Philip Melvill

Philip Melvill (7 April 1762 – 27 October 1811) was a Scottish philanthropist and patriarch of the Melvill family of Falmouth, Cornwall.

He was born in 1762 in Dunbar, in the war against Hyder Ali's forces. In 1780, he was wounded and captured. He was held prisoner for four years under bad conditions.

Lt. John Fall Melvill (26 April 1789 – 11 July 1808), drowned, aged 19, off Madeira, in 1808 Jean Bonamy Melvill (29 April 1794 – 10 May 1862), died unmarried; resided with her sister Elizabeth through 1853 and then her sister Rachel Philip Melvill (1796–1882), Military Secretary to the East India Company in 1837; married in 1831 Eliza Sandys (1805–1890), daughter of Lt.-Col. William Sandys Rev. Canon Henry Melvill (1798–1871), Church of England clergyman, principal of the East India Company College, Haileybury; canon residentiary of St Paul's Cathedral; rector of Barnes; married in 1831 Margaret Jennings (1805–1876) Rachel Dobrée Melvill (4 August 1800 – 17 April 1885) married in 1829 Henry Kemble, M.P. Major General Sir Peter Melvill Melvill (1803–1895), military and naval secretary to the government of Bombay; married in 1836 Catherine Robertson (died 1881) Elizabeth Carey Melvill (20 December 1807 – 18 October 1853), died unmarried; resided with her sister, Jean

Philanthropy In 1807, Melvill founded the Falmouth Misericordia Society "for the relief of poor strangers and distressed persons of the town". He also helped found a Church Girls' School in 1802 and a Boys' School in 1805.

Death and legacy Melvill died on 27 October 1811 at Pendennis Castle. Memoirs of him were published in 1812.

The Falmouth Misericordia Society was still in operation in 1887.

Melvill Road, connecting the A39 road with Falmouth Docks, is named after him.