Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar

Who was Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar?

Godfrey Charles Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar was a British Army officer and British politician.

Tredegar was born on 28 April 1831 in Ruperra Castle, Glamorganshire. He was educated at Eton and joined the British Army in 1853.

When the Crimean War broke out in 1854, Tredegar held the rank of Captain at the age of 22 in the 17th Lancers and he accompanied his famous regiment to the scene of the great struggle. He was in action at the Battle of Alma and later on 25 October 1854 was in command of a section of the Light Brigade that rode into the 'Valley of Death' at the Battle of Balaclava, he survived. Godfrey's horse, 'Sir Briggs', also survived, and lived at Tredegar House until his death at the age of 28. He was buried in the Cedar Garden at Tredegar House. The monument still stands there today.

In later years, as other members of the Morgan family had been in the past, he became a benefactor to the people of Newport. Large tracts of land were donated to the Corporation for the benefit of the public, including Belle Vue Park, the Royal Gwent Hospital and Newport Athletics Grounds. This earned him the nickname of "Godfrey the Good" among local people. He served as High Sheriff of Monmouthshire for 1858.