (1781-1837), a prominent Calvinistic Methodist minister, was one of the principal organisers of his denomination and the chief supporter of the Sunday school movement in South Wales. Henry Richard received his early schooling at Llangeitho then, in 1826, was apprenticed as a draper in Carmarthen. He decided to enter the ministry and from September 1830 attended Highbury College, London. From November 1935 until June 1850 he was minister of Marlborough Congregational chapel, Old Kent Road, London. He was appointed chairman of the Congregational Union in 1877. Richard was a pacifist and was appointed secretary of the Peace Society in 1848. He organized a succession of international conferences and travelled widely throughout Europe in an effort to bring peace between nations. He was also a leading member of the Liberation Society, which opposed state interference in religion, and this led to his career in politics. In 1868 he was elected to Parliament as the Liberal MP for Merthyr Tydfil. At Westminster he defended the rights of the Welsh and of Nonconformists, becoming known as the 'Member for Wales'. He published a number of letters on the social and political condition of Wales, for the benefit of English readers. He married Matilda Augusta Farley of Kennington on 20 August 1866; there were no children from the marriage. Henry Richard died while visiting friends in Treborth, Bangor, on 20 August 1888 and was buried in London. A statue of Richard was unveiled in Tregaron in 1893.

Arranged according to NLW MSS reference numbers: NLW MSS 5503-5511, 10196-10208, 10420-14024, 15498B.

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NLW MSS 5503-5511: Misses Magdalen and Mary Evans (nieces of Henry Richard); Kensington; Donation; [1925].
NLW MSS 10196-10208: Misses Magdalen and Mary Evans (nieces of Henry Richard); London; Donation; 1935.
NLW MSS 14020-14024: Miss Mary Evans (niece of Henry Richard); London; Donation; 1937.
NLW MS 15498B: Rev. Henry Richard Evans (grand nephew of Henry Richard); Broadhempston; Donation; May 1953.

Henry Richard (1812-1888) politician and 'Apostle of Peace', was born in Tregaron, Cardiganshire, on 3 April 1812. His father Ebenezer Richard (1781-1837), a prominent Calvinistic Methodist minister, was one of the principal organisers of his denomination and the chief supporter of the Sunday school movement in South Wales. Henry Richard received his early schooling at Llangeitho then, in 1826, was apprenticed as a draper in Carmarthen. He decided to enter the ministry and from September 1830 attended Highbury College, London. From November 1935 until June 1850 he was minister of Marlborough Congregational chapel, Old Kent Road, London. He was appointed chairman of the Congregational Union in 1877. Richard was a pacifist and was appointed secretary of the Peace Society in 1848. He organized a succession of international conferences and travelled widely throughout Europe in an effort to bring peace between nations. He was also a leading member of the Liberation Society, which opposed state interference in religion, and this led to his career in politics. In 1868 he was elected to Parliament as the Liberal MP for Merthyr Tydfil. At Westminster he defended the rights of the Welsh and of Nonconformists, becoming known as the 'Member for Wales'. He published a number of letters on the social and political condition of Wales, for the benefit of English readers. He married Matilda Augusta Farley of Kennington on 20 August 1866; there were no children from the marriage. Henry Richard died while visiting friends in Treborth, Bangor, on 20 August 1888 and was buried in London. A statue of Richard was unveiled in Tregaron in 1893.

The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, Schedule of letters relating to the Richard family; Handlist of Manuscripts in the National Library of Wales (Aberystwyth, 1943-), II (1951) and III (1961); Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940 (London, 1959); Lewis Appleton, Memoirs of Henry Richard, the Apostle of Peace (London, 1889); Charles S. Miall, Henry Richard M.P.: A Biography (London, 1889); Eleazar Roberts, Bywyd a Gwaith y diweddar Henry Richard, A.S. (Wrexham, [1902?]); Carey Jones, Gyrfa'r Gŵr o Dregaron (Swansea, 1988); D. Ben Rees, The Life and Work of Henry Richard (Nottingham, 2007); Matthew Cragoe, 'Richard, Henry (1812-1888)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography website (www.oxforddnb.com), viewed 20 August 2008;

Title based on contents of fonds.

Letters, 1888-1904, to Henry Richard's widow postdate his death.

A detailed list of the contents of NLW 10420-14024, together with an index to NLW 5503-5C, may be found in A Schedule of Letters Relating to the Richard Family, available at the National Library of Wales.

March 2003 and June 2010.

Compiled by Annette Strauch for the ANW project and revised by Rhys Morgan Jones.

Usual copyright laws apply.

All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained.

Accruals are not expected.

Other papers of Henry Richard and his family are NLW MS 20395C (currently uncatalogued); NLW, J. Victor Evans Papers; NLW, CMA 2 14172-81.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales