Hugh Seymour Tremenheere

Hugh Seymour Tremenheere (1804–1893) was an English academic, barrister, publicist and author, who worked as a schools inspector and mines inspector.

Early life He was born at Wootton House, Gloucestershire, on 22 January 1804, the son of Walter Tremenheere and his wife Frances Apperley; Charles William Tremenheere (1813–1898) of the Royal Engineers was his brother. He was educated at Winchester School from 1816, and matriculated as a scholar from New College, Oxford, on 30 January 1824. He was a fellow of his college from 1824 to 1856, graduated B.A. 1827 and M.A. 1832, and was called to the bar at the Inner Temple on 21 November 1834.

After three years' practice as a barrister, Tremenheere was made a revising barrister on the western circuit. He was the first British schools inspector, with his colleague Rev. John Allen, who represented the Committee for Council on Education. He made nine reports to the committee of the council on education on the state of schools in England and Wales. He found, however that his right to free comment in reports was in practice curtailed, and resigned the post. The problem arose in January 1842, with his report on 66 school of the British and Foreign School Society. He came under political pressure to withdraw from Lord Wharncliffe, but refused to alter the report.

In October 1842 Tremenheere became an assistant poor-law commissioner, and in 1843 a commissioner for inquiring into the state of the population in the mining districts, on which he made fifteen reports between 1844 and 1858. While he had the title Inspector of Mines, his remit did not require him to inspect mine workings, and he did not go underground.

A friend of Harriet Martineau, Tremenheere met William Wordsworth through her in 1845.

In 1855 and 1861 Tremenheere made inquiries into the management of bleaching works and lace manufactories. Appointed one of the commissioners in 1861 for inquiring into the employment of children and young persons in trades and manufactures, he joined in making six reports on this subject between 1863 and 1867. As one of the commissioners on the employment of young persons and women in agriculture, he took part in writing four reports to parliament between 1867 and 1870. He also reported on grievances complained of by the journeymen bakers, on the operations of bakehouse regulations, and on the tithe commutation acts.

Family Tremenheere married, on 2 April 1856, Lucy Bernal, third daughter of Ralph Bernal, and widow of Vicesimus Knox III, son of Vicesimus Knox. She died on 7 October 1872, leaving two daughters, Florence Lucy Bernal who married Ernest Edward Leigh Bennett, and Evelyn Westfaling who married George Marcus Parker, barrister of the Inner Temple.