Richard Penruddocke Long

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Richard Penruddocke Long (1825–1875) was an English landowner and Conservative politician. He helped found the amateur cricket club I Zingari and served as High Sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1858, as well as a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for the county.

He was born at Baynton House, East Coulston, Wiltshire, the second son of Walter Long and his wife Mary Anne Colquhoun. He studied at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he earned a BA in 1848 and an MA in 1852. He joined the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, becoming a captain in 1848, and played cricket for Cambridge in his early years.

Long’s elder brother Walter married Harriet Herbert in 1846. Harriet died in 1847 during childbirth, and Walter died a few months later. These events led Long to inherit his father’s estates in 1867, including South Wraxall Manor, Rood Ashton House, Southwick Court in Wiltshire, and Dolforgan and Machynlleth in Montgomeryshire. His relationship with his father was often strained over money and property, and Long had earlier tried to establish his political career after contesting South Wiltshire in 1852.

In 1853 he married Charlotte Anna Hume. They lived at Dolforgan and faced financial pressures, which were worsened by delays and debts tied to the estate. Long lost his right eye in a shooting accident in 1856. He entered Parliament in 1859, representing Chippenham, and later North Wiltshire from 1865. By 1867 he inherited the family estates and moved to Rood Ashton. Ill health and finances led him to retire from Parliament in 1868, and he spent much time abroad in Switzerland and France for health and financial reasons.

In 1871 Long sold much of the Dolforgan estate to pay debts. His wife Charlotte was known for a lavish lifestyle and charitable works; she later earned the nickname “Lady Bountiful.” Long died in 1875 at Cannes, aged 49, and was buried at West Ashton. After his death, Charlotte moved to Dolforgan Court in Exmouth and legal steps were later taken to curb her spending.

Long and Charlotte had ten children. Among them were Walter Long, who became Viscount Long, and Richard Long, who became Baron Gisborough. Their daughter Florence Frideswyde married Sir Arthur Fairbairn; Margaret married Hugh Clutterbuck; and Frances Laura Arabella married first Harry Willes de Windt and then Anthony Lyster.