Robert Bird
Encyclopedia
Robert Bird was a Welsh
Liberal
politician. He served as mayor
of Cardiff
in 1882. Appointed an Alderman
he later served as President of the Cardiff Liberal Association. A loyal Liberal, he opposed the revolt of David Lloyd George
, Frank Edwards, Herbert Lewis
and David Alfred Thomas
over Welsh Disestablishment
in 1894.
In 1896, Robert Bird achieved notoriety among Welsh nationalists. On 16 January, the proposal to merge the South Wales Liberal Federation with the Welsh National Federation was put to the Annual General Meeting
of the South Wales Liberal Federation, held at Newport, Monmouthshire. Speaking against the motion, Robert Bird declared: “You will find, from Swansea to Newport, a cosmopolitan population who will not submit to the domination of Welsh ideas!” Causing outrage among the supporters of Cymru Fydd
.
Further political controversy engulfed Bird when he was chosen as Liberal
candidate for Cardiff
, due to his opposition to the Boer War
. He was eventually dropped and Sir E. J. Reed, the former MP was chosen instead.
A prominent member of the United Methodist Free Church
and President of the Cardiff Free Church Council for 1901, Alderman Bird was a generous benefactor to the cause of Nonconformity. The Methodist Chapel at Newport Road, where he was a member, benefited greatly from the family of Robert Bird, while Bird built the Chapel on Penarth Road and leased it to the Free Methodists. Robert Bird was the first superintendent of Penarth Road Chapel, chiefly, one suspects, because he owned it. Bird was described as: ‘a Nonconformist both by birth and conviction.’ His wife laid the foundation stone of the halls attached to Trinity Methodist Church, Newport Road, Cardiff, of which he was a member.
Alderman Bird served on the Committee which secured the National Museum of Wales for Cardiff.
A shipping magnate, Robert Bird was born in Southville, near Bristol
in 1839. Bird moved to Cardiff in 1872. He died in 1909, and is buried beneath a grandiose monument in Cathays Cemetery
, Cardiff.
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...
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. He served as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of 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...
in 1882. Appointed an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
he later served as President of the Cardiff Liberal Association. A loyal Liberal, he opposed the revolt of David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, Frank Edwards, Herbert Lewis
Herbert Lewis
Sir John Herbert Lewis GBE, PC was a British Liberal politician.-Background and education:Born at Mostyn Quay, Flintshire, Lewis was one of five sons of Enoch Lewis and Elizabeth Roberts. He was educated at McGill University and Exeter College, Oxford.-Political career:Lewis was the first Chairman...
and David Alfred Thomas
David Alfred Thomas
David Alfred Thomas, 1st Viscount Rhondda PC , sometimes known as D. A. Thomas, was a Welsh industrialist and Liberal politician...
over Welsh Disestablishment
Church in Wales
The Church in Wales is the Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.As with the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The current archbishop is Barry Morgan, the Bishop of Llandaff.In contrast to the...
in 1894.
In 1896, Robert Bird achieved notoriety among Welsh nationalists. On 16 January, the proposal to merge the South Wales Liberal Federation with the Welsh National Federation was put to the Annual General Meeting
Annual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
of the South Wales Liberal Federation, held at Newport, Monmouthshire. Speaking against the motion, Robert Bird declared: “You will find, from Swansea to Newport, a cosmopolitan population who will not submit to the domination of Welsh ideas!” Causing outrage among the supporters of Cymru Fydd
Cymru Fydd
The Cymru Fydd movement was founded in 1886 by some of the London Welsh, including J. E. Lloyd, O. M. Edwards, T. E. Ellis , Beriah Gwynfe Evans and Alfred Thomas. Initially it was a purely London-based society, later expanding to cities in England with a large Welsh population...
.
Further political controversy engulfed Bird when he was chosen as 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...
candidate for Cardiff
Cardiff (UK Parliament constituency)
Cardiff was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Cardiff in South Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1542 until it was abolished for the 1918 general election.- MPs 1542-1645 :- MPs 1645–1832 :...
, due to his opposition to the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. He was eventually dropped and Sir E. J. Reed, the former MP was chosen instead.
A prominent member of the United Methodist Free Church
United Methodist Free Churches
United Methodist Free Churches was an English nonconformist community which merged into the United Methodist Church in 1907. The organisation was itself formed in 1857 by the amalgamation of the Wesleyan Association and the Wesleyan Reformers United Methodist Free Churches was an English...
and President of the Cardiff Free Church Council for 1901, Alderman Bird was a generous benefactor to the cause of Nonconformity. The Methodist Chapel at Newport Road, where he was a member, benefited greatly from the family of Robert Bird, while Bird built the Chapel on Penarth Road and leased it to the Free Methodists. Robert Bird was the first superintendent of Penarth Road Chapel, chiefly, one suspects, because he owned it. Bird was described as: ‘a Nonconformist both by birth and conviction.’ His wife laid the foundation stone of the halls attached to Trinity Methodist Church, Newport Road, Cardiff, of which he was a member.
Alderman Bird served on the Committee which secured the National Museum of Wales for Cardiff.
A shipping magnate, Robert Bird was born in Southville, near Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
in 1839. Bird moved to Cardiff in 1872. He died in 1909, and is buried beneath a grandiose monument in Cathays Cemetery
Cathays Cemetery
The Cathays Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in the United Kingdom, located just north of the Cathays suburb of Cardiff, Wales. The cemetery gateway, forecourt walls and mortuary chapels are Grade II listed structures...
, Cardiff.