Cyril Flower, 1st Baron Battersea was a British Liberal politician and patron of art
Background
Flower was the son of Philip William Flower, of Furze Down, Streatham, Surrey, and his wife Mary, daughter of Jonathan Flower. He was born at Tooting in the 18th century Hill House and later lived in Streatham, both of which were rural environs at the time. His father had earlier established a successful merchant house in Sydney, Australia.
Education
He was educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge, and was called to the Bar, Inner Temple, in 1870.
Career
Upon his return to London, Philip, formed the firm of P.W. Flower and Company, and his property included Collier’s Quay and other London wharves. Like his father, Cyril also became involved in property development, and took on the development of Battersea"s Park Town after the death of his father in 1872 (James Knowles, Junior was architect and surveyor for this development). Park Town was the lozenge-shaped estate running either side of Queens Road (now Queenstown Road), which extended from Battersea Park Road to Wandsworth Road.
He also developed the mansion blocks lining the south side Prince of Wales Drive, London.
Cyril had also acquired two cottages at Overstrand which his architect, Edwin Lutyens, developed to form "The Pleasaunce". In 1880 Cyril Flower entered Parliament for Brecon, a seat he held until 1885 when the constituency was abolished, and then represented Luton until 1892.
He served briefly as a Junior Lord of the Treasury from February to July 1886 in the third Liberal administration of William Ewart Gladstone. In 1892 Flower was raised to the peerage as Baron Battersea, of Battersea in the County of London and of Overstrand in the County of Norfolk.
Apart from his property development and political career he was also a great collector and patron of art
He was a patron of James McNeill Whistler and was involved with the Pre-Raphaelite set.
Membership
22nd United Kingdom Parliament. 23rd United Kingdom Parliament. 24th United Kingdom Parliament.