John Batchelor 'The Friend of Freedom'
Encyclopedia
John Batchelor was a prominent Welsh
Victorian
businessman and politician.
, Monmouthsire
, Batchelor became a prominent Cardiff
figure, having moved there in his early twenties. He set up business as a timber merchant and, later, slate merchant and also played a key role in establishing the Mount Stuart Dry Dock.
He was an active Liberal
politician and served as a Liberal Councillor and, later, Mayor of Cardiff, in addition to being Chairman of the Cardiff School Board. He also campaigned against slavery.
), who had significant land-holdings in Cardiff, including Cardiff Castle
, and had built much of the docks.
The Butes supported the Tory party
and many believed that their conspiring led to the collapse of Batchelor's shipbuilding business.
The statue, created by the sculptor James Milo Griffith
, was finally unveiled on 16 October 1886 and stands in The Hayes
, Cardiff. Its plinth is inscribed “JOHN BATCHELOR B.1820 D.1883 THE FRIEND of FREEDOM”.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
businessman and politician.
Newport Born
Although born in NewportNewport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, Monmouthsire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, Batchelor became a prominent Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
figure, having moved there in his early twenties. He set up business as a timber merchant and, later, slate merchant and also played a key role in establishing the Mount Stuart Dry Dock.
He was an active Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician and served as a Liberal Councillor and, later, Mayor of Cardiff, in addition to being Chairman of the Cardiff School Board. He also campaigned against slavery.
Conflict with the Butes
However, John Batchelor's political activity brought him into conflict with the Bute family (John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of ButeJohn Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute
John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute KT, KSG, KGCHS was a landed aristocrat, industrial magnate, antiquarian, scholar, philanthropist and architectural patron.-Early life:...
), who had significant land-holdings in Cardiff, including Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle is a medieval castle and Victorian architecture Gothic revival mansion, transformed from a Norman keep erected over a Roman fort in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The Castle is a Grade I Listed Building.-The Roman fort:...
, and had built much of the docks.
The Butes supported the Tory party
Tories (political faction)
The Tories were members of two political parties which existed, sequentially, in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain and later the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from the 17th to the early 19th centuries.-Overview:...
and many believed that their conspiring led to the collapse of Batchelor's shipbuilding business.
Statue
John Batchelor died in 1883 and a subscription fund was established to erect a statue in his memory. This was followed by a petition of 1200 signatures, started by his opponents, campaigning against the statue.The statue, created by the sculptor James Milo Griffith
James Milo Griffith
James Milo Griffith was a Welsh sculptor, who after originally training as an artisan mason, became notable for his memorial statues.-Life history:Griffith was born in Pontseli, Pembrokeshire in 1843...
, was finally unveiled on 16 October 1886 and stands in The Hayes
The Hayes
The Hayes is a commercial area in the southern city centre of the Welsh capital, Cardiff. Based around the road of that name leading south towards the east end of the city centre, the area is mostly pedestrianised....
, Cardiff. Its plinth is inscribed “JOHN BATCHELOR B.1820 D.1883 THE FRIEND of FREEDOM”.