Henry Grenfell
Henry Riversdale Grenfell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age |
| Died | 11 September 1902 (aged 78) |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, politician |
| Known for | Governor of the Bank of England (1881–1883), Liberal MP for Stoke-upon-Trent |
Henry Riversdale Grenfell (5 April 1824 – 11 September 1902) was a British banker and politician affiliated with the Liberal Party.
Biography
Grenfell hailed from a distinguished lineage involved in banking and politics: his grandfather, Pascoe Grenfell, managed tin and copper enterprises and served as a Member of Parliament (MP), while his father, Charles Pascoe Grenfell, was a director at the Bank of England from 1830 until 1864. On his mother's side, his grandfather was William Philip Molyneux, 2nd Earl of Sefton.
In 1862, Grenfell secured election as the Liberal MP for Stoke-upon-Trent during a by-election and retained the seat in the 1865 general election. He later ran unsuccessfully for parliamentary seats in South West Lancashire in 1868 and Barnstaple in 1880.
A prominent advocate within the Bimetallic League, Grenfell held the position of Governor at the Bank of England from 1881 to 1883, following his tenure as Deputy Governor. Additionally, he was a member of the Council of the Corporation of Foreign Bondholders and served on the boards of multiple insurance firms.
Grenfell passed away from pneumonia at Bacres, Henley-on-Thames, on 11 September 1902.
His son, Edward Grenfell, upheld the family tradition in banking and politics by serving as an MP, acting as a director at the Bank of England, and partnering with Junius Spencer Morgan at Morgan, Grenfell & Company.