Draft:John Morgan, 6th Baron Tredegar
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The Right Honourable 6th Baron Tredegar 2nd Lt, Bt, Bar | |
|---|---|
 Tredegar, Western Mail, 1954 | |
| Born | Frederic Charles John Morgan 26 October 1908 |
| Died | 17 November 1962 |
| Title | 8th Baronet Morgan, 6th Baron Tredegar |
| Partner | Joanna Morgan [nee. Law-Smith] |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Syssyllt Avis Gurney [nee. Morgan], (sister) |
Frederic Charles John Morgan, 6th Baron Tredegar (26 October 1908 — 17 November 1962), was a Welsh Peer and Landowner and Roman Catholic. On 21 August 1954, he succeeded to the title of 8th Baronet and 6th Baron Tredegar following the death of his father, Frederic George Morgan, 5th Baron Tredegar.
Life[edit]
He was born on 26 October 1908[1] to Frederic Morgan, 5th Baron Tredegar of Tredegar Park, Monmouthshire, Wales, and Lady Dorothy Syssyllt Bassett.[2] Following family tradition, he was educated at Eton College, Windsor, but did not enrol in university. After fighting between 1939 and 1945 in the Middle East[3] during the Second World War,[4] he gained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant of the 24th London Regiment, and Officer of the "Kings Own Scottish Borderers".
Although named after his father, the 6th Baron preferred to be known as John Morgan, from his middle name.
Unlike his extravagant cousin, Evan, the 2nd Viscount Tredegar, who had many jobs throughout his life,[5] John Morgan didn't appear to have an occupation, but was simply regarded as a gentleman in the community.[4]
John Sells Tredegar House[edit]
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In 1949, following the death of his 1st cousin, Evan Morgan, 2nd Viscount Tredegar, the estate and titles passed to John's father, Frederic, who then became the 5th Baron. During Evan's time as Lord Tredegar, he had spent lavish amounts of money on parties, maintaining his menagerie of animals,[4] and a Rolls Royce and Bentley.[6]
This left 75-year-old Frederic with enormous death duties, or inheritance tax, of £1,000,000 which amounts to £32,000,000[4] in today's money. Despite conversations during Evan's later years concerning selling off land, on his death minimal efforts had been made to "balance the books" to protect the longevity of the Tredegar estate and house.[4]
Frederic, who was "an arthritis cripple"[7] by his own admission, decided upon his succession to transfer the entire estate to his son, John, to avoid the inevitability of John having to pay double death-duties upon his father's death.[4] This clever decision made Frederic Lord Tredegar only by name.
The plan worked, as in 1954 upon Frederic's death, aged 80, John did not pay any death duties.[4] As he was a Catholic Convert, when John inherited the family estate, he went to Lourdes, France, for guidance on what to do with the £1,150,000 fortune.[8] At the time, John told the Western Mail that he was prepared to live at Tredegar Park on "a very modest scale in view of the prevailing conditions".
Despite this, John spent very little time on the Tredegar Estate during his ownership. In his father's final years, John had already begun selling off parts of the once 88,000 acre estate, reducing it to just 91 acres in an attempt to recover the family's lost fortune.[4] Sadly, it was to no avail. In 1950, he announced "with great regret" that death duties, taxation and costs had made it necessary for him to close Tredegar Park, and on 21 December 1950, he agreed to sell the cherished Tredegar House and its' estate to the Nuns of St. Joseph for £40,000 or £1,200,000 in todays money.[4]
As a late Catholic convert, the 6th Baron claimed that "the sale was good for his bank balance, and his soul". John had the contents of the house sold by Stephenson & Alexander Auctioneers from 11-12 July 1951,[9] before the Nuns of St. Joseph moved in soon after.
When he sold Tredegar, John asked for the Nuns to hang portraits of his family and ancestors in one room to ensure that Morgan presence remained in the house after his departure.[4]
After the sale, the famous Tredegar House was used as a Catholic Girls' School until 1974. Today it is owned by Newport City Council, and looked after by The National Trust, via a 50-year-lease agreement.
John Sells Ruperra Castle[edit]
In 1956, John Morgan also sold the family's second seat and "Weekend Hunting Lodge", Ruperra Castle to the Eagle Star Insurance Company for around £35,000 or £800,000 in todays money.[10] At this point, the entire remaining 53,000 acre, Tredegar, Ruperra and agricultural Morgan Estates had been sold. By this stage, the Castle had been damaged by its second fire during the military's control of the property throughout the Second World War. Today, it continues to deteriorate[11]
Retirement in Monte-Carlo[edit]
John Morgan married Joanna Law-Smith in 1954.[4] He originally retired to Edinburgh, but quickly changed his mind, choosing to spend married life in Monte-Carlo, Monaco, as a tax exile.[12] During retirement, John pursued his passion for art, producing several works which are now owned by the National Trust and displayed in Tredegar House. He also enjoyed Yachting and Golf.[3]
Moreover, he allegedly cut all links to South Wales after he failed to receive an invitation to meet Queen Elizabeth II during a trip to Newport.[4]
In 1962, he became ill, and returned to Sussex, England, as he did not trust the Monacan Doctors.[13] Although the operation was successful, he sucummed to septacemia, and died suddenly and without issue, aged 54.[14]
On his death, his wife donated more portraits of the Morgan's of Tredegar, and some of John's artwork to the Nuns of St. Joseph, in John's memory.
As he nor his sister, Hon. Syssyllt Avis Gurney (nee. Morgan), had children, his death marked the extinction of the Morgan Baronetcy and the Barony of Tredegar. The passing of the 6th Baron Tredegar singled the end of a 500-year dynasty, The Morgan's of Tredegar.[4]
Further reading[edit]
"Who's Who and Who Was Who" - Oxford University Press[15]
"The Last Lord Tredegar" - South Wales Argus[14]
"Tredegar House School" - St Mary's Flim Society, 1964[16]
"Debts Forgiven In Will" - Birmingham Daily Post, 1963[17]
"The New Baron" - Western Mail & South Wales News, 1954[18]
References[edit]
- ^ "Tredegar Estate Records, - National Library of Wales Archives and Manuscripts". archives.library.wales. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
- ^ "GB0218.D6206". gwentarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
- ^ a b "WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "The last Lord of Tredegar, who avoided paying millions and sold Tredegar House". South Wales Argus. 2017-11-04. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
- ^ Busby, Paul. Hush, Hush: The peculiar career of Lord Tredegar.
- ^ "The families who lived behind-the-scenes at Tredegar House". South Wales Argus. 2022-03-20. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
- ^ "Register | British Newspaper Archive". Retrieved 2024-05-11 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Baron Renounced His Inheritance". The Yorkshire Observer. 23 August 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Western Mail & South Wales News". 9 July 1951. p. 6. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "History of the Castle". Ruperra Castle - Castell Rhiw'r Perrai. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ "History of the Castle". Ruperra Castle - Castell Rhiw'r Perrai. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
- ^ "NEW PEER'S HOME IS IN EDINBURGH". Edinburgh Evening News. 23 August 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Tredegar House and the Morgan Family, Part 4: End of the Line. Retrieved 2024-05-11 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ a b "The last Lord of Tredegar, who avoided paying millions and sold Tredegar House". South Wales Argus. 2017-11-04. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
- ^ "Tredegar, 6th Baron cr 1859, (Frederic Charles John Morgan) (26 Oct. 1908–17 Nov. 1962)". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540891.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-54344?rskey=hgsbsz&result=1 (inactive 2024-05-13). Retrieved 2024-05-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of May 2024 (link) - ^ Tredegar House School. Retrieved 2024-05-11 – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Debts Forgiven In Will". The Birmingham Post. 22 March 1963. p. 11. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "The New Baron". Western Mail & South Wales News. 23 August 1954. p. 7. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)