Background
Born Edward Gordon Douglas, he was the younger son of the Honorary
Born Edward Gordon Douglas, he was the younger son of the Honorary
He played a major part in the development of the Welsh slate industry. Penrhyn was the owner of the Penrhyn Quarry near Bethesda, Wales, which under his ownership developed into one of the two largest slate quarries in the world. He also held the honorary post of Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire.
In 1866 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Penrhyn, of Llandegai in the County of Carnarvon.
The village of Llandygai was developed by Douglas-Pennant as a ‘model village’ for his estate workers, in which ‘no corrupting alehouse’ was permitted. The village lies immediately outside of the walls of the Penrhyn Castle demesne walls, with the entrance to the village being some 100m from the castle"s Grand Lodge.
Lord Penrhyn married, firstly, Juliana Isabella Mary, daughter of George Hay Dawkins Pennant, in 1833. They had eight daughters.
14th United Kingdom Parliament. 15th United Kingdom Parliament. 16th United Kingdom Parliament.
17th United Kingdom Parliament.
18th United Kingdom Parliament. 19th United Kingdom Parliament]
He was also involved in politics and sat as Member of Parliament for Caernarvonshire between 1841 and 1866.
