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William Thomas Lewis Merthyr

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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"WILLIAM THOMAS LEWIS MERTHYR, 1ST Baron (1837-1914), British engineer, was born at Merthyr-Tydvil Aug. 5 1837. He was trained as a civil engineer and in 186 4 married Anne Rees, daughter of a S. Wales coal-owner. Thenceforth he was a large employer of labour in the S. Wales collieries and effected many improvements both in the machinery of the mines and the condition of the miners. He was the originator of the sliding scale of wages introduced into the district in 1875, and also of a miners' provident fund. He was called in to settle the serious Taff Vale railway strike in 1900, and was an active worker for industrial peace. He was a member of several Royal Commissions, was knighted in 1885, created a baronet in 1896 and raised to the peerage in 1911. He was made K.C.V.O. in 1907 and G. C. V.O. in 1912. He died at Newbury, Berks., Aug. 27 1914.