The National Library of Wales :: Dictionary of Welsh Biography

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PAGET family (later marquesses of Anglesey) , Plas Newydd , Llanedwen , Anglesey . The family traces its connection with Plas Newydd and the Isle of Anglesey to the marriage, in 1737, of Sir NICHOLAS BAYLY of Plas Newydd, with Caroline, daughter and heiress of Thomas, lord Paget of Beaudesert, Staffordshire. Their second son and heir, HENRY BAYLY (1744-1812) took the name Paget upon succeeding to the barony of Beaudesert in 1769, and was, in 1784, created earl of Uxbridge. It was he who was largely responsible for consolidating the social and political status of the family in Anglesey, and notably so at Caernarvon, where, by securing the constableship of the castle and the mayoralty in 1785, he was successful in undermining the long-established monopoly of the Glyn of Glynllifon family (q.v.) in the borough. It was he, too, who together with Thomas Williams of Llanidan (1737-1802) (q.v.) formed, in 1785, the Mona Mine Company to work the rich deposits of copper discovered on the eastern side of Parys Mountain, near Amlwch.

Henry Bayly Paget d. 13 March 1812, and was succeeded by his eldest son, HENRY WILLIAM PAGET (1768-1854), b. 17 May 1768, who had a brilliant military career and was created 1st marquess of Anglesey 4 July 1815 as a reward for his prowess on the field of Waterloo, where he lost a leg. He was Member of Parliament for Caernarvon, 1790-6, constable of Caernarvon castle, 1812, 1831, and 1837, and lord lieutenant of Anglesey from 1812 to his death, 29 April 1854. His family papers and personal correspondence show him to have lent his support to every cause and movement of importance in Anglesey and Caernarvonshire during this period, and many inhabitants of both counties benefited by his patronage. Of his six brothers, two were successively Members of Parliament for the Caernarvon boroughs: Sir EDWARD PAGET (1775-1849) from 1796 to 1806 and Sir CHARLES PAGET (1778-1839) from 1806 to 1826 and 1831 to 1834, when the family lost the seat for the first time in forty-four years. Two other brothers sat for Anglesey: WILLIAM PAGET (1769-1794) from 1790 to 1794, and BERKELEY THOMAS PAGET (1780-1842) from 1807 to 1818; while FREDERICK PAGET (1807-1866), the eldest son of Berkeley Paget, and GEORGE AUGUSTUS FREDERICK PAGET (1818-1880), the marquess's third son, were members for Beaumaris, 1832-47 and 1847-57 respectively.

Bibliography:

J. E. Griffith, P.A.C.F., 56-7;
U.C.N.W. Mona Mine records, and Plas Newydd correspondence;
D.N.B.;
W. R. Williams, Parl. Hist., 7, 13-14, 68-9.

Author:

Emyr Gwynne Jones, M.A., (1911-72), Bangor