Samuel Robert Graves

Statue in St George's Hall, Liverpool

Samuel Robert Graves (7 June 1818 – 18 January 1873) was an Irish-born businessman and Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1865 to 1873.

Graves was the son of William Graves and his wife Sarah Elly daughter of Samuel Elly of New Ross. He was educated at a private school at New Ross. He was a merchant and shipowner, and a director of the London and North Western Railway. In 1861 he was mayor of Liverpool. He was a Member of the Royal Commission to inquire into the management of Lights, Buoys, and Beacons. He was commodore of the Royal Mersey Yacht Club and author of "National Dangers," and " A Cruise in the Baltic." ^[1]

At the 1865 general election Graves was elected Member of Parliament for Liverpool. He held the seat until his death in 1873.^[2]

Graves died at the age of 54 and is buried in Toxteth Park Cemetery

Graves married Elizabeth Haughton, daughter of Samuel Haughton of Burrin House, Carlow in 1848.^[1]

Samuel Robert Graves, Liverpool FC & Anfield. http://www.redandwhitekop.com/ By Chris McMullan

We all know about the Spion Kop in the Boer War but no one seems to know where the name Anfield comes from. What if I told you in means 'The River Field' and is named after a farm in Ireland! Here's the low down on the Anfield scoop.

You'd have thought a trip over to the south-east coast of the Ireland couldn't bring up too many surprises in the field of LFC, but the Emerald Isle isn't known for conforming to English preconceptions.

So here I was in New Ross, Co. Wexford, enjoying the black stuff when I'm told of a little farm within spitting distance of the town center. Now I've never been one for mud and wellies but this plot of land happened to be called Anfield! What's more the story is that it's the original Anfield.

So how is the most famous club ground in Britain come to be named after a farm in Ireland?

First of all we knocked at Anfield Cottage on Anfield Lane and met the Waters family, who as is the norm in rural Ireland welcomed us in and gave us the run down on the Anfield story.

Anfield Cottage Mrs Waters told us of how a wealthy resident of the Lane had moved over to Liverpool, became Mayor of the city and named a road leading up to a piece of recreational ground - Anfield, after his family home.

Anfield Cottage on the original Anfield Lane sounds like a dream home to me. It just happens to be for sale! Now where did I leave my credit card?

Before we left Mrs Waters told us about a book that had been written by local historian James Murphy that went into the Anfield connection in more detail

Rosbercon Parish

The following extract is taken from Rosbercon Parish by James Murphy (Killkenny People Printing Ltd, 2000):

"For many years the family of Graves were very much part and parcel of the business scene of New Ross. For over one hundred and seventy five years, 1811 - 1986 they had a thriving Builders Providers and Sawmills on New Ross Quays. For some part of that time especially before and after the famine they were renowned as a firm of ship builders and shipping agents. Robert Samuel Graves left his home in Rosbercon Castle and headed to Liverpool about the year 1860. He took on the running of the Graves shipping company in that city and did a fine job too. His popularity soared and he was elected mayor of Liverpool as well as a Member of Parliament for the area in 1865, and he held the seat until his death in 1873. In his capacity as mayor, it was he who put through a proposal to develop grounds on the outskirts of the city for a Liverpool Football Club.

These grounds ran directly behind the family business. Robert then sanctioned a proposal to build a roadway up to the new grounds, and duly named it Anfield Lane, after the one beside his ancestral home in Rosbercon.. The name of course has been abbreviated over the years and the famous ground of the renowned Liverpool football club is now just know as, Anfield. Robert Samuel Graves brought a little part of Rosbercon hill to the Mersey Side, where there is no doubt, but that it will live as long as the game of soccor is played at this famous venue."

Rosbercon Castle, Anfield Lane, Co. Wexford JFK Trust

Whilst visiting the historical Dunbrody, a replica of a famous famine ship, we spoke to Carmel, who worked for the JFK Trust and seemed to know a lot about the Anfield connection.

Carmel sent us the following piece of research on Graves family's political career as well as the origin of the name Anfield:

"William and Anthony Elly Graves had both been active in the political life of New Ross, serving on various committees. James Palmer Graves was elected president of Waterford Chamber of Commerce in 1884. But Samuel's political ambitions went further. In 1861, he became Mayor of Liverpool - the first Irishman to hold the mayoralty of an English city. In 1865, he was returned as MP for Liverpool and held the seat until his death in 1873.

He was reputedly a personal friend of Queen Victoria and he certainly entertained her son, the Prince of Wales. He served as a Sea Lord, as a member of the Mersey Dock and Harbour Board, the local Marine Board, the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Commission on the management of lights, buoys etc. He held directorships in several companies, including London and North Western Railways and the Pacific Steam Navigation Co.

He also bequeathed an immortal legacy to Liverpool: The Graves family home in New Ross was in the townland of Annefield (Irish: Gort na hAbhann - the River Field) Annefield Lane ran just above Rosbercon Castle, and Samuel Robert Graves chose that name for his Liverpool home. Shortened to Anfield, it became the name for part of the city and today survives most famously as the name of the home of Liverpool Football Club - Anfield Stadium, one of the best known sports arenas in the world.

It is not know if Robert Graves shared an interest in football. His career certainly kept him busy. At the time of his death, Graves were operating fifty ships out of Liverpool port with worldwide destinations"

Back in Liverpool

We had all the evidence from Ireland and for further confirmation we wanted to place Robert Graves in Liverpool during that period.

Lynne Messenger from The Lord Mayor's office, Liverpool, confirmed that Samuel Robert Graves was in fact Mayor of Liverpool in 1860/61.

It seems appropriate that 140 years after Anfield was named after a homestead in Co. Wexford, that the Kop would sing about 'The Fields of Anfield Rd' to the tune of a famous Irish ballad.

This Is Anfield

See also

• List of statues and sculptures in Liverpool

References

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Samuel Graves