Role Politician Nationality British Spouse Ellen Hubbard | Alma mater Oriel College, Oxford Parents James Meadows Rendel Name Stuart 1st Party Liberal Party | |
Preceded by Charles Watkin Williams-Wynn Died June 4, 1913, London, United Kingdom Siblings Alexander Meadows Rendel, George Wightwick Rendel, Alexander Rendell Education Eton College, Oriel College, Oxford | ||
Succeeded by Arthur Humphreys-Owen | ||
Stuart Rendel, 1st Baron Rendel (2 July 1834 – 4 June 1913) was a British industrialist, philanthropist and Liberal politician. He sat as a Liberal Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire between 1880 and 1894 and was recognised as the leader of the Welsh MPs. Rendel was also involved in business and was a benefactor to University College of Wales at Aberystwyth, and served as its president from 1895 to 1913.
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Background and education
Rendel was born at Plymouth, Devon, the son of the civil engineer James Meadows Rendel and his wife Catherine Jane, daughter of W. J. Harris. He was the brother of Alexander Meadows Rendel and George Wightwick Rendel. He was educated at Eton and Oriel College, Oxford, graduating in 1856 with a fourth-class degree in classical studies. He was called to the Bar in 1861, but he was mostly involved in engineering, becoming manager of the London branch of the Armstrong gunnery company.
Political career
Rendel was the Liberal Member of Parliament for Montgomeryshire between 1880 and his retirement in March 1894. Although an Englishman and an Anglican, he was popular in his Welsh-speaking constituency, and was nicknamed "the member for Wales" because of his vocal support for Welsh-related causes, such as the creation of the University of Wales. A close friend and associate of William Ewart Gladstone, he was recognised as the leader of the Welsh members of parliament. He also supported disestablishment. On his retirement from the House of Commons in 1894 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Rendel, of Hatchlands in the County of Surrey. Apart from his political career Rendel was a benefactor to University College of Wales at Aberystwyth and served as its president from 1895 to 1913.
Family
Rendel married Ellen Sophy, daughter of William Egerton Hubbard, in 1857. They had four daughters. The second daughter, the Honourable Maud Ernestine Rendel, married Henry Gladstone, the son of his close friend, William Ewart Gladstone. In 1888 Rendel acquired Hatchlands Park in Surrey from the Sumner family. Lady Rendel died in May 1912, aged 74. Rendel survived her by just over a year and died at his London home, 10 Palace Green, Kensington Palace Gardens, in June 1913, aged 78. The peerage became extinct on his death as he had no sons.
His eldest daughter, Rose Ellen, married Harry Goodhart, a former international footballer who became Professor of Latin at the University of Edinburgh. Their only son, Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel inherited Hatchlands and became a celebrated architect.