John Crichton-Stuart
John Crichton-Stuart, second marquess of Bute (1793–1848), landowner and industrialist
Bute's most significant contribution to estate development came in Glamorgan. His Cardiff Castle estate included almost all the land of the central part of the south Wales coalfield. He was the landlord of the Dowlais Ironworks. The paltry returns from the Dowlais lease caused him to drive a hard bargain with those seeking coal on his estate. As a result his son, third marquess of Bute, became the largest individual recipient of mineral royalties in Britain.
The second marquess took steps to show that the steam coal of the Rhondda valley lay at exploitable depths, which led to the growth of the Rhondda.
Bute's main contribution to the development of the south Wales coalfield was his construction of a masonry dock at Cardiff which opened in 1839
The marquess gave much attention to the layout of new streets and the design of frontages in Cardiff. By the 1870s Cardiff had become the largest town in Wales and the marquess was hailed as its "creator".
See Also
Sources of Information
- Biography of John Crichton-Stuart, ODNB [1]