Charles Octavius Swinnerton MorganDL, JP, FRS, FSA (15 September 1803 – 5 August 1888), known as Octavius Morgan, was a British politician, historian and antiquary. In 1840, in his capacity as a JP he served on the Grand Jury at Monmouth which found John Frost and his fellow Chartists guilty of high treason.[1] He was a significant benefactor to the British Museum, in which there is a collection that is named after him.[2] Vincent and Leopold (2015:3) observed: 'The protoacademic
approach of nineteenth-century collectors,
such as Octavius Morgan (1803–1888) and Augustus Wollaston Franks (1826–1897), was instrumental to
the establishment and growth of some of the most
comprehensive collections of horology, chief among
them found in the British Museum, London.'[3]
Morgan inherited an ample fortune. Consequently, in 1839 he was able to buy "The Friars", a Grade II listed building in Newport, Wales which he had rebuilt in the Elizabethan style. He had an octagonal preaching platform installed halfway up the main wooden staircase where he would conduct services every day. And he was said to have filled the house with "Tudor furniture, more curious than useful".[4] His congregation would consist of his maids, the housekeeper, bailiff and the boot boy. The lock he had installed on the door reflected his interest in mechanisms and automata. The substantial brass lock is still on the door of his house and it has seven subsidiary controls.[4]
Morgan had published research papers on multiple subjects including astrolabes, clocks, episcopal rings, early communion plate, local history, watches and watchmaking.
In 1852 Morgan had published a series of papers in the Archaeological Journal about the assay and hallmarking of gold and silver, the first information that had been made public on this ancient practice. These sparked public interest in studying and collecting old gold and silver because of the information about its date and origins that can be discovered from the hallmarks.[6]
Three later publications were:
1872 - his book 'Some Account of the Ancient Monuments in the Priory Church, Abergavenny', a valuable guide to the monuments in the Priory Church of St Mary in Abergavenny[7]
During his lifetime Morgan made a number of generous donations to the British Museum including a nef, an extravagant table ornament automaton known as the Mechanical Galleon in 1866.[9]
Morgan never married and died on 5 August 1888 aged 84.[10] He was buried in his family's vault at the Church of St Basil, Bassaleg in Newport. He left his clock collection, astronomical instruments and episcopal rings.[11] His astrolabes included the 14th-century astrolabe used to call the faithful to prayer in Damascus.[12] His collections of papers including his translations of Welsh poetry are in the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.
Today his house's extensive dairy and orangery are gone because his home is currently (2024) a post-graduate education centre for the Royal Gwent Hospital Hospital of the Aneurin Bevan University Hospital of NHS Wales. However, it is said that the house is still adorned with Latin inscriptions hidden within wooden carvings and a grand imported German fireplace bearing his initials.[4]
Morgan, Octavius; Wakeman, Thomas (1867). Notes on Penhow Castle. Newport: Monmouthshire and Caerleon Antiquarian Association. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
^To be precise, the discovery that Morgan reported was of the remains, 'a portion of the side', of a ship. (Unfortunately Morgan omitted to state whether the remains were left in situ or moved.) In 2002 a medieval ship which was built with timber from the Basque Country (greater region) of Northern Spain was discovered in the west bank of the River Usk in the city centre, see Newport Ship.
Evans, Dai Morgan (2011). "Octavius Morgan: journal of a tour through North Wales in 1821". Archaeologia Cambrensis. 160: 235–263. doi:10.5284/1059211.
