Charlton Monypenny
Encyclopedia
Charlton James Blackwell Monypenny (4 November 1867 – 11 March 1947) was an English
-born businessman, and the 27th Laird
of the Scottish estate of Pitmilly
. As a youth he was a sportsman of some renown who played rugby union
for several teams including Cambridge University
and the Barbarians
. He was president of Cambridge University Athletics Club, for a period was the World Record holder for the 150 yard dash and was one of the fastest men in the world over 100 metres
.
, London in 1867 to James Robert Blackwell Monypenny, 26th Laird of Pitmilly and Mary Elizabeth Lane. He was educated at Fettes College
before matriculating to Jesus College, Cambridge
in October 1889. Monypenny threw himself into sporting life at Cambridge and received three sporting 'Blues' for athletics between 1890 and 1892 in the 100 and 440 yards, taking the 440 yards title and setting a Varsity record in the 1892 meet. While at Cambridge he achieved two running records, the World Record for the 150 yard dash (14.8 secs) and the Cambridge quarter of a mile track record (49.5 secs) which stood until 1931. In 1891 Monypenny was recognised as the seconded fastest man in the world behind American Luther Cary, recording a time of 10.8 seconds in the 100 metre sprint on the 22 July. The next year, although recording an identical time of 10.8 seconds, he was judged the joint fastest men in the world that year, along with American athlete Cecil Lee.
As well as athletics, Monypenny also joined the Cambridge University rugby team. Although never achieving a 'Blue' for facing Oxford in the Varsity Match, he retained his connection with the sport after leaving university, joining Bath
In the 1891-92 season Monypenny accepted an invitation to play for newly formed touring team the Barbarians and he also turned out for Scottish exiles team London Scottish
. His younger brother, Douglas
, also played for London Scottish and was capped three times for the Scotland national rugby union team
.
Monypenny married Emila Sybil Wetenhall, daughter of Cecil Algernon Salisbury Wetenhall from Northampton. They had a daughter, Phoebe who became the heiress of Monypenny of Pitmilly.
Sometime after leaving Cambridge Monypenny became involved with a brewing firm in Macclesfield
, before immigrating to British Guiana in 1902 as a cotton and tobacco grower. While in South America he remarried and had another four children from this second marriage. He remained in British Guiana until 1912 when he moved to Barbados. Monypenny remained in the Caribbean until 1922 when he returned to Britain living in Finchampstead
. He remained there until 1930 when he moved to Caversham Heights
in Reading; remaining there until his death in 1947.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born businessman, and the 27th Laird
Laird
A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
of the Scottish estate of Pitmilly
Pitmilly
Pitmilly is the site of a former estate located five miles south-east of St Andrews, Scotland. Its historical significance is threefold. It has been inhabited from ancient times; artifacts continue to be recovered from the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages and a well-known barrow Tumulus from the...
. As a youth he was a sportsman of some renown who played rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
for several teams including Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
and the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
. He was president of Cambridge University Athletics Club, for a period was the World Record holder for the 150 yard dash and was one of the fastest men in the world over 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
.
Personal history
Monypenny was born in HampsteadHampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, London in 1867 to James Robert Blackwell Monypenny, 26th Laird of Pitmilly and Mary Elizabeth Lane. He was educated at Fettes College
Fettes College
Fettes College is an independent school for boarding and day pupils in Edinburgh, Scotland with over two thirds of its pupils in residence on campus...
before matriculating to Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
in October 1889. Monypenny threw himself into sporting life at Cambridge and received three sporting 'Blues' for athletics between 1890 and 1892 in the 100 and 440 yards, taking the 440 yards title and setting a Varsity record in the 1892 meet. While at Cambridge he achieved two running records, the World Record for the 150 yard dash (14.8 secs) and the Cambridge quarter of a mile track record (49.5 secs) which stood until 1931. In 1891 Monypenny was recognised as the seconded fastest man in the world behind American Luther Cary, recording a time of 10.8 seconds in the 100 metre sprint on the 22 July. The next year, although recording an identical time of 10.8 seconds, he was judged the joint fastest men in the world that year, along with American athlete Cecil Lee.
As well as athletics, Monypenny also joined the Cambridge University rugby team. Although never achieving a 'Blue' for facing Oxford in the Varsity Match, he retained his connection with the sport after leaving university, joining Bath
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
In the 1891-92 season Monypenny accepted an invitation to play for newly formed touring team the Barbarians and he also turned out for Scottish exiles team London Scottish
London Scottish F.C.
London Scottish Football Club is a rugby union club in England. It is a member of both the Rugby Football Union and the Scottish Rugby Union.-History:...
. His younger brother, Douglas
Douglas Monypenny
Douglas Blackwell Monypenny was a Scottish international rugby player, who was killed in the Second Boer War, and is the only Scottish rugby internationalist known to have died in either conflict. He was twenty one at the time.He was capped three times for in the 1899 Home Nations Championship,...
, also played for London Scottish and was capped three times for the Scotland national rugby union team
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
.
Monypenny married Emila Sybil Wetenhall, daughter of Cecil Algernon Salisbury Wetenhall from Northampton. They had a daughter, Phoebe who became the heiress of Monypenny of Pitmilly.
Sometime after leaving Cambridge Monypenny became involved with a brewing firm in Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, before immigrating to British Guiana in 1902 as a cotton and tobacco grower. While in South America he remarried and had another four children from this second marriage. He remained in British Guiana until 1912 when he moved to Barbados. Monypenny remained in the Caribbean until 1922 when he returned to Britain living in Finchampstead
Finchampstead
Finchampstead is a civil parish near Wokingham in the English county of Berkshire. Its northern extremity is situated south of Wokingham, west of Bracknell, south-east of Reading, and west of Central London.-Geography:...
. He remained there until 1930 when he moved to Caversham Heights
Caversham Heights
Caversham Heights is a suburb of the former town of Caversham, which today is itself a suburb of the larger town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. Caversham Heights has no formal boundaries, but the name usually refers to that part of Caversham situated on higher ground to the west of...
in Reading; remaining there until his death in 1947.