1910 painting of Lord Tredegar by George Frederick Harris

Godfrey Charles Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar (28 April 1831 – 11 March 1913)[1] was a British Army officer and peer.

Tredegar was born on 28 April 1831 in Ruperra Castle, Glamorganshire, the eldest son of Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar. He was educated at Eton and joined the British Army in 1853.

Inscription to Godfrey Morgan, the 1st Viscount Tredegar

When the Crimean War broke out in 1854, Tredegar, aged 22, held the rank of Captain in the 17th Lancers and accompanied his famous regiment to the scene of the great struggle. He was in action at the Battle of Alma and later on 25 October 1854 was in command of a section of the Light Brigade that rode into the 'Valley of Death' at the Battle of Balaclava, which he survived. Godfrey's horse, 'Sir Briggs', also survived, and lived at Tredegar's home, Tredegar House, until his death at the age of 28. He was buried in the Cedar Garden at Tredegar House (though not with full military honours as is frequently believed).[2] The monument still stands there today.

In later years, as other members of the Morgan family had been in the past, he became a benefactor to the people of Newport. Large tracts of land were donated to the Corporation for the benefit of the public, including Belle Vue Park, the Royal Gwent Hospital and Newport Athletics Grounds. This earned him the nickname of "Godfrey the Good" among local people. He served as High Sheriff of Monmouthshire for 1858.[3] Tredegar succeeded his father as 2nd Baron Tredegar in 1875.

Tredegar House

In May 1902 he bought the lordships of the manor of Newport and Caerleon from the Duke of Beaufort, including the right to appoint a member of the Newport Harbour Commission.[4]

He was made a Viscount in 1905, and become the first Freeman of Newport in 1909.

Tredegar died on 11 March 1913[5] aged 81 and is buried at Bassaleg Parish Church. He never married and on his death the viscountcy went into abeyance and his barony and the Tredegar estate passed to his nephew Courtenay Morgan, who spent little time in Wales.

Sculpture in Cardiff by Sir William Goscombe John

A statue of The Viscount Tredegar was unveiled in 1909 in Gorsedd Gardens, Cathays Park, Cardiff. The sculptor was Sir William Goscombe John.[6]

References

  1. ^ Person Page - 7472 The Peerage
  2. ^ Paul Busby - Tredegar House Tour Guide, at the Balaclava Dinner talk, Tredegar Arms, Bassaleg 2012
  3. ^ "No. 22091". The London Gazette. 3 February 1858. p. 539.
  4. ^ "Sale of the Duke of Beaufort′s estate". The Times. No. 36782. London. 31 May 1902. p. 12. template uses deprecated parameter(s) (help)
  5. ^ Who's Who 1916, xxiv has the date as 12 March.
  6. ^ Statue of Godfrey, First Viscount Tredegar Archived 9 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded bySir Joseph Bailey, Bt Member of Parliament for Breconshire 1858–1875 Succeeded byWilliam Fuller-Maitland Honorary titles Preceded byThe Duke of Beaufort Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire 1899–1913 Succeeded bySir Ivor Herbert, Bt Peerage of the United Kingdom New creation Viscount Tredegar 1905–1913 Extinct.mw-parser-output .nobold{font-weight:normal}(revived 1926) Preceded byCharles Morgan Baron Tredegar 1875–1913 Succeeded byCourtenay Morgan

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