Harriet Windsor-Clive

Harriet Windsor-Clive, 13th Baroness Windsor (née Lady Harriet Windsor; 30 July 1797 – 9 November 1869), was a British landowner and wealthy benefactor in the Penarth and Cardiff area of South Wales. She is probably best known for developing Penarth Dock in competition with the Marquess of Bute's docks in Cardiff and for her charitable donations in the area.

After the death of her brother, the 6th Earl of Plymouth, in 1833, the subsidiary title of the earldom, Baron Windsor, fell in abeyance. After the death of her elder sister in 1855, the abeyance was terminated in her favour in October 1855 and she became The Baroness Windsor. She legally changed her name to Harriet Windsor-Clive in November 1855.

Background Lady Harriet Windsor was born on 30 July 1797 in Mayfair, the third child and second daughter of Other Windsor, 5th Earl of Plymouth. In 1819, she married Robert Henry Clive (1789–1854), a Member of Parliament for Ludlow, Shropshire. With Harriet being the favourite sister, the bulk of the Plymouth Estate was left to her, including Hewell Grange in Worcestershire and St Fagans Castle. Previously living in Essex, Harriet moved to Cardiff while the St Fagans property was restored. When the restoration was complete, they lived at Hewell Grange but visited St Fagans frequently.

Business interests

Penarth Dock In 1855, Baroness Windsor formed the Penarth Harbour Company to develop a dock for Penarth on her land. She intended to compete with the new Cardiff Docks, which were being developed by the 2nd and 3rd Marquess of Bute. The docks, curving between Penarth Head and the River Ely, were completed by 1865. Baroness Windsor was due to perform the opening ceremony on 10 June 1865, but failed to turn up in time to meet the high tide. The chairman of the Taff Vale Railway (who were lessees of the dock) made the baroness's excuses and performed the ceremony. and is now known as Grangetown. One of the earliest pubs, operating from the 1860s until 2008 on Penarth Road, was called The Baroness Windsor.

Philanthropy On her death, Baroness Windsor was praised her as "simple and unostentatious in her manner" and generous towards charitable causes, The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian saying "In every movement which tended to the well-being of those around her, her large subscriptions expressed her sympathy with them".

She paid for the construction of the Church of St Fagan, Trecynon, near Aberdare (1852–1853), then, when it burnt down in 1856, paid for its construction a second time. She contributed towards the restoration of a number of churches in the Cardiff area, including St Mary's Church at St Fagans, Radyr's St John the Baptist and the Cathedral at Llandaff.

Marriage and issue With her husband Robert Clive (1789–1854), she had eight children:

Hon. Henrietta Sarah Windsor-Clive Hussey (28 March 1820 – 30 January 1899), artist; married in 1853 Edward Hussey of Scotney Castle, Sussex; mother of William Clive Hussey Charlotte Mary Florentia Clive (14 August 1822 – 27 May 1846), died in Florence, aged 18 Hon. Robert Windsor-Clive (24 May 1824 – 4 August 1859), married in 1852 Lady Mary Selina Louisa Bridgeman, fifth daughter of the Earl of Bradford; their son Robert inherited the Windsor barony and was created Earl of Plymouth in 1905 Hon. Mary Windsor-Clive (7 September 1828 – 16 June 1873), died unmarried Herbert Edward Clive (14 January 1830 – 6 May 1833), died in childhood of lung inflammation Lt.-Col. Hon. George Windsor-Clive (1835–1918), a Royal Navy officer and politician Hon. William Windsor Windsor-Clive (11 August 1837 – 24 September 1857), killed in railway accident Hon. Victoria Alexandrina Windsor-Clive (12 December 1839 – 18 July 1920), goddaughter and namesake of Queen Victoria; married in 1874 Rev. Edward ffarington Clayton

Death Lady Windsor died in St Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex, on 9 November 1869, having been ill for a few months. With her eldest son having died earlier, her estate was passed to her infant grandson, Robert Windsor-Clive,