SIR SYDNEY H. WATERLOW

(Our thanks are due to the Secretary for this brief biography, which has come from a late 19th Century book of biographies. The name/s of the author/s of the various chapters is/are unknown.)

There is perhaps no position in the civilised world in which the honours attaching thereto are at once so splendid and so fleeting as that of Lord Mayor of London. A leading citizen leaves his desk or his merchandise, and for one short year he is the associate of monarchs and the companion of ministers, while be is feted and lionised by all sorts and conditions of men. Known, perhaps, previous to his acceptance of office only to the citizens of London, his name during that one eventful year becomes familiar to all his fellow-countrymen. And then, in nine cases out of ten, at the termination of his mayoralty, he goes back to his desk and his merchandise, and little more is ever heard of him as a public character. Sir Sydney H, Waterlow is a brilliant exception to this rule. He, too, has been Lord Mayor of London; but when we take into account his public career, both before and after he held the office, we realise that the possession of that much-coveted dignity was with him but a mere incident in his life as a useful and distinguished citizen.

He was born in 1822, and be is proud of acknowledging that he started his business career at the early age of fourteen, when he was bound apprentice at Stationers' Hall to a Government printer, as compositor. Step by step, be advanced in the trade of a printer, until, as the head of the large firm which bears his name, be was able to take a high place in the councils of the City. He was elected an Alderman of London for Langbourne Ward in 1863, be was Sheriff of London in 1866-67, and was Lord Mayor in 1872-73.

But, unlike many of his brother citizens, his ambitions have not been limited to the acquirement of City honours, At the General Election of 1868 be contested the Parliamentary seat of Dumfries as a supporter of Mr Gladstone and his Irish Church proposals. In spite of the fact that there had been no contested election in Dumfries for eighty years, the Duke of Buccleuch's nominee having hitherto always walked over the course, Sir Sydney won the seat by forty-four votes. He has also sat in Parliament as Liberal member for Maidstone (1874-80) and Gravesend (1880-85).

He was singularly fortunate in the public events which occurred. during his year of mayoralty. Never have there been such crowds in the streets of London as those which gathered together to witness the City receptions of that year. Sir Sydney entertained at the Mansion House, and welcomed to the City of London, the Sultan of Turkey, the Shah of Persia, and the Khedive of Egypt. So impressed were the Sultan and Khediv with the hospitality of London's Lord Mayor that be was invited by them, on the termination of his year of office, to visit Egypt and Constantinople. The invitation was accepted, and while in Turkey the Sultan conferred upon Sir Sydney the Order of the Medjidieh. In recognition of his public services, as well as of his brilliant reception of the Shah of Persia, he was created a Baronet in August 1873. A short time previous to this, on the occasion of the visit of the Sultan, be had been created a Knight. Among other public honours which were conferred upon him may be mentioned the Order of the Grand Cross of the Crown of Italy, received from the King of Italy in 1873, in connection with the Italian inundations of that year and the assistance rendered to Italy by the Lord Mayor. The Orders of the Lion and of the Sun were also conferred upon him by the Shah of Persia.

One of the most successful of his public labours has been the erection, on a large scale, of model lodging-houses for artisans in different parts of London, and, as chairman of the Industrial Dwellings Company, be has still further developed his policy in this matter. For the last twenty-four years, in consequence largely of the application of his ideas, 30,000 working people have been provided with healthy, commodious, and cheap dwellings at a rate below the usual hire of unfurnished apartments suitable to the working classes. Other positions held by Sir Sydney at different times have been Commissioner of Lieutenancy for London, treasurer of St Bartholomew's Hospital, member of the Judicature Commission, and deputy-chairman of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway and of the Union Bank of London. His latest act has been to present the people of London with a public park. At the meeting of the London County Council on November 12, 1889, a letter was read from Sir Sydney, stating that he desired to present to the Council an estate of nearly twenty-nine acres in extent, situated on the southern slope of Highgate Hill, which was for many years his own home, and which property, be thought, would, if judiciously laid out, make an excellent park for the north of London. Sir Sydney further offered to pay £6,000 in cash to enable the Council to obtain a permanent interest in a small portion of the estate which was held on lease. With reference to this gift, Sir Sydney has since said, "I gave it out of my love and affection for the great city in which I have worked for fifty-three years." The park, appropriately named Waterlow Park, was opened to the public by Sir John Lubbock on Saturday, October 17th, 1891. The house and grounds possess great historical interest. Here once lived the celebrated Earl of Lauderdale, and at another time the still more celebrated and "pretty, witty Nell Gwynne." At a time when open spaces are being fought for inch by inch by the people of London, this last public act of Sir Sydney Waterlow is particularly welcome. It reflects credit on the reputation of the City for generosity; and the fact that one of her most distinguished inhabitants should have thus realised the privileges as well as the responsibilities attaching to wealth is an encouraging sign of the times. As a politician Sir Sydney has always been ready to do battle for his principles, and he has spoken much both in Parliament and in the country on public questions, more especially on those relating to social and industrial matters, When in town be resides at 29 Chesham Place*, and his country seat is at Westham, in the county of Kent. He has been twice married, and has a large family of sons and daughters.

* Chesham Place lies at the SW corner of Belgrave Square - DHH