Howard Fox

Howard Fox (10 December 1836 – 15 November 1922) was a shipping agent and played a large part in the economic and cultural development of the town of Falmouth, Cornwall. He was a member of the influential Fox family of Falmouth.

Business interests

The Fox family had built up a diversified set of interests beyond the original shipbroking office. Howard Fox led the central board of the company.

Consular roles

He was Consul for the United States of America in Falmouth from 1874 until 1905, in succession to his father.^[1]^[2]^[3] In April 1870, he was appointed Vice-Consul for the Republic of the Ecuador.^[4] He was appointed Consul for Sweden and Norway in 1896.^[5] He became Consul for Denmark in 1909.^[6]

Harbour and Dock development

He was also chairman of Falmouth Docks Company for 45 years, succeeding his father.^[7]

Scientific interests

He had wide general interests in science and supported the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society and the British Association. At the British Association's Annual Meeting held in Nottingham in September 1893, he read a paper to the Geology Section "The radiolarian cherts of Cornwall". In 1884, he attended the British Association meeting in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

He was a member of the Geological Society of London.^[8] He served as president of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall in 1893–1894,^[9] and in 1897 was awarded the RGSC's prestigious Bolitho Gold Medal.^[10]

He was also interested in ornithology, botany and horticulture. He was given the exotic garden developed by his Uncle Robert, at Rosehill, Falmouth, in 1872.^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14]

Philanthropy and Peace activities

Along with many other members of the Fox family, he was a Quaker,^[15] and engaged with them in various philanthropic projects. He was a founder of Falmouth County School for Girls.

In 1878, he seconded a motion at a public meeting of Falmouth Chamber of Commerce, urging the Government "to maintain in the present crisis [The Russo-Turkish War] the principles of strict neutrality".^[16]

Birth, marriage and family

He was born on 10 December 1836 at Wodehouse Place, Falmouth, the third son of the twelve children of Alfred Fox (1794–1874) and his wife, Sarah Lloyd (1804–1890).

He married Olivia Blanche Orme (1844–1930) in 1864.^[17] They had four children, two boys and two girls. His son, Charles Masson Fox, was a timber merchant and a director of the family shipping broking company, G. C. Fox. His son, Howard Orme Fox (17 August 1865 – 7 June 1921) was an Imperial Civil Servant.^[18] His daughters, Olivia Lloyd Fox (born 1868^[19]) and Stella (Born 1876^[20]^[21]), gave Rosehill Garden to Falmouth Town Council.^[22]^[23]

He died 15 November 1922 at Rosehill, Falmouth.

Publications

Observations in further illustration of the history and statistics of the Pilchard Fishery (1879).
"The flying squid or calamar", Falmouth : Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society, 1879
"Further Killigrew Mss. Relating to the Killigrew Pyramid or Monument at Falmouth and Other Matters" Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall. No.42.
"Further Notes on the Devonian Rocks and Fossils in the Parish of St Minver." Transactions of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. Vol.13, Part 1, 1905.
"Notes on some coast-sections at the Lizard : On a radiolarian chart from Mullion Island" by Howard Fox and J. J. H. Teall. The Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, Vol.49 (1893) pp. 199 and 211.
"On a well-marked horizon of radiolarian rocks in the lower Culm Measures of Devon, Cornwall and West Somerset" by George Jennings Hinde and Howard Fox. The Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, 1895; v. 51; issue.1–4; p. 609-NP;^[24]
"On Some Nodular Concretions, Resembling Fossil Wood and Fossil Fish : Treworden Wood, Launceston." Transactions of the Royal Cornwall Geological Society, 1894.
"On the gneissic rocks off the Lizard; with notes on the specimens" by Howard Fox and J. J. H. Teall, The Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London. Vol.44. 1888 p519-544
"Supplementary Notes on the Cornish Radiolarian Cherts and Devonian Fossils" Transactions of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall, Vol.12, Part 4, 1899.
On a soda feldspar rock at Dinas Head, North Coast of Cornwall, Cambridge University Press, 1895.

References

^ U.S. State Department FAQs
^ British Government approval of U.S. appointment: The Times, Saturday, 2 January 1875, p7, col A
^ The Times, Thursday, 19 November 1885, p5, Issue col E: U.S Consuls in Europe confirmed in Office, including Howard Fox at Falmouth.
^ Vice-Consul: Ecuador The Times, Saturday, 9 April 1870, p5, col A
^ Sweden & Norway Vice-Consul: The Times, Wednesday, 8 January 1896, p10, col C
^ Howard Fox appointed Consul for Denmark: The Times, Tuesday, 26 January 1909, p11,col A
^ Alfred Fox is shown and Howard Fox as a Director of the Falmouth Dock Company in the advertisement in The Times, Monday, 28 October 1861, pg. 3, col A. when further shares of £144,700 was offered for sale.
^ His obituary appeared the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London No. 79 (1923) (Source: GSL website. Archived 13 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
^ K. F. G. Hosking & G. J. Shrimpton, ed. (1964). "Patrons and presidents". Present Views of Some Aspects of the Geology of Cornwall and Devon. Penzance: Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. pp. iii.
^ K. F. G. Hosking & G. J. Shrimpton, ed. (1964). "The William Bolitho Gold Medal". Present Views of Some Aspects of the Geology of Cornwall and Devon. Penzance: Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. pp. iv.
^ Sandra & George Pritchard's website on Rosehill Gardens.
^ Carrick District Council page on Fox-Rosehill Gardens. Archived 10 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
^ gallery of photos of exotic plants at Rosehill.
^
On 1909-01-09, Howard Fox wrote to the Editor of The Times. It was published under the heading "Cornish Gardens" on 14 January 1909. p4, col B.
Sir,
The recent cold snap must have spoiled the floral beauty of most English gardens but did not reach the south west of Cornwall, so here they remain in very exceptional winter luxuriance.
We have, for instance, at Falmouth the following trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants flowering in the open air:-
- Abutilon,
  - Boule de Neige, 8 ft (2.4 m) high;
  - A. mesopotamicum, 10 ft (3.0 m)
  - Crusader, 8 ft (2.4 m)
  - Prince of Wales 10 ft (3.0 m)
- Acacia Leabata, 30 ft (9.1 m)
- A. longifolia, 20 ft (6.1 m)
- Acanthus mollis
- Brugmansia lutea, 6 ft (1.8 m)
- B. sanguinea, 8 ft (2.4 m)
- Calceolaria amplexicaulis
- C. burbridgi, 5 ft (1.5 m)
- Citron, Madras in fruit and flower on a wall
- Clianthus puniceus
- Cyclamens in variety
- Coleonema alba (syn. Diosma ericoides) has been showing flowers every day for the last two years
- Cestrum elegans (syn. Habrothamnus fasciculatus)
- Cystus prolifera, 12 ft (3.7 m) high
- Daphne vera Indica
- Desfontainea spinosa
- Ericas in variety
- Eupatorium micranthum (syn. Weinmannianum) 10 ft (3 m).
- Fuchsias, Roses and Hydrangeas in variety
- Melianthus major, 10 ft (3.0 m)
- Musa japonica (Banana)
- Senecio grandiflora *
- Solanum Balbisii covered with orange-coloured spines, 6 ft (1.8 m) high
- Salvias in variety
- Sparrmannia africana, 6 ft (1.8 m)
Falmouth, 9 Jan HOWARD FOX.
We may judge from this that he was a passionate gardener. *No such species as Senecio grandiflora. He may have meant S. grandifolius
^ Howard Fox was listed a member of Cornwall Monthly Meeting in the 1889 Devon & Cornwall General Meeting List of Members.
^ The Times, 9 January 1878 This article was a survey of meetings around the country of people opposed to Britain joining the war.
^ Date of marriage given in Milligan's Dictionary..
^ Howard Orme Fox was in the Ceylon Civil Service and died in Sri Lanka on 1921-06-07, according to a Death Notice in The Times 1921-06-09, p1. Col B. According to Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon: Its History, People, Commerce, edited by Arnold Wright (1907) page 135, he was born (17 August 1865 Available on GoogleBooks
^ According to the Foxhound database, Olivia Lloyd Fox was born 5 February 1868
^ According to the Foxhound database, Stella Fox was born 11 December 1876.
^ Dates of birth of daughters also calculated from ages given in 1891 Census: Cornwall Online Census Project RG12/1834 (Part 3).
^ Fox, Charles (2004). Glendurgan: a personal memoir of a garden in Cornwall. Newmill, Penzance, Cornwall: Alison Hodge. ISBN 0-906720-35-4. by a great grandson of Alfred Fox. Note of Howard's daughters on p119.
^ Blanche was seriously ill, following Stella's birth, according to a note found in Howard Fox's papers, dated 13/12-1876 and signed CF
^ "On Well-marked horizon . . " Full text at The Lyell Collection, online (accessed 24 December 2007).

[1] U.S. State Department FAQs

[2] British Government approval of U.S. appointment: The Times, Saturday, 2 January 1875, p7, col A

[3] The Times, Thursday, 19 November 1885, p5, Issue col E: U.S Consuls in Europe confirmed in Office, including Howard Fox at Falmouth.

[4] Vice-Consul: Ecuador The Times, Saturday, 9 April 1870, p5, col A

[5] Sweden & Norway Vice-Consul: The Times, Wednesday, 8 January 1896, p10, col C

[6] Howard Fox appointed Consul for Denmark: The Times, Tuesday, 26 January 1909, p11,col A

[7] Alfred Fox is shown and Howard Fox as a Director of the Falmouth Dock Company in the advertisement in The Times, Monday, 28 October 1861, pg. 3, col A. when further shares of £144,700 was offered for sale.

[8] His obituary appeared the Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London No. 79 (1923) (Source: GSL website. Archived 13 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine.

[9] K. F. G. Hosking & G. J. Shrimpton, ed. (1964). "Patrons and presidents". Present Views of Some Aspects of the Geology of Cornwall and Devon. Penzance: Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. pp. iii.

[10] K. F. G. Hosking & G. J. Shrimpton, ed. (1964). "The William Bolitho Gold Medal". Present Views of Some Aspects of the Geology of Cornwall and Devon. Penzance: Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. pp. iv.

[11] Sandra & George Pritchard's website on Rosehill Gardens.

[12] Carrick District Council page on Fox-Rosehill Gardens. Archived 10 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine

[13] ry of photos of exotic plants at Rosehill.

[14] On 1909-01-09, Howard Fox wrote to the Editor of The Times. It was published under the heading "Cornish Gardens" on 14 January 1909. p4, col B.
Sir,
The recent cold snap must have spoiled the floral beauty of most English gardens but did not reach the south west of Cornwall, so here they remain in very exceptional winter luxuriance.
We have, for instance, at Falmouth the following trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants flowering in the open air:-

Abutilon,
Boule de Neige, 8 ft (2.4 m) high;

A. mesopotamicum, 10 ft (3.0 m)

Crusader, 8 ft (2.4 m)

Prince of Wales 10 ft (3.0 m)

Acacia Leabata, 30 ft (9.1 m)

A. longifolia, 20 ft (6.1 m)

Acanthus mollis

Brugmansia lutea, 6 ft (1.8 m)

B. sanguinea, 8 ft (2.4 m)

Calceolaria amplexicaulis

C. burbridgi, 5 ft (1.5 m)

Citron, Madras in fruit and flower on a wall

Clianthus puniceus

Cyclamens in variety

Coleonema alba (syn. Diosma ericoides) has been showing flowers every day for the last two years

Cestrum elegans (syn. Habrothamnus fasciculatus)

Cystus prolifera, 12 ft (3.7 m) high

Daphne vera Indica

Desfontainea spinosa

Ericas in variety

Eupatorium micranthum (syn. Weinmannianum) 10 ft (3 m).

Fuchsias, Roses and Hydrangeas in variety

Melianthus major, 10 ft (3.0 m)

Musa japonica (Banana)

Senecio grandiflora *

Solanum Balbisii covered with orange-coloured spines, 6 ft (1.8 m) high

Salvias in variety

Sparrmannia africana, 6 ft (1.8 m)
Falmouth, 9 Jan HOWARD FOX.

We may judge from this that he was a passionate gardener. *No such species as Senecio grandiflora. He may have meant S. grandifolius

[15] Abutilon,
Boule de Neige, 8 ft (2.4 m) high;

A. mesopotamicum, 10 ft (3.0 m)

Crusader, 8 ft (2.4 m)

Prince of Wales 10 ft (3.0 m)

[16] Boule de Neige, 8 ft (2.4 m) high;

[17] A. mesopotamicum, 10 ft (3.0 m)

[18] Crusader, 8 ft (2.4 m)

[19] Prince of Wales 10 ft (3.0 m)

[20] Acacia Leabata, 30 ft (9.1 m)

[21] A. longifolia, 20 ft (6.1 m)

[22] Acanthus mollis

[23] Brugmansia lutea, 6 ft (1.8 m)

[24] B. sanguinea, 8 ft (2.4 m)

[25] Calceolaria amplexicaulis

[26] C. burbridgi, 5 ft (1.5 m)

[27] Citron, Madras in fruit and flower on a wall

[28] Clianthus puniceus

[29] Cyclamens in variety

[30] Coleonema alba (syn. Diosma ericoides) has been showing flowers every day for the last two years

[31] Cestrum elegans (syn. Habrothamnus fasciculatus)

[32] Cystus prolifera, 12 ft (3.7 m) high

[33] Daphne vera Indica

[34] Desfontainea spinosa

[35] Ericas in variety

[36] Eupatorium micranthum (syn. Weinmannianum) 10 ft (3 m).

[37] Fuchsias, Roses and Hydrangeas in variety

[38] Melianthus major, 10 ft (3.0 m)

[39] Musa japonica (Banana)

[40] Senecio grandiflora *

[41] Solanum Balbisii covered with orange-coloured spines, 6 ft (1.8 m) high

[42] Salvias in variety

[43] Sparrmannia africana, 6 ft (1.8 m)

[15] Howard Fox was listed a member of Cornwall Monthly Meeting in the 1889 Devon & Cornwall General Meeting List of Members.

[16] The Times, 9 January 1878 This article was a survey of meetings around the country of people opposed to Britain joining the war.

[17] Date of marriage given in Milligan's Dictionary..

[18] Howard Orme Fox was in the Ceylon Civil Service and died in Sri Lanka on 1921-06-07, according to a Death Notice in The Times 1921-06-09, p1. Col B. According to Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon: Its History, People, Commerce, edited by Arnold Wright (1907) page 135, he was born (17 August 1865 Available on GoogleBooks

[19] According to the Foxhound database, Olivia Lloyd Fox was born 5 February 1868

[20] According to the Foxhound database, Stella Fox was born 11 December 1876.

[21] Dates of birth of daughters also calculated from ages given in 1891 Census: Cornwall Online Census Project RG12/1834 (Part 3).

[22] Fox, Charles (2004). Glendurgan: a personal memoir of a garden in Cornwall. Newmill, Penzance, Cornwall: Alison Hodge. ISBN 0-906720-35-4. by a great grandson of Alfred Fox. Note of Howard's daughters on p119.

[23] Blanche was seriously ill, following Stella's birth, according to a note found in Howard Fox's papers, dated 13/12-1876 and signed CF

[24] "On Well-marked horizon . . " Full text at The Lyell Collection, online (accessed 24 December 2007).

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