Alfred Harmsworth (1837-1889)

Alfred Harmsworth
Alfred Harmsworth
Born	1837 Chapelizod, Dublin, Ireland, United Kingdom
Died	1889 (aged 51–52) United Kingdom
Cause of death	Cirrhosis
Resting place	East Finchley Cemetery
Nationality	British
Occupation	Barrister
Spouse(s)	Geraldine Mary Maffett (1838–1925)

Alfred Harmsworth (1837–1889) was a British barrister, and the father of several of the United Kingdom's leading newspaper proprietors, five of whom were honoured with hereditary titles – two viscounts, one baron and two baronets. Another son designed the iconic bulbous Perrier mineral water bottle.

Alfred Harmsworth was born in 1837 in Chapelizod, Dublin, the only son of Charles Harmsworth and Hannah Carter.

In September 1864, he married Geraldine Mary Maffett (1838–1925), one of the eight children of William Maffett, a land agent in County Down, and his wife Margaret Finlayson. They lived in Dublin until 1867, when they moved to London, initially to St John's Wood, and later to Hampstead when the family's fortunes declined, in part due to Harmsworth's "fondness for alcohol", although they were always short of money, in part due to having so many children.

The Harmsworths had 14 children, three of whom died in infancy:

Christabel was named after the suffragette Christabel Pankhurst, as Harmsworth was an ardent believer in women's suffrage. In 1939, there were five Lady Harmsworths.

Harmsworth was a barrister of the Middle Temple and one of the standing counsel for the Great Northern Railway. He has been described as an "unsuccessful" barrister. It was not until after his death that the press empire created by his sons "really took off".

Harmsworth died in 1889. He is buried at East Finchley Cemetery. He died of cirrhosis of the liver, as did his sons Alfred and Hildebrand, all in their 50s.

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