John Hanbury 1664-1734
John HANBURY 1664-1734
Biographical Note
Born at Gloucester, son of Capel Hanbury and Elizabeth Capel. He was educated at Pembroke College, Oxford and subsequently inherited family estates in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Monmouthshire. He decided to settled at Pontypool Park in Monmouthshire in 1685 owing to his interest in developing the long-established family iron works there. Known as ‘Major John’, he became a key figure in the the early industrial history of south Wales on account of his innovative development of the the rolling-mill to create thin metal sheets. This technology led to the manufacture of tin-plating and, eventually, the creation of the highly popular Japanware. He was also active politically, being an Member of Parliament for Gloucester from 1701 – 1715 and for Monmouthshire from 1720 to this death.
Books
John Hanbury used an an engraved armorial bookplate (Franks 13586) which can be found in some of the items of the extant collection. He formed a small library at Pontypool Park which, expanded by later generations, is now in ownership of his direct descendants although no longer in the same location. Within the collection is a bound handwritten catalogue of the books, created in 1862. It comprises a list of some 3,000 volumes with titles, arranged by size but without dates. A closer examination and comparison with the present library would probably reveal a high degree of similarity, since the present owner is not aware of any previous book sales. John Hanbury’s enthusiasm for books was also indicated by his support for the establishment of one of the earliest parochial libraries in the nearby parish church of Trevethin in 1711.
Sources
- Will of The Honorable John Hanbury of Pontypool, Monmouthshire PROB 11/666/19
- Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the … British Museum. London, 1903.
- Hanbury Tenison R. The Hanburys of Monmouthshire. Aberystwyth: National Library of Wales; 1995.
- Riden, Philip. "Hanbury, John (1664?–1734), landowner and ironmaster." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
- Stephen, R. “HANBURY family, of Pontypool industrialists.” Dictionary of Welsh Biography.